The Spike Bridge, Courtown Woods
Regular walkers of Courtown Woods will have noticed the much-loved Spike Bridge has been closed. We have been inundated with calls, texts and emails asking for clarification. Here is all you need to know……
Wexford Walking Trail Statement
22/2/25
In February, Coillte did an on site assessment of the bridge, making the decision to close it. This came about due to a complaint issued to the council that the sides of the bridge had become “rickety”
The individuals involved in making the complaint did not realise that this would mean the bridge would be closed off indefinitely.
For the large number of people who use the bridge daily, this was very upsetting and there was a lot of local anger, as evidenced when an unknown person, reopened the bridge under cover of darkness.
A number of local counsellors contacted the Wexford Coillte Officer on behalf of the community. Joe Sullivan was particularly adamant that the closure of the bridge would put walkers at risk as there was no way for pedestrians to access Gorey by foot without a safe crossing across the river.
CCC and Wexford Bat Association Bat Walk September 2024
Closed Bridge Feb 2024
What happens now?
Coillte have reassessed the bridge and have kindly agreed to do some essential repairs and have it opened up again by the St Patricks Day Weekend.
The plan now is to do any essential repairs that will bring the bridge up to their safety standards while also looking into funding for a potential replacement in the years to come.
We are delighted that the local community was heard and that the bridge has been reopened!
How old is Spike bridge?
the current bridge was built in 1985, made from Irish sourced Cedar wood, a wood known for being almost resistant to rot due to the high oil content.
It cost £15000 in 1985, adjusted for inflation, that is roughly €40,000 today
The earlier Spike bridge had a large spike gate made of iron at one end. Used by the workers of the Courtown estate it was closed and locked at night or on Sundays.
Though, according to local historian Anna Kinsella, children used these same iron spikes to swing around the gate and get over the bridge to steal apples from Lord Courtown’s orchards!
The Bridge was also used by the Stopford family to access the woodland paths on the south side of the river. The Riverside Walk contains some of the most prized specimen trees from Lord Courtowns' collection, including the Californian Redwoods, and Japanese Cedars that stand at the edge of Spike Bridge, along with the American White Cedar, the English Yews and, of course, the magnificent Cedar of Lebanon, which dominates the river walk at almost 90 feet high!
All that remains of Courtown House is the front lawn which stretches down to the riverbank
But it is believed that the steps seen in the image above were part of a path network that led to Spike Bridge
Photo Credit Mick O’Callaghan Love Gorey
https://lovegorey.ie/loop-walk-in-the-ancient-woods-of-courtown/