Love Locks on the Ha'penny Bridge

Yesterday was an incredibly rainy and windy day. Our friend M flew over to Ireland with Joe, so since the older two children were in school we figured we should try and do something while we all fit in one car. We went to lunch at the Avoca cafe at Malahide Castle. The village of Malahide is a nice seaside town on the bay about 20 minutes from our house. We've been here before to tour the castle and there is a great playground for the children. We have come here often! We could not walk outside at all because it was pouring down rain which was unfortunate since the grounds are pretty. 

Malahide Castle

I had a yummy seafood chowder and brown bread for lunch

After we left Malahide we collected the children at school and then hung out at the house for awhile. Around 5 we all took the bus into town for dinner. We took M to The Church restaurant…remember we went here in September. The food and atmosphere are great. Afterwards we walked over the Ha'penny Bridge. 

I noticed when we walked over the Ha'penny bridge there were locks hanging from the bridge. We had seen this on the famous Pont de l'Archeveche bridge in Paris so I assumed this was a French thing. I guess not...

Locks on Pont de l'Archevêché bridge in Paris

Locks on the Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin 

The meaning behind the locks is loved ones come with a padlock or a form of lock, write their name on it, lock it around the bridge and throw the key into the river, to lock in their love 'forever'. Very cheeeezzzzy! I guess some people see this as ridiculously romantic and beautiful. There is increasing commotion as to it being graffiti and an extreme eye sore. I found out it costed the city of Dublin thousands of euros to remove the locks from the bridge in 2013. I'm also sure there are many keys in the river. 

When I got home I did a little search on the internet on these locks we have seen. I just had to know the history. Apparently these love locks started appearing in Europe in 2000. They first started to appear in Rome and they attribute it to the book, "I Want You", by an Italian, who later made it into a film. Others say its inspired by an ancient custom in China. Around the world, cities from Moscow to Europe are filled with locks on fences, bridges, and poles with padlocks. 

Have you ever done a love lock?