old illustrations of limerick
- This topic has 112 replies, 19 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 8 months ago by
.
- Posts
Tuborg, that image shows the aftermath of Cannock’s Furnitue Store very well. An ugly cavity from Sarsfield Street was cut right through to Honan’s Quay for deliveries and a tiny customer car park.
One can see the first phase of Sarsfield House (left) was just completed as also the former Norwich Union building site at the corner of Patrick Street / Denmark Street (crane) using the same concrete building technique (i.e. factory made).
The Arthur’s Quay car park was a real crude job, probably used the demolished rubble from Sarsfield House, Norwich Union and Cannocks Furniture Store to fill it in.
Still though the orginal cut stone quay walls must be still lying under there. Could be worth digging them up and re-using them for say the canal or Abbey river (Groove island), when the big regeneration project takes place.
King John’s Castle, Thomond Bridge and Toll House
King John’s Castle was erected by the Normans in the early years of the thirteenth century.
The bridge and it’s toll house were designed (1840) by the brothers James and George Richard Pain.
The buildings within the castle were a former British military barracks.
In the background is St Mary’s Cathedral (12th century)The image also shows that the road from the Island field (Verdant Place) had no direct access to the bridge at the corner with the Toll House, as it seems that there were a flight of steps at the junction?
I wonder are these steps still there under the road? Maybe an opportunity to extend a pedestrianised river walk around the back of St.Munchin’s Church by restoring the former steps? The junction as it is today, is definitely not the best location for road safety reasons. Access to St. Mary’s park is now better served at the roundabout 200 yards further on?
Limerick Museum: Larger image
Looking at that aeriel photo of 1970’s Limerick, it just shows how much better off we would have been without Liddy St.
Lock Quay and Canal
The 1.5 Kilometre stretch of canal from Lock Quay (Abbey River) to the Shannon was built in 1758. It connected Limerick and Dublin via the Grand Canal. The buildings on the left were used for milling corn. The buildings on the right beyond the Shannon Navigation Gate were used by the Guinness brewery. The last barge leaving Limerick for Dublin had a cargo of two tons of empty Guinness barrels (18th May 1960).
Source: Limerick in old Postcards Jim Kemmy / Larry Walsh
Limerick Museum: Larger image
City Exchange
The Exchange from a painting of 1820. It was the headquarters of Limerick Corporation from 1673 to 1846.
Limerick Corporation itself financed the construction of its own headquarters. In 1702, the exchange, which had been severely damaged during the sieges of 1690-91, was rebuilt during the mayoralty of William Davis. After this initial project was completed, little more was done fro sixty years. During the period of the Corporation Roches, all of the Limerick civic buildings were allowed to decay.
In 1761, the Committee of the Irish House of Commons which investigated abuses in the Limerick Corporation reported that ‘the thosel’ and market house (i.e. the Exchange) of the said city are in a ruinous condition, that the courthouse is pulled down and the gaol not fit for the reception of prisoners.
Thomas Smyth MP (1776-85) took control of the Corporation in 1776, Smyth had the Exchange entirely rebuilt in 1777-78. The Corporation met the total cost, amounting to £1500. The dean and chapter of St. Mary’s Cathedral had donated a part of the churchyard to the Corporation, so the new Exchange was larger than the old, and unlike the latter, it did not project onto the street.
(History of Limerick Corporation by Mathew Potter)
Image from Limerick Library (Historic Limerick: The City and its Treasures by Laurence Walsh, the Exchange)
Previous post with present day image.
Commercial Building (Later Town Hall) Rutland Street
The Commercial buildings were built in 1805 for the Limerick Chamber of Commerce. They later moved to 96 O’Connell Street in 1833.
Thomas Spring Rice MP 1820 (Painting Limerick Chamber of Commerce)
Limerick Library Historic Limerick The City and its Treasures by Laurence Walsh, the Chairing of Spring Rice
The Acquisition of a new Town Hall (Rutland Street)
One of the most striking differences between municipal authorities in Britain and Ireland in the nineteenth century was the proliferation of magnificent new city and town halls in the former as compared to the latter. Many British cities expanded rapidly in both wealth and population as a result of the Industrial Revolution and expressed their confidence and civic pride in the construction of vast new civic headquarters.
