Father Mathew Bridge

Father Mathew Bridge is a stone crossing of the River Liffey that connects Merchants Quay on the south bank to Church Street on the north. The granite structure has three elliptical arches and wide roadways that accommodate both vehicle and foot traffic.

A crossing at this location has existed since 1014, but the current structure traces its origins to Norman times when King John authorized a bridge here in the early 13th century. The bridge underwent significant reconstruction over the centuries before receiving its present name in 1938.

The bridge takes its name from Father Theobald Mathew, a 19th-century Irish reformer whose legacy remains woven into the city's everyday life. Dubliners cross daily over a bridge named after someone who fought social injustice, making his story part of their routine journey.

The bridge offers good accessibility for pedestrians and vehicles with wide, level surfaces on both sides. It serves as a central crossing between Dublin's northern and southern riverside areas and can be used at any time of day.

In medieval times the bridge itself was a bustling place with shops, houses, and a chapel built directly on its arches. This tiny community that once thrived above the water has completely vanished, yet visitors can still imagine how alive this river crossing once was.