Bridge, Torc, Co. Kerry

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Bridges & Crossings

Bridge, Torc, Co. Kerry

A stone bridge sitting quietly in woodland, carrying a road that no longer exists as a road, is a particular kind of anachronism.

This crossing over the Owengarriff River in Torc, Co. Kerry once formed part of the old Killarney to Kenmare Road, a route that has since been retired from traffic and converted into a pedestrian trackway threading through the trees.

The bridge itself is modest in its construction, built of random rubble with a single segmental arch spanning roughly 5.5 metres across the river. The voussoirs, the wedge-shaped stones that lock together to form the curve of the arch, are roughly shaped rather than finely dressed, giving the structure an honest, utilitarian character. It runs east to west and measures 4.7 metres in width. On the downstream side, a concrete weir has been added at some point, a practical intervention that sits in contrast to the older stonework above it. About a kilometre to the north stands Torc New Bridge, the designation alone suggesting that this older crossing predates it by some considerable margin, though the two now coexist as part of the same quiet corridor through the landscape.

The bridge is accessible on foot along the old road, which passes through woodland in the Torc area. Walkers following the trackway will cross it as a natural part of the route rather than as a detour, which means the structure tends to be encountered rather than sought out.

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Pete F
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