The unassuming John’s Bridge connects John Street to the city of Kilkenny. Many visitors who pass over this structure during their travels would even think that this site is haunted, but it’s listed on this website for that very reason.
The current bridge was completed in 1910 and like all operational bridge structures, it is checked and maintained to ensure that it is structurally safe and sound. But such structures were not always as reliable. In days gone by, bridges were known to be swept away during fierce storms and seasonal floods. The first John’s bridge was built in the 13th-century and had to be reconstructed on more than one occasion due to the forces of nature.
In 1763, a particularly severe weather event saw the nearby Green Bridge – which was upstream from John’s Bridge, collapse into the River Nore. A large crowd gathered on John’s Bridge to watch the debris float past. When a particularly large structure floated past them, many of the spectators returned to the bank to get a clearer view of what was happening. Just a few moments later, the bridge they had been standing on, collapsed without warning into the unforgiving waters below. Sixteen souls were taken with it and they drowned in front of the helpless onlookers.
To this day, locals and visitors occasionally report seeing ghostly figures on the bridge or emerging from the river below as if trying to climb up on the banks. Some say that the time they are most likely to be seen, is in the early morning, especially if there is mist in the air.
Users should always undertake their own checks before traveling to John’s Bridge or any other location listed on this website, to ensure that it will be open and accessible.
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