Talbots Inch Suspension Bridge

The Talbots Inch Suspension bridge was built by Lady Desart in 1912 to facilitate the safe crossing of her workers from Talbots Inch Village across the River Nore to the Greenvale Woollen Mills.

The bridge was a beautiful, pedestrian, suspension bridge. It, unfortunately, collapsed in the Great Flood of 1947. Its collapse was contributed to by low maintenance on the bridge after Lady Desart's death and the power of the freak flood that ultimately destroyed it. A large tree was uprooted upstream and was carried along with the power of the river. It hit the already weakened bridge and it slumped into the water.  It was never rebuilt but the supports for either side of the bridge can still be seen today. Today, a large piece of concrete juts out from the river. The suspension cables from the bridge would have come back and tied onto this. Beyond this piece of concrete is the ramp-up to the bridge. Due to overgrown vegetation, the ramp cannot be seen but having inspected it, it is still in a very reasonable condition.

Lady Desart was commemorated in 2014 by having the 'Lady Desart Pedestrian Bridge' named after her. It is nice to see her get the recognition for the amazing woman that she was and for the everlasting effect she has had on Kilkenny City and County.