Lifford Bridge
| Lifford Bridge | |
| Tyrone, County Londonderry | |
|---|---|
 The Lifford Bridge | |
| Location | |
| Carrying: | A38 / N15 |
| Crossing: | River Foyle |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | H33409828 |
| Location: | 54°49’53"N, 7°28’52"W |
| Structure | |
| Length: | 377 feet |
| History | |
| Built 1964 | |
| Information | |
Lifford Bridge is a cross-border bridge 377 feet long, spanning the River Foyle between Strabane in County Tyrone in the United Kingdom and Lifford in County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland, joining the British A38 road to the Irish N15. It remains a vital part of the trans-border route from the north, west and east of County Donegal, to Dublin by way of Tyrone.
History
In 1607 during the Plantation of Ulster, the town of Lifford was granted to Sir Richard Hansard on condition that a ferry crossing be provided over the Finn river. This service continued until 1730, when the first bridge linking Lifford and Strabane was built.
In the nineteenth century a curious custom existed that when if, by the end of the Assizes, a jury could not reach a unanimous verdict in a case, they were sent to the "verge" of the county to be dismissed. In the case of counties Donegal and Tyrone, this was the middle of the Lifford Bridge. One account reads:
Patk Donnelly, indicted for the murder of John Beavers on the 1st Feb last, near Dungannon. The jury retired at twelve o'clock on Friday morning, remained in one night, and on Saturday was removed, together with the prisoner, to Lifford Bridge, the verge of the county. Upon the arrival of Justice Torrens the jury were called over, and not having agreed, the judge then discharged the Jury.—"Strabane Morning Post" of 11 August 1827
The present bridge was built by McAlpine in 1964 and jointly funded by the councils on either side of the border.[1]
During The Troubles in 1968, an attempt was made to blow the bridge up. However, it was closed for only a short time.[2]
In 2005 refurbishment of the bridge took place and cost £400,000.
References
- ↑ "Lifford Bridge works completed three weeks early". Graham News. Winter 2005–2006. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927023123/http://www.graham.co.uk/pages_news/documents/gnews_61.pdf. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
- ↑ "Linking North & South: Lifford Bridge". Ask about Ireland. http://www.askaboutireland.ie/show_narrative_page.do?page_id=1218.