The Official Opening

Redmond Bridge - feature
© Waterford City Council

The Mayor, Michael Kirwan, members of the corporation and leading citizens met at 12 o'clock in the City Hall in preparation for going over to the station to meet Mr. Redmond, who was travelling by train. The 1:30p.m. train steamed in to the sound of exploding fog signals and cheers from the assembled thousands.

Mr Redmond proceeded down the Quays by carriage while an enormous procession formed behind. The cheering was continuous and greetings were waved from almost every window along the route. Several bands took part in the procession and including the Barrack Street Brass and Reed Band and the Thomas Francis Meagher Fife and Drum Band. At intervals the strains of 'A Nation Once Again' were taken up by the crowd.
 

Redmond Bridge

Redmond Bridge - part of a photographic collection at Waterford City Archives

© Waterford City Council

Redmond Bridge
© Waterford City Council

Redmond Bridge

Redmond Bridge - part of a photographic collection at Waterford City Archives

© Waterford City Council

Enlarge image

Shortly before 3 o'clock. Mr. Redmond, the Mayor, and the members of the Corporation drove in motor cars and carriages to the new bridge entrance and the opening ceremony took place. The Quay and its approaches were packed with enthusiastic crowd of twenty-five thousand spectators.

Mr. Redmond addressed the crowd with the words; "I have come to Waterford today to perform a civic duty in the performance of which all classes and all creeds and all politics are united".

'Waterford from Mount Misery' by Patric Stevenson

'Waterford from Mount Misery' by Patric Stevenson. Born in Sussex, the son of a former Church of Ireland Dean in Waterford, the Rev. L.C. Stevenson.

© Waterford City Council

'Waterford from Mount Misery' by Patric Stevenson
© Waterford City Council

'Waterford from Mount Misery' by Patric Stevenson

'Waterford from Mount Misery' by Patric Stevenson. Born in Sussex, the son of a former Church of Ireland Dean in Waterford, the Rev. L.C. Stevenson.

© Waterford City Council

Enlarge image

The Waterford Express newspaper of 15th February 1913 described the attention to arrangements as "perfect in every detail". The day had been declared a half holiday and an enormous crowd of people thronged the Quay from early morning. The paper described how; "the bridge was gaily decorated from shore to shore with a profusion of bunting, and the shipping in the harbour was also 'dressed' in honour of the occasion...and Mr Redmond was the recipient of a spirit-stirring ovation".

Not everyone agreed with the name 'Redmond Bridge', the editorial in the Munster Express on 15th February read; "we see no earthly reason why it should be described other than as 'the Waterford Bridge...if the river Suir were spanned by half a dozen bridges we could understand a particular bridge being singled out to differentiate from the others...We hope that no pawky sentimentalism will ever have it described officially as anything else".