A new pedestrian and cycle bridge has been opened in Cork in honour of a woman who helped save the lives of more than 400 Jewish children and adults in France during World War Two.
The Mary Elmes Bridge, over the River Lee, was dedicated to a woman described as an Irish Oskar Schindler .
Born in Ballintemple, Cork, in 1908, Mary Elmes won a scholarship to study at the London School of Economics, and travelled to Europe in the 1930s, where she volunteered to help refugees during the Spanish Civil War.
After the fall of Barcelona to Franco's forces, Ms Elmes followed Spanish refugees to southern France, and continued to help them where they were interned.
By 1942, when Jews were being deported to Nazi death camps, Ms Elmes risked her life to help people escape, smuggling children out in the boot of her car.
She was arrested herself and detained by the Gestapo on suspicion of espionage.
After the war, she married a Frenchman and settled in Perpignan.
Yesterday, Mary's son, Patrick Danjou (71) took his first steps on the bridge dedicated to his mother.
The bridge cost €5 million and will be used by up to 11,000 people every day.
