Crossings of the River Shannon

O'Brien's Bridge

The Crossings of the River Shannon are several and varied, including bridges, tunnels, ferries and fords, as the River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland, running from its source in the Shannon Pot to the Shannon Estuary where the river widens and enters the Atlantic Ocean.

Bridges not primarily intended for public use but which have limited access (generally only in the daytime and only for bicycle and foot traffic) are not included.

Crossings

In order, moving downstream, there are:

Crossing	Date	Coordinates	Locality	Notes	Image
Shannon Pot		54°14’5"N, 7°55’8"W		The source of the River Shannon
Bradán Feasa Footbridge		54°14’5"N, 7°55’10"W	Shannon Pot, County Cavan	Footbridge, built by the OPW, which crosses the infant Shannon about 20 yards downstream of the Shannon Pot
Dowra Bridge	1862	54°11’23"N, 8°-0’51"W	Dowra, County Cavan	Last crossing above Lough Allen. Carries the R200 between Counties Cavan and Leitrim.
Bellintra Bridge		54°3’40"N, 8°3’35"W	Derrynadooey, County Roscommon	First crossing below Lough Allen. Carries a local road
R280 Bridge		54°3’18"N, 8°4’5"W	Aghafin, County Roscommon/Mahanagh, County Leitrim	Carries the R280 between Counties Roscommon and Leitrim.
Battlebridge		53°59’47"N, 8°4’43"W	Battlebridge (Roscommon); Drumhierny (Leitrim)	Carries the R284 between Counties Roscommon and Leitrim.
Hartley bridge		53°58’2"N, 8°5’42"W	Cleaheen (Roscommon	Carries a minor road between Counties Roscommon and Leitrim.
Carrick Bridge	1846	53°56’35"N, 8°5’45"W	Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim	Carries the N4 between Roscommon and Leitrim. Replaced an earlier bridge.
Lough Tap Railway Bridge		53°54’22"N, 7°59’34"W	Lough Tap, Border of Co. Roscommon & Leitrim	Carries the Dublin–Sligo railway line. Replaced existing bridge dated from 1862.
The Jamestown Canal bypasses a non-navigable section of the River Shannon between Jamestown and Drumsna
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main Shannon crossings
Jamestown Bridge	1800s	53°55’25"N, 8°1’47"W	East of Jamestown, County Leitrim	First of two bridges carrying the L3656 from Jamestown to Drumsna through the northern tip of County Roscommon
Drumsna Bridge	1800s	53°55’29"N, 8°-0’41"W	Southwest of Drumsna, County Leitrim	Second of two bridges carrying the L3656
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Jamestown canal crossings
Unnamed Jamestown Canal Bridge (1)		53°55’7"N, 8°1’54"W	County Roscommon, Half a mile of Jamestown	Carries a minor road
Unnamed Jamestown Canal Bridge (2)	c.1850	53°54’46"N, 8°1’6"W	Corry, Co. Roscommon	Carries a local road towards Strokestown
The Jamestown canal rejoins the Shannon at Lough Nanoge
Roosky Bridge	1840-1850	53°49’57"N, 7°55’7"W	Roosky, Co. Roscommon	Carries the R371 between Counties Roscommon and Leitrim through Roosky.
Tarmonbarry Bridge		53°44’32"N, 7°55’3"W	East of Tarmonbarry, Co. Roscommon	Carries the N5 between Counties Roscommon and Longford.
Bord na Móna rail bridge		53°42’2"N, 7°59’5"W		Private. Narrow-gauge rail line, used to transport peat from bog to nearby power station.
Lanesboro Bridge	1971	53°40’27"N, 7°59’33"W	Lanesborough	Last crossing above Lough Ree. Links Lanesborough, on the Longford (east) bank and Ballyleague, on the Roscommon (west) bank of the river.
Cumann na mBan Bridge	1991	53°25’56"N, 7°57’21"W	North of Athlone	First crossing below Lough Ree. Carries the M6/N6 Athlone bypass. The 'Athlone Relief Road - Shannon Bridge'; renamed in 2015
White Bridge	1850	53°25’38"N, 7°56’45"W	Athlone	200 yards west of Athlone railway station
Road Bridge Athlone		53°25’25"N, 7°56’31"W	Athlone	Carries Custume Place (the R446)
bridge to Long Island (West bank only)		53°22’41"N, 7°55’8"W	Long Island, Leamore, County Roscommon	Private local road. Links Long Island to the west bank.
Shannonbridge	completed in 1757	53°16’47"N, 8°3’3"W	Shannonbridge, County Offaly	Carries the R357 from Shannonbridge to County Roscommon
Banagher Bridge	1841–1843 (widened 1971)	53°11’36"N, 7°59’33"W	Northwest of Banagher	Carries the R356 between Counties Offaly and Galway.
Portumna Bridge	1911	53°5’28"N, 8°11’38"W	East of Portumna	Last crossing above Lough Derg. Carries the N65 and connects Lehinch island to both banks.
Killaloe Bridge	c.1770	52°48’29"N, 8°26’21"W	Between Ballina, County Tipperary and Killaloe, County Clare	First crossing below Lough Derg. A single lane road bridge
