O'BRIEN'S-BRIDGE

O'BRIEN'S-BRIDGE, a village, in the parish of KILLALOE, barony of TULLA, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 6 miles (S. W.) from Limerick, on the road to Killaloe; containing 350 inhabitants. This place, which is situated on the Shannon, derives its name from a bridge of 14 arches built over that river by one of the O'Briens, which for several centuries has withstood the violent impetuosity of the current. The arches vary in span from 19 to 28 feet, and four of them at the north end have been taken down by the Government engineers, who have replaced them by two cast-iron arches, each 60 feet span, and dredged the river to the depth of 7 feet.

The village consists of one street and contains about 60 houses neatly built; the neighbourhood is embellished with several handsome seats, of which the principal are Clonboy, the residence of J. Brown, Esq.; Ross, of T. Westropp, Esq.; the residence of Major Boucher, on the margin of the Shannon; Fuhers Lodge, of M. Garvin, Esq.; and Fairy Lawn, of Captain Twiss. An extensive flour and oatmeal mill, worked by steam, the property of Messrs. Hood and Boyd, late of Glasgow, affords employment to 50 men. Fairs are held on July 25th and Nov. 7th, and packet boats pass daily to Dublin and Limerick. Near the village is Montpelier, a strongly impregnated sulphureous spring, in high repute for its efficacy in cutaneous diseases, and much frequented. A church was erected here in 1822, for which purpose the late Board of First Fruits made a free grant of £300.

The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Killaloe, and in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter; the stipend is £75, payable by the Bishop; a glebe-house has been built at Ross, on a site presented by Thomas Westropp, Esq., who also gave 6 acres of glebe.