Mallow Bridge & its 1856 Commemorative Plaque 

The original Mallow Bridge was constructed in 1615 from timber. It and its replacements were swept away by floods in 1628, 1689 and 1712. A stone bridge was constructed in 1712 comprising of 15 equal arches. This too was badly damaged by a flood in 1853. The stone bridge was reconstructed in 1856. The reconstruction retained 4 of the original stone arches on the northern end of the bridge and the remainder of the bridge was replaced by 4 large segmental arches built using large blocks of dressed limestone. The use of segmental arches was a technological advancement at the time, enabling the spans to be wider and higher than previously possible. This increased the hydraulic capacity of the bridge and made it less likely to be damaged by floods.

A stone plaque was discovered in 1992 during construction works near the town park playground. The plaque commemorates the reconstruction of Mallow Bridge in 1856. The reconstruction works were funded by the Grand Jury, the predecessor of Cork County Council, which was subsequently established in 1899. The Grant Jury granted £3,145 to J. Cowhey Builders for the reconstruction of the bridge.
Cork County Council is delighted to be able to restore and relocate the 1856 plaque to the Mallow Bridge site as part of the ongoing boardwalk construction project. Cork County Council would like to thank the Park West Management Committee and Mallow Field Club for their assistance in the relocation of this plaque.

 


 

Tógadh an Droichead Mala bunaidh in 1615 agus bhí sé déanta as adhmad. Scuabadh chun bealaigh tuilte é féin chomh maith leis na cinn a lean, in 1628, 1689 agus 1712. Tógadh droichead cloiche i 1712 ina raibh 15 áirse chomhionanna. Dhein tuile damáiste mór dó seo i 1853. Atógadh an droichead cloiche i 1856. San athfhoirgniú bhí 4 de na háirsí cloiche bunaidh ag ceann thuaidh an droichid coimeádta  agus cuireadh 4 áirse theascánacha móra in ionad na coda eile den droichead ag úsáid bhloic mhóra aolchloiche cóirithe. Ba dhul chun cinn teicneolaíochta é úsáid áirsí teascánacha ag an am, rud a chuir ar chumas na réisí a bheith níos leithne agus níos airde ná mar ab fhéidir roimhe seo. Mhéadaigh sé seo cumas hiodrálacha an droichid agus is lú an seans go ndéanfadh tuilte damáiste dó.

Thángthas ar phlaic chloiche i 1992 le linn oibreacha tógála gar do chlós súgartha pháirc an bhaile. Déanann an phlaic comóradh ar atógáil Dhroichead Mhala i 1856. Mhaoinigh an tArd-Ghiúiré na hoibreacha atógála. Bhí an tArd-Ghiúiré ina réamhtheachtaí de Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí, a bunaíodh ina dhiaidh sin i 1899. Dheonaigh an tArd-Ghiúiré £ 3,145 do J. Cowhey Builders don obair atógála ar an droichead.

Tá ríméad ar Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí a bheith in ann plaic 1856 a athbhunú agus a athlonnú ar Dhroichead Mhala mar chuid den tionscadal tógála leanúnach don chlárchosán. Ba mhaith le Comhairle Contae Chorcaí buíochas a ghabháil le Coiste Bainistíochta an Pháirc Thiar agus le Cumann Allamuigh Mhala as a gcabhair chun an phlaic seo a athlonnú.