Jumping from the quincentennial bridge

amcalester

I spent 3 years in college in Galway and regularly walked across this bridge and wondered if someone could jump into the water without doing themselves a serious mischief.

I've heard stories that a friend of a friend did it but never from anyone who actually did jump from the bridge into the river. Looking at it myself I reckon that if it could be done it'd have to be from a point about 2/3 of the way across, if travelling from the Terryland direction.

So my question is this, any of you out there jump or know for a fact of someone else who did it?

m83

I have a video of a friend jumping off it.


Scary, but doable

amcalester

Can you post the link?

encyclopedia

Jumped the bridge a few years ago, it seems no higher then black rock diving board tbh, although the current is fairly strong, there is a yellow marking for the jumping spot on the same side as the college, if you go there on any nice day durin the summer you will see plenty of people jumpin it
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=YLjGqUCmt8k

amcalester

cool, it wasn't the height that bothered me, it was more the bone crunching impact on the rocks below.

now that I've seen it done I'll give it a go next time I'm in Galway.

implausible

Friends of mine were doing this in college years ago. Biggest danger is the chance of landing on a shopping trolley or whatever other 'surprises' lie there.

Be careful!

muppetkiller

You should try it in a Kayak

amcalester

deemark wrote: »

Friends of mine were doing this in college years ago. Biggest danger is the chance of landing on a shopping trolley or whatever other 'surprises' lie there.

Be careful!

Once I wear armbands I'll be grand, right? Right?

meh... i threw out any option of jumpin into that river after the kid who got paralysed durin our rag week.

blackrock tower gets my thumbs up.

JIZZLORD

hmmm, i think i was walking back to cuirt when them two lads in the vid were jumping.

m83

amcalester wrote: »

Can you post the link?

C:\Users\m83\Videos\BridgeJump.mp4

m83

m83 wrote: »

C:\Users\m83\Videos\BridgeJump.mp4

you win.

ronnie3585

Jumped from the new bridge every summer for about 7 or 8 years, great craic! The railway pillars were class for jumping off too.

are they railway pillars down by woodquay?

ronnie3585

Deleted User wrote: »

are they railway pillars down by woodquay?

Yeah, the ones at the back of the Weir. There used to be a rope up to the top of the closest one to the Jes launch. Not sure if it's still there, been manys a year since I was last up there. Good times!

yea heard bout people gettin up nd jumpin in.. dunno when tho.

gaeilgegrinds

Have done it manys a time, just find the marker!

toiletduck

Meh, kids are always jumping off it come good weather. It's nothing strange.

JohnCleary

Don't know how someone hasn't been hurt jumping from the bridge. During the summer (low water level) it's no more than 8-9 ft deep - that's pretty frickin' shallow when jumping from that height. I've dived around there a few times, the amount of shoite (trolleys, bikes, general scrap) is amazing.

If you want to jump from anything i'd jump from, as said before, the pillars at WoodQuay. The rope is still there at the furthest one from WoodQuay. Jump from the North end (facing Terryland) and slightly over to the Jes rowing club - That way incase the current does grab ya a little, you'll be the safe side. Obviously watch the current swimming accross, during the summer it doesn't be too bad when only 1 - 3 weir gates may be open. From a H&S point of view it's a disaster, but it's great craic

Load of my mates jumped it years ago, I didnt as can hardly swim.

There was young college lad from cavan who my brother knew who jumped when it was too shallow and damaged his spine badly. Ended up in a wheelchair.

JohnCleary

rarnes1 wrote: »

Load of my mates jumped it years ago, I didnt as can hardly swim.

There was young college lad from cavan who my brother knew who jumped when it was too shallow and damaged his spine badly. Ended up in a wheelchair.