Amongst the most striking examples were the city halls in Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow. Significantly, the most grandiose city hall built in Ireland in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was that of the industrial city of Belfast.
By contrast, the economically depressed cities and towns of southern Ireland built no such fine civic headquarters. In 1852, Dublin Corporation had to be content with taking over the former Royal Exchange (a comparatively small, though beautiful building which had been used by the Dublin Guild of Merchants as a business centre) and converting it into the new City Hall.
A similar development had occurred in Limerick in the 1840s. One of the most symbolic acts of the Reformed Corporation was the removal of the civic headquarters from the old city to Newtown Pery. By this time the old Exchange was considered to be to small, and to be situated in too peripheral a location for a municipal authority that now aspired to establish its control over Newtown Pery.
The Commercial Buildings had housed both the Chamber of Commerce and the Commissioners of St Michaels Parish. After they both relocated the building was purchased by the Corporation in 1846 and became the new Town Hall.
The fate of the old Exchange was to be a sad one. It was abandoned by the Corporation and gradually fell into ruins. In 1884, it was purchased from the local authority by a wealthy member of the Church of Ireland named Robert Hunt who then presented it free of charge to St. Mary’s Cathedral. It was immediately demolished and the site used to extend the burial ground surrounding the Cathedral. However, the colonnade at the front of the Exchange was salvaged and was incorporated into the wall of the burial ground.
(History of Limerick Corporation by Mathew Potter)
The Town Hall on Rutland Street, headquarters of Limerick Corporation from 1846-1990
Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum Limerick: Larger image and image of Corporation meeting in session.
Patrick Street – Rutland Street
On the left hand side of the Patrick Street image below (Arthur’s Quay Shopping Centre) there are today only six Georgian buildings remaining. The other side of the street has fared a bit better, however with the proposed “Opera Shopping Centre†to the rear of the façades on the right hand side there are major changes in store. Some of the Georgian buildings will be demolished, others will be integrated into the centre and one will be restored to its original state.
Restoration of No. 4 Patrick Street (Limerick Civic Trust Project)
As the principal part of the Catherine Hayes project Limerick Civic Trust are embarking on the complete restoration Catherine’s birthplace, No. 4 Patrick Street. Built in the early 1700’s this shop fronted building, four storeys over basement does not have any ornate plasterwork or fancy woodwork but it does represent an important example of early Georgian architecture being part of the earliest developments in Newtown Pery.
Trade directories, census records and so forth record that No. 4 was a busy place, at various times selling confectionary, straw hats, tobacco, toys and fancy goods on the first floor. The earliest lease found dates to 1754. The interior of the shop is possibly the oldest surviving in the city. Its quaint charm is unique and something special. No. 4 Patrick Street holds an important social history by the very fact that it was the birthplace of Catherine Hayes.
No. 4 Patrick Street was generously donated to Limerick Civic Trust by Mr. Suneil Sharma of Regeneration Developments Ltd. Mr. Sharma is developing a new retail facility aptly name The Opera Centre after Catherine Hayes. Once No. 4 has been made structurally sound by Regeneration Developments Ltd, Limerick Civic Trust will fundraise actively invest a further €2 million to cover the costs of a faithful restoration of Catherine’s birthplace.
The restored building will include a shop and accommodation with a museum honouring the life of Catherine Hayes. The house will also become a civic amenity, similar to Limerick Civic Trusts Georgian House at No. 2 Pery Square. Once fully restored No. 4 Patrick Street will be available for visitors, small events, meetings and private functions.
Currently the building is in a ruinous state of disrepair.
Source Limerick Civic Trust
Images above from Buildings of Ireland
Limerick Museum: Larger image
Artillery Barracks – Mulgrave Street
The 9th Field Battery, Royal Artillery, 1898, at the Artillery Barracks in Mulgrave Street. The parade ground now houses many small businesses under the auspices of Costelloe’s Yard. Some of the buildings are still identifiable today more than a hundred years later.
