Father Mathew Bridge (Dublin)
| Locality | |
|---|---|
| Coordinate | 53.345566, -6.275773 |
| Adm. div. | Dublin |
| Vicinity | Across River Liffey, connecting Bridge Street Upper and Church Street |
| Type | Thoroughfare |
| Interest | Local tradition |
| Status | Extant |
| First Record | 1577 |
By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2017-06-02. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2021-01-06.
According to the first edition of Holinshed's Chronicles (1577), Little John shot an arrow, standing on Father Mathew Bridge, then known as Dublin Bridge. The arrow landed on a hillock on Oxmantown Green, which hillock was accordingly named Little John's Shot
The chronicle has Little John sailing to Ireland and staying at Dublin for a few days. The locals very much wanted to see an example of his prowess with the longbow. He shot his arrow an unknown but considerable distance. However, this feat made his presence known to the authorities, and Little John had to leave Ireland for Scotland (see 1577 Allusion below). The Dublin Bridge on which he was believed to have stood when shooting his arrow was a stone bridge built by the Dominicans in 1428. With four bridges and a tower at either end, it was lined with housing, shops etc., including a chapel and an inn. A new bridge, the Whitworth Bridge, was built in its place in 1816-18 and renamed Father Mathew Bridge 1938.[1]
For the place where the arrow was said to have landed, see the page on Little John's Shot (Dublin). Template:PlaceNamesItemQuery
Gazetteers
- Outside scope of Dobson, R. B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. Rymes of Robyn Hood: an Introduction to the English Outlaw (London, 1976), pp. 293-311.
Background
- Phillips, M.; Hamilton, A. 'Project History of Dublin’s River Liffey Bridges', Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, vol. 156, Bridge Engineering, Issue BE4 (2003), pp. 161-79, see especially p. 162.
- Wikipedia: Father Mathew Bridge
Notes