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You are > Home > Work on new Munhin Bridge in Erris nears completion
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Tuesday, December 24, 2002
Work on new Munhin Bridge in Erris nears completion
Motorists travelling on the Regional Road R313 between Belmullet and Bangor Erris may be well familiar with the narrow stone masonry bridge that spans the Munhin River close to Bangor Erris. The small bridge, which up to recently carried approximately 1,550 vehicles per day, has been replaced with a super new structure.
An inscription on the old bridge states that Mayo County Council erected the bridge in 1901, coincidentally 100 years before work started on the new structure. However, the bridge is older than this date suggests. In fact Munhin Bridge is the oldest bridge in Erris and holds secret to a charming past going back as far as mythical times. In 1793 Munhin was the only bridge on the old road from Belmullet to Tyrawley. This bridge was built of a good quality stone from the ruins of the chapel and dwellings on nearby Dereens Island. Local Stone Masons dressed the stone on the island and subsequently conveyed the stone to Munhin by boat. In the construction of the bridge foundations, bales of wool were used to restrict the flow of underground water and assist ground support. The Spring Assizes of 1795 granted £35 to Denis Bingham and others for the repair of the bridge. In 1901 the bridge was almost completely restructured by Mayo County Council using high quality stone from Muinganara Mountain.
The new bridge is a reinforced concrete structure and was designed by Roughan O’Donovan, Consulting Engineers, Dublin. Outdoor Staff from the Council’s Belmullet Engineering Area constructed the works during the past year. Ground conditions at Munhin proved difficult for construction and reinforced concrete piled foundations, up to 8 metres in depth, were installed prior to bridge commencement. Stone and concrete used on the bridge were sourced from nearby quarries at Bangor and Glencastle. Pre-cast concrete beams used in the deck were supplied from Co. Offaly. The bridge and road re-alignment works cost a total of e1.12million and will be opened by the Cathaoirleach of the Council Mr. Tim Quinn in Spring 2003.
Where Munhin bridge gets its name
The bridge gets its name from the Munhin River, which is called after the beautiful lady Muinchinn, wife of the yellow-haired giant D’nall Dual Bhui. D’nall lived at Dun Domhnainn, an elevated fort at Glencastle, which controlled the entrance to the Mullet Peninsula. D’nall was a strong man with supernatural sword-arm strength. His supernatural power was a result of witchcraft and its secret source came from a knot of hair tied tightly around his belt. Should it be untied his supernatural sword power would disappear.
According to the 1st Century legend of the Táin Bú Cuailgne (Brown Bull of Cooley) when Fergus Mac Riogh, an ancient chief from the North, arrived in Erris intent on stealing the cattle herds in the Barony, his only obstacle was D’nall. Fergus was determined to discover the secret of D’nalls strength and exerted all his charms on Muinchinn. She became infatuated with the handsome Fergus and he was able to elicit the secret of his opponent’s strength. Muinchinn organised a days feasting for both men at which Fergus outwitted D’nall with drink. When the giant man fell unconscious Fergus raised his sword and sliced the knot of hair around D’nalls belt in two. D’nalls supernatural power disappeared and Fergus raised his sword a second time and beheaded D’nall.
The following day Fergus and his army rounded up the herds of Erris and with Muinchinn they set out triumphantly for home. On crossing the river over a stick bridge near Lake Carrowmore he cast her into the river where she drowned. The river that flows from Carrowmore Lake to the Abhainn Mhor is called after the beautiful lady Munhin to this day.
Acknowledgements to Paddy Joe Gaughan, Ivor Hamrock; Collections of Micheal Mac Enri, Fr. Sean Noone, Bridie Quinn.
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