The Bridges of Limerick
We returned to English-town by THOMOND BRIDGE, one of the oldest structures in this part of Ireland. There were several bridges thrown across the Shannon in the twelfth century, two of them by King Turlough O'Connor. It is supposed, however, that these were of wood, and that the first stone bridges were erected by the Anglo-Normans. Thomond Bridge ranks as the most ancient of these, having been erected by the English adventurers as a necessary step to their intended subjugation of the ancient province of Thomond. This simple and apparently unskilful structure is perfectly level, and is built on fourteen arches, under each of which some marks of the hurdles on which it was erected are still visible.
According to tradition, the original expense of building it was but thirty pounds. There are also some picturesque ruins of BAAL'S BRIDGE, now pulled down; the recent structure, WELLESLEY BRIDGE, is very handsome, it was erected from the designs of the late Alexander Nimmo.