Droichead na Bandan

Droichead na Bandan, 'Bridge of the Bandon,' derives from the River Bandon's Irish name Abhainn na Bandan, where 'ban-dea' means 'goddess'—suggesting an ancient feminine divine association with the waterway itself. The town of Bandon was established in 1604 as part of the Munster Plantation, founded by Henry Beecher and English settlers John Shipward, William Newce, and John Archdeacon followin...