Fr. Mathew Bridge

Father Mathew Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland and joining "Merchants Quay" to "Church Street" and the north quays.

The site of Fr Matthew Bridge is understood to be close to the ancient "Ford of the Hurdles", [http://www.berthamilton.com/13329.pdf "Project history of Dublin’s River Liffey bridges" Bridge Engineering 156 Issue BE4, Phillips & Hamilton] ] which was the original crossing point on the Liffey and gives its name (in Irish) to the city of Dublin. (lga|Baile Átha Cliath|Town of the Hurdled Ford)

At the turn of the first millennium (c.1014), the first recorded Dublin Liffey bridge was built at this point. Possibly known as the "Bridge of Dubhghall", this basic wooden structure was maintained and rebuilt over several centuries (from early Medieval to Viking to Norman times).

In 1428, the Dominicans of "Ostmantown Friary" built the first masonry bridge in Dublin, at this point. Known as "Dublin Bridge", "Old Bridge", or simply "The Bridge", this four arch structure had towers at either end, and shops, housing, an inn and a chapel were built on its supports.

For much of its 390-year life span, "The Bridge" carried all pedestrian, livestock and horse-drawn traffic across the river, and (as late as 1762) its tolls and chapel were still in use.

At the beginning of the 19th century, "Dublin Bridge" was replaced by a three-span, elliptical arch stone bridge. Designed by George Knowles (who also designed O'Donovan Rossa Bridge and Lucan Bridge), the bridge was opened in 1818Structurae|id=s0005738|title=Father Mathew Bridge] as "Whitworth Bridge", for Charles, Earl of Whitworth, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

As with many other Dublin bridges (particularly those named for British peers), the bridge was renamed following independence by the Free State as "Dublin Bridge" in 1923.

In line with another Dublin tradition of naming bridges for temperance campaigners, the bridge was renamed again in 1938 for Father Theobald Mathew ("the Apostle of Temperance") who was born at Thomastown near Golden, County Tipperary. [ [http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/bridges/mathew.html Irish-Architecture.com - Fr. Mathew Bridge entry] ]

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