Lifford
Bridge
Finn Valley Bridges
Series
When the town of Lifford came into the possession of Sir Richard
Hansard during the Ulster Plantation in 1607 one of the conditions
of the grant was that a ferry crossing be provided over the Finn
river. This service continued until 1730 when the first bridge
linking Lifford and Strabane was built.
In the nineteenth century a curious custom existed when if, by
the end of the Assizes in Lifford or Omagh courthouses, a jury
could not reach a unanimous verdict in a case, they were sent to
the "verge" of the county to be dismissed. In the case of counties
Donegal and Tyrone, this was the middle of the Lifford Bridge.
The following account was taken from the "Strabane Morning Post"
of August 11th, 1827:
"Patk Donnelly, indicted for the murder of John Beavers on
the 1st Feb last, near Dungannon. The jury retired at twelve
o'clock on Friday morning, remained in one night, and on Saturday
was removed, together with the prisoner, to Lifford Bridge, the
verge of the county. Upon the arrival of Justice Torrens the jury
were called over, and not having agreed, the judge then discharged
the Jury."
The present bridge was constructed by the well-known firm of
McAlpine in 1964 and jointly funded by Donegal County Council and
Strabane District Council. During the "troubles" of 1968, an
attempt was made to blow the bridge up. However, it was closed for
a short time only, and today is an important link in North-South
communications, being the principal road linking East Donegal with
Northern Ireland.
A remarkable sculpture group was erected in 2000 at the border
between Strabane and Lifford, close to the bridge. Erected by
Strabane Lifford Development Commission and created by Maurice
Harron, it consists of 5 figures, a fiddler, a flautist, a drummer
and two dancers, each 4 metres high, made of stainless steel and
bronze. The group symbolise Music and Dance, two unifying art
forms, representing a shared beginning for both communities, North
and South.
The Cache
The cache is designed to fit in with it's surroundings and fixed
with magnets.
This is an extremely busy place so please be discrete and
properly re-hide..
Visit the Geocaching Ireland discussion
forum HERE