Barrow Bridge, Railway bridge in County Kilkenny, Ireland.
Barrow Bridge is a railway bridge in the southeast of Ireland, spanning the River Barrow between County Kilkenny and County Wexford. It has thirteen main spans resting on cast iron piers that rise directly from the water.
The bridge was built between 1902 and 1906 as part of a wider expansion of the Irish railway network. The project was led by engineer Sir Benjamin Baker, who had previously worked on the Forth Rail Bridge in Scotland.
The bridge still carries both passenger and freight trains between County Kilkenny and County Wexford today. Travelers crossing by rail pass over the River Barrow without always noticing the swing span mechanism built into the structure below them.
The bridge is best viewed from the banks of the River Barrow, where you can take in its full length from water level. If you want to see the swing span open for boat traffic, visiting on a weekday gives a better chance of catching it in action.
One of the thirteen spans is a swing span, meaning it can rotate sideways to let boats pass on the river below. This electrically operated section still works today, making it one of the few functioning swing bridges on an active Irish railway line.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
