In 1755 William Wray of Ards and Thomas Smith built this iconic bridge across the Lackagh river. They were granted £207 to build the stone bridge which linked Creeslough, Carrigart and Glen by road.
Throughout the 1800s this road become the main route through Barnes more gap which dates around 1849.
From early on, this bridge was captured by many artists and attracted painters from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Uk and USA. Here are some artist who painted the Lackagh Bridge.:
Artist who painted Lackagh Bridge
- George K. Gillespie (1924 -1995). Oil painting sold in 2004 for over euro 4,400
- James Humbert Craig (1878-1944) Framed oil painting sold for euro 2,400.
- Frank Egginton (1908-1990) Watercolour and pencil painting sold for €2,400 in 2006.
- Charles J. McAuley (1910-1999) Oil painting.
- William Henry Burns (1924–1995) oil painting.
- Merial Lambart Barrett (1912-1982).
The Lackagh River
The Lackagh River is a tidal outlet from Glen Lough into Sheephaven Bay near Doe Castle. It is known for salmon and sea trout fishing. Fishing with rod and line mostly and the season for fishing with boats and nets where they circle the salmon on their way up to Glen Lough is very short. However due to strict fishing regulations very few fishermen hold the right to fish there now.
The rocks along its banks are of significant geological interest both in the County and Nationally.
The area along the river near the bridge demonstrates some of the intense effects of shearing and intrusion of the Main Donegal Granite into the Dalradian rockface some of the oldest rock in Ireland.
As the rock is exposed it also shows the internal features of the structural development of the granite. Seen by it various black pavement like slabs along the banks of the River along the road side.
Along the road from the Bridge there is a viewing point looking over towards Doe Castle and the Sheephaven Bay with a view towards Muckish Mountain.