Letterkenny Dual Carraigeway

Dry Arch sculpture, Letterkenny

Sculpture of two figures based on a C19th photograph of workers laying railway lines. The figures are made of stainless steel, and the base represents the old railway viaduct near Letterkenny. This sculpture is on the roundabout just before the new dual carraigeway from Letterkenny to Manorcunningham.

Donegal County Council

Dry Arch sculpture, Letterkenny
Donegal County Council

Dry Arch sculpture, Letterkenny

Sculpture of two figures based on a C19th photograph of workers laying railway lines. The figures are made of stainless steel, and the base represents the old railway viaduct near Letterkenny. This sculpture is on the roundabout just before the new dual carraigeway from Letterkenny to Manorcunningham.

Donegal County Council

Enlarge image

The Letterkenny (Port Bridge) to Manorcunningham dual carraigeway was officially opened in June 1990. This was a major breakthrough for road construction in the county and had a great effect on the movement of traffic to and from Letterkenny and onwards to Derry.

Journey times have been cut and safety improved on the North-South route. It was described as the largest piece of civil engineering carried out in county Donegal since the building of the Ballyshannon ESB Dam.

The stretch of road leading from the roundabout at Manorcunningham to the border town of Lifford is scheduled for improvement. This will depend on a combination of Interreg and NRA (National Roads Authority) funding, while is is hoped that preliminary design, archaeological testing and Compulsory Purchase Orders can be progressed in 2004.

Letterkenny - Manorcunningham dual carriageway 1990

Coloured aerial photograph of the new dual carriageway and roundabout near Manorcunningham, Letterkenny, County Donegal 1990. The road links Letterkenny in the Irish Republic to Derry in Northern Ireland, and also feeds into the main road to Strabane, County Tyrone. The picture shows the new highway as it passes through cultivated farmland and green pastures, crossing the meandering River Swilly in the centre. At the top left foreground can be seen a glimpse of the lower part of Lough Swilly. A boon to motorists, the dual carriageway considerably cuts the driving time from Letterkenny to the Manorcunningham roundabout leading to Derry and Inishowen, and helps alleviate traffic congestion at entry points into Letterkenny town

Donegal County Council

Letterkenny - Manorcunningham dual carriageway 1990
Donegal County Council

Letterkenny - Manorcunningham dual carriageway 1990

Coloured aerial photograph of the new dual carriageway and roundabout near Manorcunningham, Letterkenny, County Donegal 1990. The road links Letterkenny in the Irish Republic to Derry in Northern Ireland, and also feeds into the main road to Strabane, County Tyrone. The picture shows the new highway as it passes through cultivated farmland and green pastures, crossing the meandering River Swilly in the centre. At the top left foreground can be seen a glimpse of the lower part of Lough Swilly. A boon to motorists, the dual carriageway considerably cuts the driving time from Letterkenny to the Manorcunningham roundabout leading to Derry and Inishowen, and helps alleviate traffic congestion at entry points into Letterkenny town

Donegal County Council

Enlarge image

The final phase of the Port Bridge roundabout/link road (Blaney Road)/loop road was opened to traffic in December 2002. From opening day, the loop road has been hailed as a major success and has relieved traffic congestion significantly in this part of Letterkenny.

To celebrate the milennium, Donegal County Council commissioned renowned sculptor Maurice Harron to create a sculpture of two figures based on a C19th photograph of workers laying railway lines. The figures are made of stainless steel, and the base represents the old railway viaduct near Letterkenny. This artefact is situated at the roundabout which leads to the dual carraigeway.