New bridge named after JFK's mother opens in Ireland

The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge is the longest bridge in Ireland and spans between Co Wexford and Co Kilkenny.

The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy bridge, named after President John F. Kennedy's mother, was opened on Wednesday at an event in Co Wexford attended by JFK's grand-niece as well as elected officials and community members.

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At 887 meters long, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy bridge is now the longest bridge in Ireland, overtaking the River Suir Bridge in Co Waterford. The construction of the new bridge is part of a €230 million upgrade to the N25 Newross bypass.

Located nearby to the town of Dunganstown in Co Wexford, the ancestral home of JFK, the new bridge is meant to honor the Irish roots of the famous Irish American Kennedy family.

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Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, mother to John F. Kennedy (Getty Images)

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Rose Katherine Kennedy Townsend, a great-grandchild of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, was on hand to unveil the new structure. 

A grandchild of Robert F. Kennedy, Rose Katherine will meet her Irish relatives while she is in Ireland. She also has plans to visit the Dunbrody Famine Ship and the Eternal Flame in Newross, Co Wexford.

It is hoped that the bridge, which will officially open to traffic on January 30, can increase connectivity in the area and open up the region to future investment, including the Rosslare Europort. 

The bridge will significantly reduce the travel time between Cork and Rosslare Harbor, which is a key link to mainland Europe. 

The new bridge includes 14 km of new dual carriageway on the N25 and N30 routes, in addition to 1 km of single carriageway on the N30. 

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Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that the bridge symbolized Ireland's increased connectivity and represented an investment in the region's future economic security. 

“It’s about strengthening connectivity between different parts of our country, and strengthening our communities,” Varadkar said. 

Chairman of Wexford County Council Michael Sheehan said that the Bridge's official opening marked a "new chapter" in the county's development and means that the region is "now ripe for a new era of investment, industry, and interest."  

You can take a look at the construction of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy bridge here:

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