Overview
Ballyartella Bridge owes its survival to being widened rather than knocked down. When the Road Act of 1727 set a minimum road width and sent many older crossings to the wrecking bar, this five-arch limestone span, built around 1720, kept its arches and had roughly 1.75 metres added along the downstream side instead. The result is a working bridge that still carries light traffic over the Nenagh River, five kilometres north-west of Nenagh on the quiet townland road linking the R493 and R495.
On its own the bridge is a five-minute stop. The reason to make the trip is what surrounds it: a ruined tower house, John Hanly’s working woollen mill, a weir, and the Slí Eala riverwalk running right past. Fold it into the walk or a visit to the mill and it earns a morning.
History and architecture
The bridge is listed on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage for its architectural and technical interest. It’s built of rubble limestone with finer snecked cut-waters, measures 26.7 metres long and 4.4 metres wide, and keeps the pedestrian refuges on its original south side that let people step out of the way of carts. Look up at the underside of the arches and you can still see the impressions of the wicker centring, the woven framework the masons built the vaults over before the mortar set.
Just east of the bridge stands the ivy-clad remnant of Ballyartella Tower House, a rectangular stronghold that once controlled the ford here. Ownership swung between the Gaelic O’Kennedys and the Butler Earls of Ormond through the 16th century; by the Civil Survey of the 1650s the castle was recorded as “irreparably demolished,” though two mills and a fishing weir were still working nearby.
What to see and do
- The bridge and refuges – cross the five arches and stop in the south-side refuges for a clear line on the river and weir. The stonework takes soft morning or late-afternoon light well.
- Hanly Woolen Mills – the water-powered mill downstream still spins and dyes wool, with a shop selling the finished cloth.
- The Slí Eala walk – the bridge sits on this easy 10.4km riverside route between the lakeside village of Dromineer and Scotts Bridge, about 2.5km short of Nenagh. It follows the Nenagh River past grazing land and anglers, named for the mute swans on the water. Allow about two and a half hours one way and sort out transport at the far end.
- The North Tipperary Cycle Route – the 65km loop from Banba Square in Nenagh runs through Ballyartella if you’d rather see it by bike.
Getting there and practical details
- By car – take the R495 north-west from Nenagh for about 5km; the bridge is sign-posted, with a small free car park at the roadside. Watch for traffic before you pull out.
- By public transport – Bus Éireann serves Nenagh town centre; from there it’s a taxi or a couple of kilometres on foot to the bridge.
- Hours and admission – a public right-of-way, open all hours, free.
- Facilities – toilets at Hanly Woolen Mills nearby. The bridge surface is uneven and the riverwalk is gravel in places, so wear proper footwear; the approach is awkward for pushchairs and wheelchairs.
- Dogs and fishing – dogs are welcome on the Slí Eala but keep them on a lead near the road and livestock. The river holds brown trout, but the fishing rights belong to a local club, so ask before you cast.
- The one downside – the roadside car park has long attracted litter. Take everything home with you.
Nearby
- Ballinderry Bridge – another protected 18th-century stone crossing a short drive east.
- Nenagh Castle – five minutes into town, with its round keep, heritage centre and local-history displays.
- Dromineer – the northern trailhead of the Slí Eala, with pubs and lakeside paths on Lough Derg.
Come early and you’ll catch the mist lifting off the weir; time it with a stretch of the Slí Eala and the bridge turns a quick photo stop into a half-day by the water.