Ireland's longest bridge linking Kilkenny and Wexford to close (again)

The longest bridge in Ireland is set to temporarily close this evening and into the early hours of Friday morning to facilitate construction works.

- The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge, which spans the border between counties Kilkenny and Wexford, will close to traffic from 8pm today (Thursday, September 24).

It will remain closed until 4am tomorrow (Friday, September 25) as works continue on ‘Pier Four’ of the colossal structure.

The bridge had closed for a period earlier this year in May for essential works at the pier, but further works are required.

Motorists are advised that traffic will be diverted through New Ross and Kilkenny motorists are asked to consider their journey options if intending to travel during the closure.

The N25 Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge is a key transport link connecting counties Wexford and Kilkenny, carrying thousands of vehicles daily across the River Barrow.

It was officially opened in 2020 by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and remains Ireland's longest bridge.

The 230 metres main spans of the bridge are the longest concrete-only extradosed box-girder bridge spans in the world.

Back when names were being put forward for the bridge in 2018, elected members of the Piltown Municipal District in South Kilkenny put forward the proposed name of the Pink Rock Bridge while their counterparts in New Ross suggested the name the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge.

A vote was subsequently taken at the Rhu Glen Hotel in Slieverue with eight councillors voting in favour of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge and six in favour of the Pink Rock Bridge.

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy was an American philanthropist, socialite, and the matriarch of the Kennedy family while the Pink Rock is the traditional name for the area because of the hue of the local rock on the Kilkenny side of the River Barrow.

The bridge was built by Dutch construction-services business BAM and construction engineering company Dragados.