Parliament Bridge parapet lifted from river

Major restoration works have begun on the parapet of Parliament Bridge, one of Cork’s oldest and most treasured bridges.

The project marks an important step in preserving Ireland’s national heritage. The repairs follow a road traffic accident last year, which saw part of the bridge’s parapet knocked into the River Lee. Two people were hospitalised after a vehicle crashed into the structure. The damaged parapet had to be carefully retrieved from the riverbed. Restoring it is a complex task, requiring expert oversight and care.

Works began last week on the southwestern section of the bridge. Missing or substantially damaged elements of the parapet have been carefully repaired or restored in line with best conservation practice, under the supervision of a Conservation Architect.

Repairs to the eastern footpath and parapet are nearly complete.

The restoration also includes the bridge’s distinctive lighting columns. These are being re-cast by the original manufacturer, Sugg & Co. Ltd in the UK, using the original moulds.

Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy welcomed the long-awaited repairs: “The bridge has been in a poor state for quite a while now, even before the more recent accident. The stonework badly needed a TLC cleaning. The repair of the bridge’s lamp posts is to be welcomed.”

Parliament Bridge is included in the Record of Protected Structures and is listed on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

“Parliament Bridge is one of the set of the oldest bridges in the city dating back to 1806 and still today provides a really important function of access to the city centre island. But also its setting and architecture create very striking views to admire close up and from a distance,” added Cllr McCarthy.

Stonework repairs across the rest of the bridge are being carried out by Gebel and Helling Conservation Ltd., the same company that restored St Patrick’s Bridge in 2018.

The full restoration is expected to be completed by early October 2025.

Parliament Bridge was designed by William Hargrave, who also designed the Custom House. The name commemorates the Acts of Union in 1800, which formed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.