Christ on a bike Horrible story

Seriously though, I wouldn't recommend jumping off that bridge, anywhere along it, it's just too flippin' shallow - Go out to Blackrock! One time some fecker nearly landed in my boat jumpin off as I passed underneath - wonder what the outcome of that would have been in court? Fecker would have done some damage to his legs/back

cL0h

Yeah I remember the story of a guy being horribly injured. It used to be a rag week thing when I was in college. Until that dude absolutely creamed himself. It was in all the local papers.
It's a russian roulette thing. If you mess up it's game over.

barry181091

Who's up for it this year ? Seriously considering it for rag week

barry181091

barry181091 wrote: »

Who's up for it this year ? Seriously considering it for rag week

Yeah hilarious :rolleyes:

josey_whale

http://img29.imageshack.us/f/p5290393.jpg/

Lapin

amcalester wrote: »

I spent 3 years in college in Galway and regularly walked across this bridge and wondered if someone could jump into the water without doing themselves a serious mischief.

Possibly.

But as you say yourself, the bridge is there for "walking" (cycling/driving) across - Not jumping off.

If it was for jumping off, I'm sure provisions would be made for such activities there. Diving boards etc

There is probably a good reason why the bridge doesn't have diving boards.

Probably the same reason they don't have diving boards at the top of the tallest buildings in the city.

Jumping off the roof of the Eyre Square multi story car park will kill you because there is nothing but tarmac below.

Yet you think jumping off a bridge into the Corrib won't because there's water below. What can go wrong ?

But if things do go wrong, (as they have for many people in the past) please spare a thought for those who will risk their lives trying to save you.

And nine times out of ten things will go wrong.

If you want to be an eejit and jump off the bridge for a laugh, then please let the emergency services know beforehand.

At least that way they can concentrate their voluntary efforts on people who really need their help out on the bay or in the docks.

Even if you learnt nothing after "3 years in college" you must have surely absorbed in your time in the city that the River Corrib is one of the most dangerous in the country.

Surely in your time in Galway over the last 3 years you should have heard enough stories about people drowning in our city.

I could be cynical and suggest a two word response to your quest. - Jump in- and do us all a favour. One less gobshíte in the world.
But that means other people will risk their lives trying to save you, when your (trying to be cool in front of my friends) stunt goes arseways.

Here are two more apt words of advice - Cop On.

Don't mess with the Corrib.

PomBear

I did it and was fun, but then again, don't take my word for it that it's safe.


Also, to the user wanting to jump in during RAG week, don't jump in while you have drink in you, recipe for disaster.

harryd2

Did it a few times a while back.. good craic

ronnie3585

Lapin wrote: »

Possibly.

But as you say yourself, the bridge is there for "walking" (cycling/driving) across - Not jumping off.

If it was for jumping off, I'm sure provisions would be made for such activities there. Diving boards etc

There is probably a good reason why the bridge doesn't have diving boards.

Probably the same reason they don't have diving boards at the top of the tallest buildings in the city.

Jumping off the roof of the Eyre Square multi story car park will kill you because there is nothing but tarmac below.

Yet you think jumping off a bridge into the Corrib won't because there's water below. What can go wrong ?

But if things do go wrong, (as they have for many people in the past) please spare a thought for those who will risk their lives trying to save you.

And nine times out of ten things will go wrong.

If you want to be an eejit and jump off the bridge for a laugh, then please let the emergency services know beforehand.

At least that way they can concentrate their voluntary efforts on people who really need their help out on the bay or in the docks.

Even if you learnt nothing after "3 years in college" you must have surely absorbed in your time in the city that the River Corrib is one of the most dangerous in the country.

Surely in your time in Galway over the last 3 years you should have heard enough stories about people drowning in our city.

I could be cynical and suggest a two word response to your quest. - Jump in- and do us all a favour. One less gobshíte in the world.
But that means other people will risk their lives trying to save you, when your (trying to be cool in front of my friends) stunt goes arseways.

Here are two more apt words of advice - Cop On.

Don't mess with the Corrib.

Any chance you write for the Daily Mail?

My friends and I jumped off the bridge and pillars ever summer for seven or eight years when we were young lads. It's great craic.

If you have someone keeping an eye for boats and jump into the middle of the river it's no more dangerous than diving off Blackrock, provided you're a strong swimmer.

Don't do it RAG week with a couple of drinks on you. A mate of mine attempted that in first year and nearly drowned.

