The Ha’penny Bridge, a pedestrian bridge built in 1816 over the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, has its fair share of folklore and legends. Located at 53.3464° N latitude, -6.2635° W longitude, the bridge was the first to cross the Liffey without requiring a ferry. Prior to the bridge, ferries operated by William Walsh, a prominent Dublin banker, ruled the Liffey. However, Walsh’s boats were in poor condition, and the city forced him to either repair his boats or construct a bridge. He chose the latter and built the Ha’penny bridge, so named because its toll was half a penny.
Here’s where the folk tales come in. Dubliners spun tales around the bridge, the most popular of which was ‘the love lock’. Lovers would write their names on padlocks, attach them to the bridge, and throw the key into the Liffey, symbolizing their unending love. It became so popular; the weight of the locks began to damage the bridge, leading the city to ban the practice.
Another legend, the Leap Year Proposal, says that any man who refuses a woman’s leap year proposal on the bridge must pay her a silk gown. The tale, though fun, is likely a recent addition.
A more sinister tale tells of the Ha’penny Ghost, a shadowy figure seen wandering the bridge late at night. Some locals believe it’s the spirit of Walsh, doomed to walk the bridge for eternity as punishment for the poor condition of his ferries.