placenames1901 census
6People recorded
1Households recorded
Most frequent surnames in this year’s matched records
- Booth 5
- OMalley 1
Newbridge
An Droichead Nua
A university president born in Newbridge and a twentieth-century bridge add distinct chapters to the locality’s history.
Recorded locationNewbridge53.50641° N · 8.42226° WInteractive map supplied by OpenStreetMap.
Recorded place location · Logainm.ie
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- An Droichead Nua · Irish · main form · non-validated name
- Newbridge · English · main form
Place & story
From Newbridge to the university
The University of Galway’s archaeology centenary publication identifies Newbridge as the birthplace of Monsignor John Hynes in 1875. Ordained in 1898, he eventually joined University College Galway. In 1924 he became both its registrar and the first holder of its newly established chair of Celtic Archaeology. [2]
A presidential welcome
Hynes became president of the college in 1934. The university’s retrospective recalls students carrying him from the railway station to the college in a torchlight procession. He subsequently entertained the entire small student body at dinner, followed by dancing in the Aula Maxima. He retired in 1945 and died in 1949. [2]
Concrete over the Killian
A two-span road bridge crosses the Killian River between Newbridge and Carrownafreevy townlands. The architectural inventory dates it to around 1920. Its flat concrete deck rests on rendered supports, with a triangular cutwater at the central pier. Rendered parapets, square piers and chamfered caps complete this modest example of changing bridge construction. [3]
Geographic information
People & family history
Census figures refer to the matched historical census area for each year. Boundaries and spellings can change over time.
1911 census
57People recorded
8Households recorded
Most frequent surnames in this year’s matched records
- Hannon 17
- Lohan 10
- Connelly 9
- McLoughlin 8
- Booth 5
1926 census
No verified place match is available for this year. This does not indicate a population of zero.
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Newbridge. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- One Hundred Years of University Archaeology in Galway 1924–2024, printed pages 1–2 · University of Galway
- Killian River road bridge, NIAH 30404605 · National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Boundary geometry retains its source attribution and licence in the downloadable geographic record. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2025-01-10. How this page was prepared.