The Ardnacrusha power plant headrace canal splits off from the Shannon c.4 km south of Killaloe
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main Shannon crossings
O'Briensbridge (Shannon)	1780 - 1810	52°45’8"N, 8°29’55"W	East of O'Briensbridge, Co. Clare	Carries the R466 from O'Briensbridge, Co. Clare into Montpelier, County Limerick. Replaced former bridge around 1750, partially replaced in 1842, and modified to include a navigation arch in the 1920s.
The Blackwater distributary river splits off to the west from the Shannon at Drumeen
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main Shannon crossings
The Living Bridge	2007	52°40’36"N, 8°34’13"W	University of Limerick main campus	Pedestrian bridge. Links the main campus on the south bank (in County Limerick) to student residences on the north bank (in County Clare).
University Bridge	2004	52°40’41"N, 8°34’35"W	University of Limerick main campus	Links the main campus on the south bank to student residences on the north bank
Black Bridge/ "Plassey Bridge"	1840s	52°40’41"N, 8°34’48"W	Plassey, County Limerick	Pedestrian bridge links Thomond Village, County Clare to the old mill works at Plassey, County Limerick
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Blackwater River crossings
Errina Bridge		52°43’59"N, 8°31’60"W	Errina, County Clare	Close to the Ardnacrusha Canal (100 yards to the north)
Bridge at Gillogue		52°41’9"N, 8°34’19"W	East of Gillogue office park, County Clare	Narrow single lane stone bridge. Unmarked lane.
The Shannon and Blackwater rejoin at Thomond village
Athlunkard Bridge	1825 - 1830	52°40’52"N, 8°36’36"W	Corbally, Co. Limerick	Carries the R463 between Corbally Road on the outskirts of Limerick and Athlunkard Avenue in Corbally, County Clare.
Parteen Railway Bridge	2010	52°40’53"N, 8°37’40"W	Thomondgate, County Limerick	Limerick-Galway railway line. Used until 1980s for Limerick-Claremorris line. Restored in early 2008.
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Ardnacrusha headrace canal crossings
canal bridge, O'Briensbridge		52°45’11"N, 8°30’24"W	West of the village of O'Briensbridge, Co. Clare	Carries the R466 from O'Briensbridge into Bridgetown
Ardnacrusha power plant	1928	52°42’20"N, 8°36’44"W	Southwest of Ardnacrusha within County Clare approximately a mile from the Limerick border	ESB Group private property. It is Ireland's largest river hydroelectric scheme.
The Shannon and Ardnacrusha canal rejoin at Thomas Island
The Shannon splits around King's Island in Limerick City with the Abbey River being a distributary branch to the east
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Abbey River crossings
Baal's Bridge	1830 - 1831	52°39’59"N, 8°37’13"W	Limerick	Carries Mary Street from George's Quay on King's Island to Charlotte's Quay on the south side of Limerick. Replaced (old) Baal's Bridge, erected in c. 16th century, demolished in 1829, and bridges have stood here since at least the 12th century.
Bishop O'Dwyer Bridge	1931	52°40’10"N, 8°37’5"W	Limerick	Carries Athlunkard Street from Sir Harry's Mall to the Grove Island Roundabout. Replaced Park Bridge built in 1835.
Abbey Bridge	1999	52°39’60"N, 8°37’9"W	Limerick	Carries Island Road from King's Island to the Milk Market.
Mathew Bridge	1844 - 1846	52°40’1"N, 8°37’25"W	Limerick	Carries Bridge Street (R463) from King's Island to Rutland Street on the south side of Limerick city.
Sylvester O'Halloran Bridge	1987	52°39’55"N, 8°37’26"W	Limerick	Pedestrian Bridge from the Potato Market, King's Island to behind the Hunt Museum on the south side of Limerick city.
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Shannon River crossings at King's Island
Thomond Bridge		52°40’13"N, 8°37’38"W	Limerick	Links Castle Street on King's Island to High Road on the Northwest bank
Sarsfield Bridge	1835	52°39’55"N, 8°37’49"W	Limerick	Swing bridge (non-functioning). Originally known as the Wellesley Bridge.
The Shannon and Abbey rejoin below Kings Island
Shannon Bridge	1986	52°39’44"N, 8°38’6"W	Limerick	R527, last bridge in the city and over the Shannon	(as seen from Sarsfield Bridge)
Limerick Tunnel	2010	52°39’19"N, 8°41’12"W	Limerick	Carries the N18, the western part of the Limerick Southern Ring Road.
Shannon Ferry	1969	52°36’53"N, 9°22’49"W	Killimer, County Clare - Tarbert Island, County Kerry	Ro-ro ferry. Part of the N67

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Bridges over the River Shannon)