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The Dawn of Hope



“Near the town of Drumkeerin in the county of Leitrim,
and appropriately, in the diocese of Kilmore,
there stands a little bridge with the curious and evocative title of ‘The Dawn of Hope’.


Theories abound as to how that bridge got its name,
but the concept goes to the heart of this day,
captures the essence of this most solemn and joyful occasion.
The arrival in our diocese of a new shepherd of the flock
is indeed a moment of crossing over, a dawn of hope.”


Those words were spoken by Fr Peter Burke, PP of Drumshanbo,
in his homily at the ordination Mass of Bishop Francis Duffy,
the new bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise.


The little bridge, known as the Dawn of Hope,
links two townlands in our parish,
the townland of Greaghnagloch and the townland of Lisnanerris.

Before 1969 these two townlands were in different parishes.
Greaghnagloch was in the parish of Killargue
and Lisnaerris was in the parish of Inishmagrath.


Before the construction of the bridge these townlands were separated
by a deep ravine through which ran a mountain stream.


Around the 1870’s or 1880’s the small bridge was constructed across the ravine.


In his homily Fr Burke alludes to the fact
that nobody seems to know how the bridge got its name.

One theory reports that the people were so delighted with the bridge
and with the opportunities it offered them to cross over
the the neighbouring townlands and to the wider world
that they decided to name it
“The Dawn of Hope”.





However it may have got it’s name,
The Dawn of Hope Bridge
continues to bring together two townlands of our parish
that were once not only divided by the ravine and its stream
but also by ancient parish boundaries.

And to this day its evocative name
continues to intrigue and to puzzle
both locals and visitors alike.