Re: Re: Limerick Boat Club ~ Wellesley Pier ~ Poor Man’s Kilkee ~ Sarsfield Bridge

27th April 2007
@CologneMike wrote:

It’s very hard to imagine a 10 to 20 storey glass fronted building situated on the cut stone Sarsfield bridge without instinctively feeling that it is here out place. High rise buildings are more appropriate for the Docklands or on the Kerry Co-op site. It would impair views of St. Mary’s Cathedral and Shannon Boat club from the Cleeve’s river bank and distract attention away from the bridge itself. Maybe Justnotbothered might reveal more?

Photos courtesy of ecscw07 taken from Hilton hotel see link

27th April 2007
@justnotbothered wrote:

The plans I was made aware of were of a four story glass building with Limerick boat club occupying the ground level, the other 3 floors given over to the developer, it’s pretty ugly, imo. I imagine the 20 story plan is just to get people used to the idea so four stories will seem small by comparison.

29th September 2007
@Tuborg wrote:

Limerick Boat Club

Things appear to be moving along quicker than I thought here, apparently an application will be submitted before the end of next month. In order for any proposed development to go ahead the boat club would have to be removed from the register of protected structures, this can only be done at a special meeting of the City Council. According to a report in the Limerick Leader during the week, this meeting to de-list the boat club could take place in the next 2 or 3 weeks! The proposal seems to have the support of the council, with a few dissenting voices! Details are a bit sketchy but the development is said to consist of a mixture of restaurants and shops and of course new accomodation for the Boat club, it would also include a footbridge to poor mans kilkee!

Would I be right in thinking that one local paper claimed earlier on in the year that a 20 storey tower was to be built on the site? maybe they got their Euros and storeys mixed up! I must say I have reservations about this proposal, I tend to agree with Cllr Kathleen Leddins opinion, would this type of development be suitable beside a historic cutstone bridge? Should be interesting to see what the plans are like!

Historic Harris haunt to be levelled

PLANS are expected to be lodged with Limerick City Council shortly for the demolition of a historic sports club building where Richard Harris is reputed to have consumed his first pint of Guinness.

Limerick Boat Club, which stands on an island near Sarsfield Bridge, is to be levelled to make way for a €20 million signature piece development.

The man behind the project, Michael Daly of Fondmount Properties, said: “It is very much in the early stages, but we’ve a good bit of work done so far. We expect to have the model done in two weeks.”

Mr Daly has been responsible for a number of significant developments in the city, including the Riverpoint tower building.

However, some members of the city council are not very enthusiastic about the proposed redevelopment of the Limerick Boat Club site.

Cllr Kathleen Leddin said: “We don’t need another modern building on a very traditional looking bridge site. We already have the Hilton Hotel and the nearby apartments.”

But Labour representative Cllr Joe Leddin has given the proposal his full backing.

“This is a win-win situation for Limerick Boat Club. There is no use for this building in its current structure. We would be better off clearing the site and putting in a more attractive structure. The new building will complement the council’s riverside strategy.”

Cllr Kevin Kiely of Fine Gael is also supporting the proposed development.

“The building is a shambles at present. It is an eyesore and was never finished properly to begin with. The new building will accommodate the rowing club and give it a state-of-the art premises.”

Richard Harris was one of the many figures who spent social evenings at the boat club.

International singing star Burl Ives drank there most nights when he lived in the Limerick area and entertained members with renditions of his big hit A Little Bit of Tear Left Me Down.

Irish Examiner September 26, 2007

The images below come from derhur & rmcgervey at Flickr

29th September 2007
@Dan Sullivan wrote:

The main boat club is listed but the shed isn’t. What has changed since the building was listed? I think the councillors owe people an explanation of why they have changed their minds if they have done so.

I would be completely opposed to the suggested development, it seems to me from this remove to be more about enriching individuals than supporting the activities of the boat club. The state of the building would seem to imply little of any money was spent on its maintenance over the years and one has to wonder how many boat clubs does Limerick require.

I can’t imagine that many of the other businesses in the area would be too impressed with large glass structure popping up there. It would be more in the line of the city councillors to do something about Dunnes and the Roches/Penney block. another trip to An Bord Pleanála I guess for a development on the river.