President renames the East Link

PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins unveiled a plaque last week naming the East Link Bridge the ‘Tom Clarke Bridge’. 

This ceremony coincided with the centenary of the execution of Thomas J Clarke, first signatory of the Proclamation. The Defence Forces’ colour party were in attendance and a Dublin Fire Brigade piper provided music for the event.

The ceremony took place on the southside of the Liffey and attendees included the president’s wife Sabina Higgins, Lord Mayor of Dublin Críona Ní Dhálaigh, along with public representatives and members of the Tom Clarke Memorial Committee.

In February of this year, the Tom Clarke Memorial Committee brought an official application to Dublin City Council’s Commemorative Naming Committee requesting that the East Link Bridge be named the ‘Tom Clarke Bridge’. The application was approved by the committee and a report was submitted to the March meeting of Dublin City Council recommending it. 

Following the official ceremony last week, a reception was held in the Ringsend/Irishtown Community Centre.

The East Link Bridge opened in 1984 to offer a much needed major bridge crossing east of the city and to provide a healthy financial return to its private investor proposers and owners. The cost was £6.1 million and toll traffic quickly achieved the projected target of 11,000 vehicles per day. 

Today, traffic between the East Wall Road on the northside and Ringsend on the south has increased further, with 14,000 vehicles crossing per day.