Highly-anticipated bridge on the Tipperary border set to open this week

The opening of the eagerly-anticipated new Ballina-Killaloe bridge is set to officially open to the public this Thursday May 22 at 3pm.

The Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien will be in attendance alongside several other local elected officials. 

Labour TD Alan Kelly has been a major advocate for the bridge over the years, he said: 

"I’ve been waiting for this day for decades. I made it one of my main local political priorities when I entered politics in 2007 to get this bridge built. It will be transformative for the local area both socially and economically.

"When I was Minister I pushed this project immensely and finally ensured that it was out in the national development plan in 2015. This is what ensure that the project was commenced and had to be built.

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"I want to thank the officials in the Department of Transport who worked on this with me for years. Many of them have retired since. I also want to acknowledge the work of Tipperary and Clare County Councils, Councillors from both sides of the bridge, the contractors SISK and of course the local community who put up with so much disruption over the years.

"This is going to be a fantastic day and one I’ve been looking forward to all my political career and the bridge opening is something I’m immensely proud of."

Huge crowds are expected to be in attendance for the opening of what will be know as the "Brian Boru Bridge".