Valerian Bridge

The medieval nine-arched stone bridge across the River Barrow

The stone bridge that gives Leighlinbridge its name spans the River Barrow in nine low arches, with cutwaters between them and the patched-together masonry of a structure that has been repaired and re-repaired for centuries. It is one of the oldest bridges still in use in Ireland, and arguably the most picturesque.

The towpath of the Barrow Navigation runs along the west bank past the bridge and the castle; a short walk in either direction gives a different view. Anglers and the occasional canoe will be on the river; the village pubs sit just steps from the bridge.

things to do sight
A story
The original crossing was built around 1320 by the Carmelite friars of nearby Leighlin, replacing an even older wooden bridge that had given the village its name (Leithghlinn an Droichid means "Leighlin of the Bridge"). The current arches are mostly later — sixteenth-century repairs, eighteenth- century widening — but the structure has carried traffic continuously for seven hundred years.