JohnCleary

At best there's about 8 - 8.5ft of water under the bridge. That's excluding foreign debris such as bikes/trollies/traffic cones etc.

Jumping off it is a definite potential nomination for a Darwin Award :pac:

If you want to jump off somewhere on the river, jump the pillars at Woodquay, just don't get sucked down the weir swimming across the river.

Lapin

ronnie3585 wrote: »

Any chance you write for the Daily Mail?

Don't be silly.

F.Galway

The water is awful cold this time of year!

clived2

http://www.emigrant.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14543&Itemid=232

I was at the funeral, dont be stupid,

It was one of the most tragic things I have ever been too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnQ8N1KacJc

gavkm27

Jumped it many a time and had always heard rumors of lads breaking their legs on shopping trolleys and whatever else is down there,used to wear runners and leg it across the road when there was no cars,great craic,but as other posters have said,you really need to know what you doing.

As a group of salthill/knocknacarragh lads we grew up down blackrock and have always searched for bigger and higher stuff to jump off,Barna and Spiddeal piers on a lowish tide are high,but the daddy is An Phoil An Pheiste in the Aran Islands,see below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y69mOFrVwjY

Madame Razz

^^^^it's so cool there, it's an amazing feature; an easy jump tho, as you've no worries about depth there.

Das Kitty

ronnie3585 wrote: »

Don't do it RAG week with a couple of drinks on you. A mate of mine attempted that in first year and nearly drowned.

Was this 2 or 3 years ago on the Monday? My husband witnessed it, scary stuff.

39steps

Don't do it, jumping from that bridge is completely stupid.

1. A student ended up in a wheelchair a couple of years ago after trying it.
2. A friend of my Dad's committed suicide by jumping off that bridge.

The time and cost of the police, fire brigade, ambulance, army and security personnel is enormous and the heartbreak of searching for a body for a week until it turns up in the Claddagh Basin or the Oranmore shoreline.

Please, please, don't do it.

wet-paint

Do it if you want to do it, and understand the risks.

It's good fun. Balls to anyone else who says not to.

Mrs OBumble

wet-paint wrote: »

Do it if you want to do it, and understand the risks

'Cos if it goes wrong, it's not like there will be any consequences for you, or for anyone else. :rolleyes:

Which do you think would be worse: Dead? Or qualrapledgic, and needing someone else (your mum, perhaps) wiping your arse for you for the rest of your life?

I'm with Lapin. COP ON.

jordainius

I find it very hard to believe that the Corrib is only 8/9 feet deep as has been suggested by some in this thread?

WallyGUFC

People have no right to be telling others not to jump in. They can do what they bloody well want. I wouldn't jump in because I'd poo myself on the way down but it's a free country. If people want to get a risky adrenaline rush, let them off.

JohnCleary

jordainius wrote: »

I find it very hard to believe that the Corrib is only 8/9 feet deep as has been suggested by some in this thread?

I have been using the Corrib for about 12 years now and know it pretty well, especially the river

To add to that I have conducted a full hydrographic survey of the Corrib in partnership with a friend.

I can confirm that in the summer the area at the Q bridge can go as low as 7.5ft but averages around 8 - 8.5ft. Now, that is the depth to the river bed, excluding foreign objects. Granted, there is not *that* much debris at the bridge but there is the odd bicycle/trolley.

In conclusion, as a swimmer/diver/kayaker/general-water-obsesso I wouldn't be in a rush to jump off there! Just jump off the pillars at Woodquay if yer mad to jump into the river from a height

Aiel

A few years ago on Paddys Day 2 students were a bit drunk and decided on the spur of the moment to jump into the river from the bridge.Long story short the first guy jumped in and barely made it out,the 2nd guy landed on a trolley,broke his leg and drowned.
Moral of the story,DO NOT jump in after drinking.If you are jumping then KNOW where the right spot to jump is.

wet-paint

JustMary wrote: »

'Cos if it goes wrong, it's not like there will be any consequences for you, or for anyone else. :rolleyes:

Which do you think would be worse: Dead? Or qualrapledgic, and needing someone else (your mum, perhaps) wiping your arse for you for the rest of your life?

