13 December 2009

Patrick’s Bridge stands up straight, The River Lee flows underneath!

                          As a result of the recent bad weather and huge volumes of water Irish Government agencies are undertaking many surveys of riverbanks, quays, bridges etc. Today I was contracted, using the SailCork Excalibur RIB, (we do quite a lot of commercial work in providing boats for surveys, photography, inspection and safety as well as training commercial operators) to carry a team of divers from the firm of Bridgeway Ltd who were surveying Partick's Bridge in Cork City.

                         I picked the crew up, with their gear, from the pontoon at Lapp's Quay at 09:00. It was a perfect morning with LW at 09:30. The team had 2 divers, a divemaster and a surveyor. The equipment was sophisticated and included an "umbilical chord" which included air and a comms line allowing the dive master to be able to talk to the diver at all times.

They carried out a thorough inspection of all areas of the bridge under the water and took detailed soundings today - exact measurements will be taken tomorrow and all the information will be collated to form the inspection report.

                        Measurements are taken using laser technology and portable depth sounders. All aspects of the bridge are also photographed and the surveyor creates drawings from different angles. We also worked on Brian Boru Bridge (this used to carry trains as well as vehicular traffic and also had a lifting span) The team of divers continue with some bridges upstream and in West Cork before taking a Christmas break. 

The River Lee has had crossings since ancient times but the first bridge on this site was opened in 1789. This bridge was very badly damaged by severe floods in 1853 and the current bridge, designed by Sir John Benson, was opened on the 12 December 1861. The bridge, 18.5 metres (60 feet six inches) wide, spans a waterway of 51 metres (168 feet). Its elegant design remains one of the best-known landmarks in Cork.

 

 

Map above is of Cork City Centre in the late 1800's Have a look at more maps of Cork (1500-1900).

As I mentioned the River Lee has had a crossing since ancient times - now there are some 40 bridges spanning the Lee in Cork City. The Port of Cork extends from the outer limits (Poor Hd to Cork Hd) to the downriver bridges in the City (Michael Collins and Eamonn De Valera Bridges). In times gone by shipping came right into the City centre - Patrick's St, Emmet Place and Cornmarket (The Coal Quay) the Grand Parade and South Mall were all waterways and docks. The city was well developed by 1750 but still only had North and South Gate Bridges as access by road. Big changes happened in the next 50 years with many of the waterways being filled in as streets (Patrick's St., The South Mall etc)  When Clarke's Bridge was built in 1776 shipping still had access to the quays right up to South Gate Bridge on the South Channel and to North Gate Bridge on the North Channel.  By 1789 when Partick's Bridge opened traffic could still go upriver by means of a drawbridge which remained in operation until 1823.

                         On the South Channel the current Parliament Bridge was built in 1806 (replacing a previous structure, that had been there for a number of years and was washed away by a flood) When Anglesea Bridge was built in the 1830's it had an opening span as did Parnell Bridge which replaced it in 1882. Thus the quays on the South Channel were busy right up as far as Parliament Bridge.

                       The latter part of the 19th century was the age of the railway. Cork was joined to Dublin and the rest of Ireland by the Great Southern and Western Railway Company whose terminus was on the Glanmire Road north of the river Lee. The Cork, Blackrock and Passage Railway Company and the West Cork and Macroom termini  were situated on the south bank of the Lee. It was mooted that these termini be connected and in 1911 Brian Boru Bridge (North Channel) and Clontarf Bridge (South Channel) were completed allowing trains and vehicular traffic cross the river further downstream. Both bridges were of the same design and were lifting bridges allowing vessels the same access as before. For the first half of the twentieth century the city quays thrived and vessels carried their cargo to the city centre. Schooners and coasters came through Brian Boru bridge to berth at St. Patrick's Quay and Merchants Quay just downriver of Patrick's Bridge. (Pictured above)

 During the 1960's small ship traffic declined above the bridges and both lifting bridges ceased to function and shipping no longer went upriver. Penrose Quay was still the vital link to the UK with the "Innisfallen" providing a great service to Fishguard.

When Michael Collins and Eamonn DeValera Bridges were completed in 1984 it meant that less quay space was available in the City centre. At this stage the Tivoli docks were of increased importance and the Port of Cork had begun to develop the deep water port in Ringaskiddy.  We still see shipping coming up to the City Quays in Cork - all within five minutes walk of the city centre.

Eddie English Blog