Background
Droichead an Dóchais, then known as the Salmon Weir Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge, opened in May 2023 and is the first new bridge to span the River Corrib in over 30 years.
It has created a new public space for locals and tourists alike to take in the wildlife, natural and built heritage around them while crossing the three water courses below - the River Corrib, Peresse’s Distillery River and Friar’s River.
The new bridge is in the shape of a salmon to reflect the heritage of fishing in the area. It is approximately 85 metres in length, and crosses three watercourses, just 24 metres south of the existing Salmon Weir Bridge. The new bridge is lightweight and robust, with transparent parapets, which will offer uninterrupted views of Galway Cathedral, the Convent of Mercy, the existing Salmon Weir Bridge and the watercourses below.
The new bridge is fully accessible for people with impaired mobility, with ramps on either side. The approach spans from the west and east are paved with flamed Kilkenny limestone, which has a high skid resistance, and is in line with the Galway City Public Realm Strategy. The approaches from the canal bank on the east side emerge gracefully, gently sloped, with elegant stonework blending in with the canal walls which have been carefully and painstakingly conserved. The approach parapets on the west are of cut limestone to reflect the limestone pattern on the Cathedral on the west and the Convent on the east.
A glazed oculus, incorporated into both approach spans, represents the eye of a salmon and offers views of the watercourses below.
The need for a new pedestrian and cycle crossing of the River Corrib was identified in the Galway Transport Strategy. Consultants Arup led the options appraisal and planning application process of this project, and Sean Harrington was appointed as the lead architect. AtkinsRéalis led the detailed design and construction stages, and Jons Civil Engineering were appointed as the main contractor. Thompson of Carlow fabricated the steel structure of the bridge, which was transported to Galway and lifted into place in December 2022. The bridge, then known as the Salmon Weir Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge, was opened to the public ahead of schedule in May 2023.
This development was funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority’s (NTA) Active Travel Programme and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), co-funded Border, Midland and Western Regional Operational Programme, administered by the Northern and Western Regional Assembly.
