The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 36, September 3, 2006, Article 32

NUMISMATIC NAMES: THE HA'PENNY BRIDGE

It's not exactly numismatic, but something I stumbled across
while searching the net is the Ha'penny bridge, a landmark pedestrian
bridge and popular tourist attraction in Dublin, Ireland.

"Now one of the oldest cast-iron bridges in the world it was
originally named Wellington Bridge, after the Dublin born duke who
had trounced Napoleon. Now called Liffey Bridge it is more commonly
known as the Halfpenny or Ha'penny Bridge."

"Up to 1816, the year the Ha'penny Bridge was erected, no other
bridge existed between Essex (Grattan or Capel Street) Bridge and
Carlisle (O'Connell) Bridge.

There was a ferry from the Bagnio Slip (at the bottom of Fownes
Street) operated by one William Walsh. He owned seven leaky ferries
and was under pressure from Dublin Corporation to repair them or
replace them. He baulked at that idea, preferring instead to build
a bridge. His proposal to Dublin Corporation was adopted and he was
allowed in a hundred year lease to charge a halfpenny toll."

[Is anyone familiar with the history of this span?  Was the
halfpenny toll charged throughout its first hundred years?
-Editor]

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

For several modern photos of the bridge, see: Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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