The Ha'Penny Bridge

 The Ha'Penny Bridge is one of Dublin's most famous landmarks. It is a pedestrian crossing over the river Liffey between Swifts Row and Wellington Quay. The official name is 'Liffey Bridge' but is known to everybody in Ireland as the Ha'Penny Bridge in memory of its toll which was one halfpenny. It is the oldest pedestrian crossing in Dublin, and also the most famous. It dates back to 1816 and was originally called the Wellington Bridge in memory of the Duke of Wellington.

Cast iron was used during construction, a material that is prone to bad decay with aging. In recent times extensive repairs were carried out by Harland and Wolff who were made famous for constructing the Titanic. These works aimed to protect the material and ensure the lifetime viability of the famous landmark. The crossing arcs over the Liffey and is crowned by three lamps. Spectacular views can be enjoyed during any time of the day, and if you are planning to visit Dublin, a crossing is an absolute must. Many of the postcard images of Dublin either include the Ha'Penny, or are taken from the bridge.

Before the construction of the bridge, ferries operated in its place, carrying passengers from one side of the Liffey to the other. The ferries were in particularly poor condition, and their proprietor, William Walsh, was given the opportunity of either repairing the boats to a satisfactory standard, or building a bridge in their place. Walsh decided to build the bridge, and was permitted to extract a toll of one halfpenny for 100 years. The common name for the bridge, the Ha'Penny Bridge is derived from this toll. Although the toll was raised to one penny, 2 farthings, the name of the Ha'Penny Bridge stuck. The bridge has not been tolled since 1919, but the history of the toll will forever be linked with the bridge.