I'm with Lapin. COP ON.

Tell you what, I won't tell you not to be off dogging out in Silver Strand taking it three ways from Five guys named Leroy with gold in their teeth, and you don't tell me not to be jumping off high shít.


It's none of my business to be telling you what to do, just as it's none of your business to tell me or others what to do.
Christ almighty.

gavkm27

Madame Razz wrote: »

^^^^it's so cool there, it's an amazing feature; an easy jump tho, as you've no worries about depth there.

Water depth does'nt make a jump easy,if it's shallow that does'nt mean it's hard,its plain suicide
We used to try jump blackrock on lower and lower tides jumping hard left from west side to land on softest sand and go in at angle.Until my friend broke both his ankles.
26-28m is not easy,watch my video and again and listen to the echo of the clack as i hit the water,thats my arse as i went in slighty off due to be rushed a bit by the cameraman,i could'nt sit down for nearly 6 weeks.
It's very hard to control your body in the air,you hit the water very hard.
Not an easy jump

ronnie3585

wet-paint wrote: »

Tell you what, I won't tell you not to be off dogging out in Silver Strand taking it three ways from Five guys named Leroy with gold in their teeth, and you don't tell me not to be jumping off high shít.


It's none of my business to be telling you what to do, just as it's none of your business to tell me or others what to do.
Christ almighty.

Ha ha, five guys named Leroy!!:D

Mrs OBumble

wet-paint wrote: »

It's none of my business to be telling you what to do, just as it's none of your business to tell me or others what to do.
Christ almighty.

I've got bad news for you. Society is going to continue to tell you to

1) stop at red traffic lights
2) feed, clothe and not beat up your kids
3) drive under the speed limit
4) pay taxes
5) not steal stuff from shops

and a whole heap of other stuff, including not jumping off things that are very risky to jump off.

Get used to it.

wet-paint

Good Lord, you don't see the point of what I said at all, do you? And why your last post is nonsensical?


You've posted examples of laws. I'm not talking about the law. Your inclusion of the law in this conversation is retarded.

Did you know that dogging is legal in Ireland? The Gardai have no problem with you getting on your knees in a carpark and chugging cum from random strangers, but I find it distasteful, as do many in society.

Just as they have no problem with me jumping off of a bridge, however society sees it.. Y'see, that was an analogy I made. Comparing like with like.
Did you get that? Did you follow?
When you tried to compare bridge jumping with breaking red lights or batterin' the chislers you failed at making an analogy.

You should try it some time. The free fall is a nice rush.


*Dogging is probably illegal on some grounds, possibly public decency or something. I've no idea, haven't been caught yet.

Madame Razz

gavkm27 wrote: »

26-28m is not easy,watch my video and again and listen to the echo of the clack as i hit the water,thats my arse as i went in slighty off due to be rushed a bit by the cameraman,i could'nt sit down for nearly 6 weeks.
It's very hard to control your body in the air,you hit the water very hard.
Not an easy jump

There's only such an echo because due to it's structure, plus the water, it's like an auditorium for sound. I'm sorry to hear that you hurt yourself doing it tho, as six weeks of it hurting to sit down must have been painful! I've jumped it a few times without problem. But then, I grew up jumping into water off higher heights than that. I'll still jump off heights into water given any chance:pac:

Plus I'm female, and we tend to have more 'padding' in that area, so maybe that helps:p

(I'm not from Galway btw)

epgc3fyqirnbsx

Christ on a bike, what ever happened to youthful exuberance and having a lust for life?

Well this thread shows that plenty of people still have it but there's also a lot willing to piss on others parades.

Yes it may be mildly stupid but then again so is mountain climbing, or climbing a tree as a young fella.

Young men are natural risk takers, it's what helped us evolve as a species, deal with it

Some people seem to spend so much effort preserving life that they forget how to live it...

Jimmy9Irons

Well said slasher, the PC brigade are alive and well on boards, always were and always will be. Jumped it myself a few times in my youth, great craic. I only ever jumped it sober though, doing it drunk as some have is wreckless, but if you're a good swimmer its no biggie...