Craigmore Viaduct

Craigmore Viaduct

Carries	Dublin–Belfast railway line
Locale	Bessbrook, Northern Ireland
Characteristics
Design	Stone arch
Number of spans	18
History
Designer	John Benjamin Macneill
Construction begin	1849
Construction end	1852

The Craigmore Viaduct (Irish: an Tarbhealach Craig Mór, meaning "the great rock trans-way") is a railway bridge near Bessbrook, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, locally known as the 18 Arches. (OS Grid ref: Jo628). Near Newry railway station.

History

The bridge was designed by John Benjamin Macneill, an eminent Irish civil engineer, with construction beginning in 1849 for the Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway. The bridge was formally opened in 1852. It spans the valley of Camlough River. The viaduct consists of 18 arches of 60 ft span, the highest being 126 ft, making Craigmore the tallest viaduct in Ireland. It is around a quarter of a mile long and was constructed from granite stone blocks from the nearby Goraghwood quarry near Goraghwood station, which for many years supplied ballast to the Dublin & Belfast Junction Railway’s lines. The Dublin-Belfast railway line crosses the bridge.^[1]^[2]

Craigmore Viaduct with the Mournes in the distance.

Craigmore Viaduct aka 18 Arches pictured from Bernish Viewpoint, Newry

From 1885 to 1948, the Bessbrook and Newry Tramway ran under the viaduct.

The Troubles

On 2 March 1989, a Provisional Irish Republican Army bomb damaged Craigmore Viaduct, it exploding just four minutes before a passenger train from Dublin was due to leave nearby Newry Station. A clearance operation had to be mounted and the railway line was closed and not reopened until 8 March 1989.^[3]

References

↑ "Craigmore Viaduct". Newry and Mourne Tourism. Archived from the original on 7 September 2008.
↑ Niall V. Torpey. "Irish Railway Bridges-Part 2". Irish Railway Record Society. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
↑ "Dublin-Belfast Railway Line Bombing". Dáil Éireann Parliamentary Debates. 1989-04-19. Retrieved 2007-08-24.

Coordinates: 54°11′38″N 6°22′02″W / 54.19393°N 6.36735°W / 54.19393; -6.36735

Places of Interest in County Armagh

Castles and military sites	Charlemont Fort Creevekeeran Castle Fathom Castle Gosford Castle Moyry Castle Tandragee Castle

Churches and religious sites	Creggan Church Drumcree Church Killeavy Old Church Church of Ireland Cathedral Catholic Cathedral Primate’s Chapel, Armagh Seagoe Parish Church

Museums and cultural sites	Archbishop's Palace, Armagh Armagh County Museum Armagh Court House Armagh Gaol Armagh Public Library Armagh Observatory Armagh Planetarium Bessbrook Institute Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich Memorial Library & Archive Dan Winter’s Cottage Franciscan Friary, Armagh Newry Town Hall (Part) Rokeby Obelisk Royal School, Armagh Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum Sloan’s Inn Museum

Natural landmarks and outdoor spaces	Gosford Forest Park Maghery Country Park The Mall, Armagh Peatlands Park Slieve Gullion Forest Park

Prehistoric landmarks	Slieve Gullion Passage Tomb Annaghmare Ballykeel Dolmen Ballymacdermott Clontygora Dorsey Haughey's Fort Kilnasaggart Pillar Stone King's Stables Navan Fort

Stately homes	Abbey House Adress House The Argory Ballymoyer House Brownlow House Castle Dillon Darton Dean’s Hill Derrymore House Drumbanagher House Eden House Fairview House Fellow’s Hall Forkhill House Hockley Lodge Killeavy Castle The Manor House, Loughgall Raughlan Richhill Castle Tynan Abbey Umgola

Transport and industry	The Barn Museum, Lurgan Craigmore Viaduct MacNeill's Egyptian Arch

See also	Newry Canal

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