€100,000 spent on historic Kildare bridge following crashes
Healy's Bridge in Kildare, where two motorcyclists were injured
Waterways Ireland has spent €100,000 in the past year repairing a canal bridge that is almost a quarter of a millennium old on a busy road between Prosperous and Kilmeague.
Known as Healy’s Bridge, the bridge crosses the Grand Canal at the Downings and was hit by traffic a number of times throughout 2025 and 2026.
In a letter to Kildare North TD Aidan Farrelly, a spokesperson for Waterways Ireland said that it was actively working with Kildare County Council to find a solution to the matter.
Deputy Farrelly has worked with his Social Democrats colleague Cllr Paula Mulroe in campaigning for traffic calming measures to preserve the bridge.
“Healy’s Bridge is a traditional humpback canal bridge built in the late 1790’s and not really fit for modern day traffic volumes,” Cllr Mulroe explained.
“The bridge has been hit by traffic a number of times in the recent past and damaged – seriously enough that navigation on the canal had to be halted while repairs were being conducted.
“We have reached out to Kildare County Council on this in the past and they have rejected the possibility of traffic lights and a stop/go system as a way to preserve the bridge.
“Doing nothing about it is certainly not an option.
“Whatever is done, the current volume of traffic is not sustainable over a 230 year old bridge that was built to carry horses and carts,” the Prosperous county councillor said.
