Thomond Bridge

Right in front of you is Thomond Bridge, a robust stone crossing defined by seven continuous arches and a sturdy masonry parapet spanning the River Shannon. It sits right beside the thirteenth-century King John's Castle. The very first bridge here was built near an old fording point, or shallow crossing. That medieval version had fourteen arches instead of seven. It saw some real action during the sixteen ninety-one Siege of Limerick, when a desperate defense of the city failed right on this spot. You can pull up the seventeen fourteen map on your screen to see how strategic this chokepoint was back then. Afterwards, the Treaty Stone was placed nearby to mark the end of the siege. In eighteen thirty-six, the city replaced the old bridge with the structure you see today, cleverly building it directly on top of the original medieval pier foundations. Take a quick look at the comparison image in your app to see how these arches and the castle towers have stood strong together over the last century. Now carrying traffic on the Northern Relief Road, the bridge is open twenty-four hours a day whenever you are ready to cross.