It was completed in 1851 to connect the line from Dublin to Galway. It was designed by G.W. Hemans.The bridge is 542 feet or 163 metres in length.It also has 12 piers in total which are made of cast iron cylinders.Each of the cylinders piers are 10ft in diameter and are made from 1.5 inch plates.They are filled with rubble and some reach a depth of 9ft into the riverbed.The central span was opened twice a year up to the 1930s for yachts that took part in the Regatta.
The bridge remains a beautiful landmark in Athlone today.In our opinion it is a brilliant piece of engineering as there has been little need of major repair work since1851 but it is still inspected every year.
