mizenhead

Not still standing, replaced with a replica

“Fri 5 Aug 2011 at 12:42
A footbridge spanning 50m across a dramatic sea gorge on the south-west tip of Ireland has reopened.
After 100 years of service, the Mizen Head bridge has been faithfully reconstructed in its original style.

An estimated 50,000 people a year cross the Victorian structure, located 45m high above the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean, which links Mizen Head Lighthouse to the mainland.

Kieran Ruane, project manager with RPS engineers, said the original 1909 structure was carefully removed and replaced with a new, replica reinforced concrete bridge.

"The successful completion of the project has preserved a landmark structure on the coast of Ireland for future generations to enjoy," he added.

The original build cost £1,272 (now worth 1,462 euro) and was completed in 1909, when it was considered to be the longest reinforced concrete bridge of its type in Europe. It first opened to the public in 1994 but the extreme weather conditions took its toll and it was deemed unsafe in 2005. Temporary works extended its life for another five years.

The identical rebuild cost 1.8 million euro, funded by Failte Ireland, Cork County Council and the Commissioners of Irish Lights. The complex works were carried out by RPS, Carillion Irishenco and Cork County Council.

The new bridge is 700mm wider and additional recreation facilities include walkways and viewing platforms to enhance the visitor experience. It has been shortlisted for a British Institution of Structural Engineers' Heritage Award.

Mr Ruane said access to the site was extremely difficult, via a steeply inclined footway, less than one metre wide.”

The footbridge was officially reopened by Leo Varadkar, minister for transport, tourism and sport

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/footb...

"Build bridges, not walls" someone famous beginning with 'F' said.

It looks much more modern than 1910, almost art deco.

Looking solid in 2023 googleball - maps.app.goo.gl/Hd6AmLkpxbjLivLn7

Seagull view - youtu.be/JDWr1kMKSLw?si=CxlV3xSBgkSp8n59 (turn volume off!)

Construction didn't run entirely smoothly. London and China Express - Friday 04 March 1910:

The various portions of the bridge, having been partially constructed on land, were placed in position by means of an aerial ropeway, and were secured temporarily by wire ropes fastened to both sides of the channel, while the concrete was completed in situ in forms supported by the partially completed structure. Some difficulty was experienced in obtaining firm foundations for the bridge, as when the excavation was about half completed the rock was found to be less sound than it had appeared to be, with the result that a considerable amount of rock had to be removed and replaced with concrete. The position of the bridge had to be moved 5 ft. westwards, necessitating a general alteration in the design of the abutments. Most of the material had to be carted from Crookhaven, about seven miles away, the last mile being over a special road, of which the bridge forms a part, and which has been constructed to give access to the signal station. The severity of the weather rendered it necessary to suspend operations for many days at a time, and during the whole of the winter of 1908-9, but work has progressed rapidly during the past summer and autumn, and it is hoped that the bridge will be completed in the course of ,this month and that it will be tested about the end of March.

Similar, but not identical maps.app.goo.gl/3PQXWCVdPzjz6DcX8?g_st=ic

Not sure that they’re antennae, seems Mizen Head operated fog signals from 1909, a radio beacon from 1931 www.irishlights.ie/tourism/our-lighthouses/mizen-head.aspx

Three men and a three-legged dock-tailed Dog. History and details - www.irishlights.ie/tourism/our-lighthouses/mizen-head.aspx . Surprised to see the bridge dates from 1907. catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000741407/HierarchyTree?recor...

i suspect that what we can see are not antennae but supports for the actual antennae, which would be in the form of long wires, required for the longer wavelengths which would be all that was available in the early 20th century.. I no longer think this.

beachcomber australia That's the best dog we have had in weeks!

That'd be here, I reckon: www.google.ie/maps/@51.621496,-9.9656728,3a,75y,200.94h,9...

OSI: maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,463874,542822,11,7 There's a gap in the 25", so we can't see what the barrier in the sea is, or whether there's a fish saltery there. Perhaps they're smuggling toffee in barrels.

derangedlemur Pulleen Harbour on the Beara Peninsula. How did you know!!??

Stuart The two figures are wearing distinctively west-cork caps, while the man is sporting a type of moustache common to the Castletownbere area. The barrels are of the rope tied type favoured to the west of Castletownbere over the more expensive iron bound examples used by the poshos to the east. More prosaically, it looks like west Cork, and a quick scan of the OSI does the rest. It took three or four goes, since I started in Glengarriff and searched west, so a certain amount of luck involved.

Flickr is sometimes amazing! In 2017 via Willi Thiel Wonderful looking place ... a smuggler's delight.