Skip to content
 Limerick's Life
Menu
  • Search
  • About
  • Contact
  • Buy Me A Coffee
Menu
construction of shannon bridge

Construction of Shannon Bridge in 1986 and 1987

Posted on January 14, 2015March 13, 2019 by Sharon Slater

These images of the construction of Shannon Bridge were kindly donated to Limerick’s Life by Ray O’Brien. They were taken in 1986 and 1987 from various locations including the penthouse of St. Munchin’s House, which was demolished to make way for RiverPoint.

Calls for a new bridge on the Shannon began in earnest 1974, it took over ten years of debate between the Limerick Corporation and Government before the foundation stone was laid by the then Minister for the Environment John Boland in 1986. The Shannon Bridge was opened on 30 May 1988.

Soon after it finished it was noticed that when the wind hit the supports it caused a shrill sound which caused the bridge to be known locally as “The Whistling Bridge”. This was quickly rectified but the name stuck for a number of years.

Red Church
The “Red Church” clearly seen on Mallow Street
Public Toiler
Old red brick public toilet at the end of the street
Shannon
View from penthouse of St. Munchin’s House, demolished to make way for RiverPoint.
Steamboat Quay
View from Steamboat Quay
Steamboat Quay
Steamboat Quay before the Apartments
shannon river
Road into the Shannon river
Crane
Cranes busying on the quay front and river
Cleeve's factory
View of Cleeve’s factory
Seamen's memorial
Seamen’s memorial on the bottom right
Shannon Bridge
At the time it was simply known as New Bridge
Harvey's Quay
View from O’Callaghan Strand
Munchin's House
View from Munchin House of O’Callaghan Strand
Limerick Docks
View down Steamboat Quat to the Docks
O'Connell Street
Front of O’Connell Street and down Mallow Street
Mallow Street
View down Mallow Street

Search This Site

  • Chronicles
  • Churches
  • Collaborations
  • Dr. Crumpe's Weather 1795
  • Featured
  • Folklore
  • Graveyards
  • Guest Posts
  • History
  • Letters
  • Limerick Places
  • Making The Most Of
  • On This Day
  • People & Genealogy
  • Press & Published
  • Quizzes
  • Rediscovering Limerick
  • Streets
  • Videos
  • Visitors to Limerick
  • Weddings 1862
  • Weddings 1863
  • Who was?

About Limerick’s Life

This website is a personal project of Sharon Slater, born from a passion for Limerick and its history. It has been maintained, updated and contributed to it independently and voluntarily. If you'd like to buy me a coffee to keep Limerick's history online, please know that all donations will go directly into the costs of hosting the website and the time and travel to research and write the articles found on the site.

Buy Me A Coffee
books
awards
awards
© 2025 Limerick's Life | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme