Bridges

Clarke's Bridge

Clarke's Bridge, which connects Wandesford's Quay with Hanover Street, was built in 1776. Samuel Hobbs was the architect of the bridge. It is a single-span, segmental-arch bridge and is one of the oldest bridges in the city. When originally built, it connected Wandesford's Quay and Clarke's Marsh with the city, hence the name Clarke's Bridge. Its construction helped to relieve some congestion on the South Gate Bridge by traffic approaching from the south of Cork city. The bridge is composed primarily of local red sandstone. The industrial archaeologist Colin Rynne thinks its design may be based on that of the Pontypridd Bridge in Wales over the River Taf t.

Parliament Bridge

Parliament Bridge was built in 1806. It is an elegant, single-arched bridge which is built mainly from limestone. It was designed by William Hargrave and it replaced an earlier bridge on the same site which was damaged by a flood in 1804 .

St. Vincent's Bridge

The first Saint Vincent's Bridge was a temporary footbridge which was put in place in 1862. While Saint Patrick's Bridge was being built, this timber footbridge had been used to connect Merchant's Quay and Saint Patrick's Quay. The present Saint Vincent's Bridge was opened in 1878. Finance for the construction of the bridge was provided for under the terms of the Cork Improvement Act of 1875. It is a pedestrian bridge providing access to the North Mall and Sunday's Well from the junction of Bachelor's Quay and Grenville Place. The steel lattice girder structure is supported by two pairs of concrete-filled caissons, each of them reinforced with steel scissor braces. The concrete decking of the bridge is rests on bolted steel plates. It takes its name from the nearby Saint Vincent's Church.