Safety inspection ordered for Letterkenny’s Dry Arch landmark

A safety inspection will be carried out on the stone masonry of the Dry Arch Roundabout in Letterkenny after concerns that some granite blocks may have shifted.

Cllr Donal Coyle raised the issue with Donegal County Council, noting that the granite blocks forming part of the well‑known structure appear to have moved. He highlighted the personal significance of the artwork, which incorporates stone quarried in his native Fanad and was the last job of local builder Patrick Carr.

The sculpture atop the arch, titled “The Workers”, was created by artist Maurice Harron in 2001. It features two eight‑foot stainless‑steel figures standing on a 16‑foot stone arch, lifting a salvaged piece of stone from the original railway bridge that once stood at the site.

Inspection to assess structural integrity

Senior council engineer David McIlwaine reviewed photographs that show a line crack in the masonry. He confirmed that an on‑site inspection will determine whether any remedial action is required, and that any necessary steps will be decided after the findings are reviewed.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: Mesut Özder / Pexels.