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Youths read messages on locks attached to a lamp post on Rome's Ponte Milvio Bridge, on Valentine's Day, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007 ALESSANDRA TARANTINO/AP/Press Association Images

'Love locks' removed from Rome's Ponte Milvio bridge

The ‘love padlocks’, which are placed there by couples, were also taken off the Ha’penny Bridge in January of this year.

LOVE LOCKS TIED to a bridge in Rome by young couples are to be removed because their combined weight is causing problems.

Lovers have tied the padlocks to the bridge and thrown away the key since late 2006, inspired by characters in the book I Want You by Italian author Federico Moccia.

However, Rome isn’t the only place it happens – love locks have been affixed to structures around Europe and Asia, including our own Ha’Penny Bridge and Millennium Bridge in Dublin.

But these latter locks didn’t last long, as the council removed them in January, and asked people not to do it again.

Some couples might not have gotten the hint though – the photo below was taken in May:

(Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland)

The BBC reports that authorities have begun to remove the locks from the Ponte Milvio with bolt-cutters as rust from the locks is damaging the bridge.

The bridge spans part of the Tiber and was first built in 206 BC, being renovated a number of times and then repaired in 1429.

In 2007, the lamppost on the bridge where the padlocks had initially been placed partially collapsed, as the Daily Mail reports – but that didn’t stop the star-crossed couples, who simply went on to put the love locks elsewhere on the structure.

Here’s an Italian video that shows some of the locks on Ponte Milvio in 2008.

(romakult/Youtube)

Read:Where’s the love? Council removes ‘love padlocks’ from Dublin’s Ha’penny Bridge>

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    Mute Pauric Mcgowan
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 10:54 AM

    Nice to see Donegal not getting slatted in relation to motoring.

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    Mute Vinny Doherty
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:34 AM

    Really who gives a shit!what a daft poll..

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    Mute TomTraubert
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:51 AM

    Yep. It’ll be one of Conor Faughnan’s irrelevant sound bites in a few weeks to deflect attention away from a question he hasn’t got a sensible answer for.

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    Mute Faceless Man
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:02 AM

    How much of this has something to do with motorways where’s it’s dangerous to stop? Kildare has a number of motorways running through it, Donegal has none.

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    Mute Paul Stewart
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 12:14 PM

    number of motorways? kildare people are just sub-urban snobs….go to donegal you will see how it differs :)

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    Mute Jerking Jester
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:25 AM

    its advised that you dont stop as it could be a sneaky way to rob your car, wallet purse or even worse.

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    Mute suzanne nolan
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:09 AM

    Don’t blame the lads for not wanting to stop for a lone female by themselves, they wouldn’t know what their getting out to!!

    41
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    Mute Paul
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:37 AM

    totally agree, had an unfortunate incident some years back where I stopped to help a woman who had broken down. her car was generally in pretty bad shape. after a while checking the basics, she tore into me for making it worse. I called the AA and got the hell out of there. never again.

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    Mute bren
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:09 PM

    Haha, I’d a similar incident, where I got out to help a woman change her tyre. The spare was one of those “80km max” (skinny) tyres. When I told her she should head straight to a tyre place to get new tyre, she told me to mind my own business. Then I said – well, go easy on it – these tyres are only temporary, so you can’t drive on it too fast or for too long. She told me not to tell her how to drive. As I headed away, she looked at the tyre on the car and accused me of stealing one of her tyres and replacing it with a skinny one of my own!

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    Mute Alan Hayes
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:10 AM

    The Royal county are too Royal and the lilliwhites don’t want to get their sparkly white tops dirty. #UpTheDubs

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    Mute Alan Hayes
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 12:21 PM

    Good to know its mostly culchies reading the Journal today. Could be because its Sunday,do they open their shops in the boglands of a Sunday yet? #UpTheDubs

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    Mute Aisling McCrudden
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 2:27 PM

    Says the ban with his backside as his profile picture! Talking out of it too it seems.

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    Mute Robert Murphy
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 3:03 PM

    Is that the dubs that are getting played off the pitch by Kildare????

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    Mute olive tierney
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    Jan 23rd 2012, 4:47 AM

    @Alan. Kildare were not afraid to get there White jerseys dirty today when the bet the DUBS 6 Points, Happy days!!!! Come on the Lilliwhites :)

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    Mute Niall Sheridan
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:15 AM

    Frankly having seen Kildare drivers in action, they’re the worst I’ve ever seen in the world – and I’ve lived right across the world. I always avoid KE plated transportation!!

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    Mute Alan J McGrath
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 12:55 PM

    In the world ,really ,where in the world have you been that has a better class of driver

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    Mute eire2011
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:22 AM

    Kildare are too busy complaining about that FREE from the Dublin match last year to help anyone out!!!!

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    Mute Paulie walnuts
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:59 AM

    Kildare drivers are too busy towing their horse boxes/egos around!!

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    Mute tersarge
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 12:07 PM

    Kildare people are the best in the world.I should know,I lived in Dublin.Once.

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    Mute Pa McGarry
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:22 AM

    Is it not the job of insurance companies to help stranded drivers, after all that’s why we pay sky high renewals……

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    Mute Ciarán Reilly
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 1:52 PM

    I worked in Letterkenny for a while years ago. Donegal drivers and Donegal people in general are, in my view, way friendlier than anywhere else I’ve been.

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    Mute eire2011
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:24 AM

    Kildare are too busy complaining about that FREE from dublin match last year to help anyone out!!!

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    Mute Celly O'Brien
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:14 AM

    It may have something to do with the tiny twisting roads in some parts of Co Meath seriously there is no where to pull in on them I drove some of them last week and wondered what would happen if I had a breakdown

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    Mute Sham McSham
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 11:51 AM

    Luckily, Donegal has no small twisty roads at all /s

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    Mute Nell496
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:26 PM

    What a load of rubbish. I’m from Kildare but have been living in Dublin for many years. I have had KE and D number plates and had a Longford and Cork one also. To say someone avoids a number plate is a load of bs. Good and bad drivers, helpful and unhelpful drivers in EVERY County. It just happens that Kildare were FAR BETTER footballers in Newbridge today.

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    Mute eire2011
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 6:19 PM

    Oh well done. Ye won the semi final in the O’BYRNE cup. Wahoo!!!!!

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    Mute Willie pearse
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:32 PM

    Donegal people are kinda extra nice. No bias here because I am a dub. Worse again a southsider.

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    Mute Alan J McGrath
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 12:50 PM

    Paul Stewart ,what a load of crap your speaking ,you even old enough to drive

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    Mute Paul Stewart
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 1:30 PM

    25 ..so yes! meh…i don’t talk crap, kildare people are probably still sore about that kevin cassidy point :)

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    Mute howzat
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 12:29 PM

    I never could tell I couldn’t afford a translator

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    Mute Dave McCarthy
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 1:31 PM

    Of course, because money talks and bullsh*t walks :-)

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