Cork's Mary Elmes Bridge closed due to damage by stolen scissor lift

Bridge, which links St Patrick's Quay to Merchant's Quay, was damaged when joyriders attempted to cross it on the stolen vehicle

The stolen scissor lift being driven near Oliver Plunkett St on Sunday.

Cork City Council says it is "working as quickly as possible" to repair the Mary Elmes Bridge in the city centre, which was damaged by a stolen scissor lift on Sunday night.

Several wooden decking panels on the eastern side of the bridge were damaged on Sunday night after a group of men stole a scissor lift from St Patrick's Quay at around 8.30pm and went joyriding around the city.

It is understood that the bridge, which links St Patrick's Quay to Merchant's Quay, was damaged when the joyriders attempted to cross it on the scissor lift.

Videos shared on social media showed four young men on top of the stolen lift, travelling along Oliver Plunkett St and Patrick St.

Gardaí subsequently stopped the lift on the South Gate Bridge near Barrack St. Two men, aged 20 and 31, were arrested and detained under the Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in Cork City. They have since been charged in relation to the incident.

Cork City Council says the damage done to the Mary Elmes Bridge forced its closure to "ensure public safety".

"The bridge will remain closed pending repairs," a council spokesperson told the Irish Examiner.

"Engineers are currently assessing the damage and a number of repairs options are being explored, including potential short-term fixes that might facilitate a swift reopening of the bridge. 

The council says the full cost of repairs is still being assessed.

The Mary Elmes bridge, which officially opened to the public in 2019, was installed to promote greater use of cycling and walking amongst people travelling between the city centre and MacCurtain St. 

It is named after Cork-born humanitarian worker Mary Elmes, who is credited with saving the lives of at least 200 Jewish children at various times during the Holocaust.

The bridge is used by more than 11,000 people every day.

The spokesperson said Cork City Council "apologises for the disruption this incident has caused and says it is "working as quickly as possible to repair the bridge and to reopen it to the public".