Snotty Bridge, CorkyMcSteel Bridge, Cheeseburger Hamburger, Rob Heffernan, Roy Keane, ROG Bridge, and Sir Henry’s Way fail to make shortlist for Cork’s newest bridge

Party whips whittled the longlist of 500 submissions down to a shortlist of six names. A vote to pick a winner will be held at all-Council meeting tomorrow Monday July 10.

The soon-to-be-named bridge over the N40 on the southside of the City. Via Twitter.

Cork City Council received more than 500 submissions in an open call to name the as-yet-unnamed bridge over N40/South Ring Road, connecting Grange and Frankfield to Tramore Valley Park on the southside of Cork City.

And the public delivered in spades, mining the history of the area, the many sporting legends on Leeside, as well as a healthy dose of irreverence in their suggestions. (5.7 Minimum Clearance Bridge, while eminently practical, did not make the shortlist).

Many of the bridge names were variations of the same name, such as with Mount Vernon, the derelict and ruined "Big House" that sits on a hill above the new bridge. There were at least 16 variations alone for Mount Vernon; Mount Vernon Bridge made it into the shortlist.

However, there was no room for bridge names inspired by Cork-born sports stars Roy Keane, Denis Irwin, Sonia O'Sullivan, Ronan O'Gara, Denise O'Sullivan, Billy Morgan, Seanie O'Leary, Jimmy Barry Murphy, and Teddy McCarthy, all of whom failed to make the final shortlist.

The 1990 Bridge, honoring the historic Double achieved by the Cork footballers and hurlers in winning the All-Ireland finals, also failed to make the cut.

Nearly there now, but no love for “Snotty Bridge” name.

But the sports stars can take comfort in the fact that they are joined by CorkyMcSteel Bridge, Cheesburger Hamburger, and Jump to the Dump.

Likewise, Cha & Mia Bridge, in honor of the city's most famous comedy duo, failed to make it to the final list, as did Sir Henry Bridge/Sir Henry's Way, in honour of one of the city's most famous nightclubs.

(It would be ironic if City Councillors chose Vernon Mount Bridge, as it, like Sir Henry's, also recalls a derelict house.)

Bridge names inspired by politicians included the current Tánaiste and leader of Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin, who grew up in Turners Cross. The Tánaiste was joined by Peter Barry, Eileen Desmond, Terence MacSwiney, Mo Mowlam, Councillor Bernie Murphy, and former city Lord Mayor John Bermingham.

Irish-language suggestions for the new bridge included Bród Bridge, Grá Mór Bridge, Fuinseog Dubh, and Droichead Gleann.

While Charles J. Daly might not be well-known to many outside of local history circles, there were at least five variations for the young Douglas man who was shot in June of 1921 by a British soldier in a field near Mount Vernon.

Daly was allegedly trying to escape after offering to provide information on the whereabouts of IRA battalion weapons. However, subsequent reports suggest that Daly, aged 31 when he was killed, was tortured and murdered in Victoria Barracks.

The final list was drawn up by political party whips, and the six nominations are:

1. Vernon Mount Bridge 

2. Fuinseog Dubh / Black Ash Bridge

3. Tramore Valley Bridge 

4. Sanctuary Bridge 

5. Pride /Bród Bridge  

6. Tobar Bridge

Walk this way on the Black Ash Bridge? Via Twitter

Writing in Tripe + Drisheen earlier this year, James Furey, a researcher at Béaloideas/Folklore and Ethnology in University College Cork, wrote about the significance of calling the new bridge Fuinseog Dubh/Black Ash Bridge:

Mags O’Sullivan of Cork Traveller Women’s Network talks about the deep connection between the area around the new bridge and the Travelling community, saying “the Black Ash is a place of preciousness and pride,” adding that the new bridge should echo that connection. Mags has plenty of names that would be suitable for the bridge, but she also says that calling it Black Ash Bridge would maintain the historical link to the Traveller camp site.

This could be an opportunity for the state and local authority to begin to make amends for the hurtful policies of the past. Relating this bridge to Travellers and how they utilised the land previously might help educate wider society about Traveller culture and traditions.

Once opened, the bridge will provide pedestrian and cycle access to Tramore Valley Park, one of the largest parks in the city, for residents of Grange and Frankfield.

On Monday night, City Councillors will also be voting on whether to dispose of a corner of Bishop Lucey Park to the Freemasons. Dr. Eoin Lettice wrote about that vote and what the city and the council stand to lose if the vote is passed in a guest essay on Tripe + Drisheen this week.

Monthly council meetings are broadcast live on Cork City Council’s YouTube Channel.