Samuel Beckett Bridge opened in Dublin

Santiago Calatrava-designed bridge shaped like a harp

KENNETH HAYNES,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Thursday, December 10, 2009, 5:09 PM

Updated Thursday, December 10, 2009, 5:42 PM

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The Samuel Beckett bridge

The Samuel Beckett Bridge, named in honor one of of Ireland's literary giants, was officially opened in Dublin on Thursday.

The bridge connects the north and south sides of Dublin, from Guild Street to Sir John Rogersons Quay, and is 120 meters long.

It was designed by Santiago Calatrava, the Spanish architect who was also commissioned by Dublin City Council to design the James Joyce Bridge, which was opened in 2003.

"My deepest source of pride is in the knowledge that my work will bear the names of two of the world's greatest literary talents," said the architect, who also designed the transport hub at the World Trade Center in New York City.

"Samuel Beckett and James Joyce hold great significance to the history and culture of Dublin. As authors they sought to inspire their readers and encourage them to express their own creative freedom. It is my hope that both the Samuel Beckett and James Joyce Bridges evoke the spirit of these iconic artists.”

It is hoped that that the bridge will help the traffic flow in the city, and the bridge is also able to move 90 degrees horizontally, which means ships will be able pass on the river Liffey.

The Beckett Bridge is shaped like a harp, with the bridge’s cables looking like strings in the design.

Nster.com

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plasticpaddy | Dec 11, 2009, 01:24 PM EST

this is so annoying, why must the dublin city council contintually grant planning permission or undertake public projects that are in no way compatible with the imediate landscape - e.g. the stupid spoire in the city venter, its a giant bloody sewing needle stuck in the ground, now this monstrosity of a bridge ruining the character of a beautiful charming city.

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kickstar | Dec 11, 2009, 06:32 AM EST

Samuel Beckett was undoubtedly of Huguenot descent and must have stayed close to it as he was a still a Protestant,The Huguenots were French or to be more accurate Flemish and a German Protestants who fled Continental persecution in the 17th century, Many of them ended up in Dublin's South Side,and the East end of London I have in the past worked with many of their descendants, Urell is a name I worked with and is a name that is of Huguenot Ancestry although many have intermarried and lost their original names and religion. There is one thing that still marks them and it is their high level of intelligence and matter of fact attitude. It is therefore not surprising that a talent like Beckett came out of this people. But I think no one can deny Beckett was Dublin as much as was Joyce So what wonderful and beautiful landmarks are the Santiago Calatrava Spanish designed Joyce and Beckett Bridges.

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kickstar | Dec 11, 2009, 04:26 AM EST

I recently downloaded a BBC radio production of a Samuel Beckett play (All That Fall BBC 1957) [http://www.radioarchive.cc/index.php] where the presenter introduced the play by a great French/Irish Author I think at least Irish/French would have been More appropriate since Beckett was in fact born in Foxrock Dublin.It really is amazing how biased the British were as recent as 1957.

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