Newbridge Tidy Towns Association actively campaigned for the refurbishment of Droichead Conlaoch – the Liffey Bridge. What was proposed was that the parapet walls, which were approximately five feet high, be removed and replaced with a boardwalk. The current bridge was built in 1936 replacing the then existing bridge on the same site.

The removal of the walls has now been completed, and the boardwalks have been hung on the bridge. This development has opend up views of the River Liffey to motorists and pedestrians as they cross the bridge entering or leaving the town.

There are approximately 2,000 children attending the five schools in the area adjacent to the bridge, and as a consequence Kildare County Council have incorporated a safe route to schools element - the cycle lanes and signal controlled crossing points - into the redevelopment of the Athgarvan Road.

The Tidy Towns Association originally proposed that pedestrian boardwalks be hung from the sides of the bridge thus allowing the pupils easy access to the schools, and ensure a safer crossing over this busy bridge. The provision of pedestrian boardwalks also provide the Council with sufficient space to install cycle lanes on the bridge. We are pleased that this work has now been sucessfully completed.

In June 2009 the channel which ran behind the Island near the bridge was cleared out and this has resulted in a further opening of the riverside views.

Next on the agenda is the extension of the Boardwalk along the Liffey from the Bridge to the Dominican College, if this was completed all would be able to safely access the riverside, and enjoy the views of the Liffey in Newbridge.

Droichead Conlaoch - as it looked until April 2006