CONSTRUCTION work has begun on a new commemorative bridge which will link Dublin’s Phoenix Park with the Irish National War Memorial Gardens across the River Liffey.
The bridge will provide a new ceremonial entrance to the gardens at Islandbridge in Dublin 8, which are dedicated to the memory of the 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in the First World War.
Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) Kevin Moran was on hand to turn the sod today as work began at the site.
“Here in one of the most famous memorial gardens in Europe, I am delighted to turn the sod and witness the commencement of the construction works on this long anticipated commemorative bridge,” Minister Moran said.
“This bridge when completed will provide a focal point joining many historic and heritage sites on both sides of the Liffey, while becoming a vital integral link in the city’s active travel infrastructure.”
Building the bridge has been a long-time ambition of both the Memorial Committee Trustees and the OPW, who wish to complete original plans for the bridge created by the memorial gardens’ landscape architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens.
In 2019, the OPW commissioned an open international design competition, with the support of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, to design a commemorative bridge for the INWMG.
The design competition, which attracted over 60 entries from nine different countries, was won by London-based Ritchie Studio.
Richie Studio and their design team of Equals, Cronin and Sutton and Schlaich Bergermann, have brought the bridge design to construction stage.
Planning permission for the structure was granted in 2024 and after a public procurement process, John Sisk & Son (Holdings) Ltd were awarded the contract to construct the bridge.
The project, which is jointly funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the Office of Public Works (OPW), is due to be completed in 2027.
