GARDAÍ AND Kenmare fire service mounted a rescue operation in the early hours yesterday after a man scaled the town’s main bridge, and then fell asleep on it.
The man, a weekend visitor to the town, was spotted sprawled asleep on one of the uppermost beams of the southern archway about 9m (30ft) off the ground, shortly after 1am.
Gardaí diverted traffic to a single lane so as not to wake the man whom they feared would fall were he to wake.
A spokesman for the fire service said their greatest fear was the man would turn over in his sleep or be startled suddenly.
“We crept up nice and gently and put a safety line over him,” the service’s spokesman said.“It was all over in a short while.
The man, in his late 20s, was taken away by gardaí and his details taken.
Some years ago a young man sustained serious injuries after he fell from the bridge.
Railings to prevent access to the structure were put in place and have largely put a stop to what was a common practice in Kenmare after a night out.
However, there have been a number of climbs again in recent months and this was the second such rescue in recent times, the fire service confirmed.
Our Lady’s Bridge was built in 1932 and replaced the country’s first ever suspension bridge, a title by which it is still commonly known.