Campaign to rebuild old stone bridge demolished in Mulhuddart park
A councillor is campaigning to have an old bridge in Mulhuddart rebuilt close to Tolka Valley park.
The original stone bridge was demolished in 2004 as a new one was needed to cope with rising levels of traffic.
Mary McCamley, Labour Party councillor for the Mulhuddart area, is now campaigning for the material from the old bridge to be reused.
“When the new bridge was built in Mulhuddart in 2004, they demolished an old, historic one instead of building it side by side,” she said.
“It was an old, traditional humpback bridge, over the river at the edge of our town. They had to knock it down when traffic got heavy, but they never built it back.
“However, the council had the foresight to keep the stones,” she added.
The stones are currently being stored in Elm Green Golf club until a suitable site is identified in Tolka Valley Park as part of a redevelopment plan.
“Before I die, can I see these stones being put on to a little bridge to bring back some heritage in our area?,” Ms McCamley said.
“I was told when the work finished for the Mulhuddart sewage system, which is done now, they will decide where to put it, but it hasn’t happened.
“We have the pathway along the Tolka where they could easily build it over the river. It has now been gone for such a long time, I’m terrified it will disappear.
“After my time, I’m worried we will forget about these stones,” she added.
Fingal County Council’s Senior Parks and Landscape Officer, Kevin Halpenny, said he planned to bring councillors to the park to show them where the heritage stones are being stored.
“I want to reassure councillors that it is our intention to repurpose the stones in in an appropriate way into the development plans for Tolka Valley, which is a major undertaking.
“But bridges do require planning. It’s not a small undertaking to even put in a modest bridge in this day and age.
“It has to be done in an environmentally correct way, with all of the relevant measures in place.”
Labour Party councillor John Walsh said a bridge would be a good new access into Tolka Valley Park, which has seen a number of improvements in recent months.
“There’s been some great work done in the Tolka Valley Park with the upgrades to the footpaths and other restarted works,” he said.
“The restoration of the bridge would be a real cherry on the cake.”