WHEN it comes to the naming of bridges or re-naming of bridges, such as the presently named Boyne Cable Bridge over the River Boyne in Co Louth/Co Meath, controversy may not be confined to south of the border.
Residents in Bangor, Co Down, may be interested to know that they also have a bridge named Boyne.
The Brunswick Road bridge passing over the then ‘B & CD.R. (Bangor Branch) from Holywood’ railway is named on the Ordnance Survey map Bangor (West) 1901 as the ‘Boyne Bridge’.
Did someone need a geography lesson or, dare I suggest, was someone making a political point? This particular Boyne Bridge is on the only main road leading to and passing by St Comgall’s Roman Catholic Church, located approximately 200 yards from the bridge.
As a small boy, I remember that on the Twelfth of July the Orangemen paraded over the bridge, turning right just before the church and along Osborne Drive (which did not exist in 1901). This route has not been used by the Orangemen for many years, so no need to involve the Parades Commission!
Should the Bangor bridge also be re-named to include the name Mary? I wonder would the ‘William and Mary Bridge’ be more appropriate!
M W Woods
Bangor
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