The Bridge Of Tears

A road made for your motorcycle

The R256 in Donegal is, as if it were to be created just for motorcycles and one of the very best roads I’ve yet to ride. Running from Glenveagh national park to the village of An Falcarragh the winding strip of road runs through a valley framed on both sides by most majestic of mountains. The landscape is ‘pure’ lacking dwellings or anything taller than heather. During the winter the wind blows in from the Atlantic and will chill even the best dressed rider. During the summer and autumn it’s simply blissful to ride.

With changes in elevation and corners every few dozen metres or so the fact that it’s less than a twenty minute ride takes nothing away from how wonderful it is.

Halfway across the valley is a small stone bridge, ‘The Bridge of Tears’. Before roads were built and the old railway existed this was part of the route to the ferry port in Derry. Derry was the exit point for people leaving for a new life in the UK, the US and Australia.

The bridge was where the traveller and their family would say goodbye to each other. Since they were highly unlikely to ever come back, these partings took on the air of a funeral such was the permanence of their farewells.

Less than a twenty minute ride, in a day full of brilliant roads

A small plaque nearby reads,

“Fad leis seo a thagadh cairde agus lucht gaoil an té a bhí ag imeacht chun na coigrithe. B’anseo an scaradh. Seo Droichead na nDeor”.

Roughly translated it means ‘family and friends of the person leaving for foreign lands would come this far. Here was the separation. This is the Bridge of Tears’.

Later this year the road to Falcarragh will be just one of the epic rides that we’ll be taking over the three days of the Explore The Northwest Tour with Celtic Horizon Tours. Click on the link to find out more and join us on some of the best roads that the country has to offer.