Limerick – a stroll down Memory Lane Vol 3 by Sean Curtin
See also Buildings of Ireland
Limerick Museum: Larger image
I hope this isn’t too tangental to the thread. Having seen the above photos, it’s interesting to the see streetlighting with the ornate poles as in Dublin. Would it be an improvement for O’Connell St. etc. to have the repro-heritage style columns used in Dublin installed on-street instead of the building-mounted floods as at present? I think it’s pretty ugly the way the current lighting has cabling attached to the building facades (although I think there’s other cabling as well as for the lighting). Someone mentioned for another photo that the old street scene (from early motoring days) was nice and uncluttered, maybe the clutter problem would be worsened by having lighting standards? Personally I think the biggest “clutter” is on-street parking. It’s a gross indulgence really to have such valuable public thoroughfare clogged up with stationary vehicles.
Some interesting photos here. I think I’ll have to put those Limerick historical photo books on my wishlist.
@KeepAnEyeOnBob wrote:
Some interesting photos here. I think I’ll have to put those Limerick historical photo books on my wishlist.
Indeed a lot of interesting stuff published over the years!
- University of Limerick A Celebration ~ Begley Hutton
- Dowd’s History Of Limerick ~ Cian O’Carroll
- Remembering Limerick ~ David Lee
- Georgian Limerick ~ David Lee / Bob Kelly
- Made in Limerick Volume 1 ~ David Lee / Debbie Jacobs
- James Pain Architect ~ David Lee / Debbie Jacobs
- Limerick 100 Stories of the Century ~ Denis O’Shaughnessy
- How’s your Father Stories of Limerick ~ Denis O’Shaughnessy
- Stories Of Limerick ~ Denis O’Shaughnessy
- Limerick Boycott 1904 ~ Dermot Keogh / Andrew McCarthy
- Father Browne’s Limerick ~ E.E. O’Donnell
- Last Word by the Listener ~ Seamus O’Cinneide / Eoin Devereux
- The Sieges and Treaty of Limerick ~ Frank Noonan
- The Hunt Museum ~ Helen Armitage
- The Pery Square Tontine ~ James McMahon
- From out of Limerick ~ Jeremiah Newman
- The Limerick Anthology ~ Jim Kemmy
- The Limerick Compendium ~ Jim Kemmy
- Limerick Journals ~ Jim Kemmy & Co.
- Limerick in old picture postcards ~ Jim Kemmy / Larry Walsh
- The Building of Limerick ~ Judith Hill
- Anatomy of a Siege 1642 ~ Kenneth Wiggins
- King John’s Castle ~ Kenneth Wiggins
- Limerick Historical Reflections ~ Kevin Hannan
- Limerick Soviet ~ Liam Cahill
- Through Irish Eyes ~ Malachy McCourt
- Angela’s Ashes ~ Frank McCourt
- The Government and the People of Limerick ~ Mathew Potter
- Remember Jim Kemmy ~ Paul O’Reilly
- St. John’s Cathedral Conservation Project ~ Rev. T. Mullins
- In the Shadow of the Spire ~ Rev. W. Fitzmaurice / Kevin Hannon
- Limerick a stroll down Memory Lane Volumes 1 – 7 ~ Sean Curtin
- Limerick Images of a changed city ~ Sean Reynolds / Tony Hartnett
- The History of Limerick City ~ Sean Spellissy
- Limerick In Old Photographs ~ Sean Spellissy
- Limerick The Rich Land ~ Sean Spellissy
- Shannon Airport ~ Valerie Sweeny
- Ireland’s Shannon Story ~ Brian Callanan
- The Shannon Scheme ~ Andy Bielenberg
- High Tension Life on the Shannon Scheme ~ Michael McCarthy
- Bunratty Castle & Historical Park
- Ferrars History Of Limerick
@CologneMike wrote:
Patrick Street – Rutland Street
On the left hand side of the Patrick Street image below (Arthur’s Quay Shopping Centre) there are today only six Georgian buildings remaining. The other side of the street has fared a bit better, however with the proposed “Opera Shopping Centre†to the rear of the façades on the right hand side there are major changes in store. Some of the Georgian buildings will be demolished, others will be integrated into the centre and one will be restored to its original state.
With the publication of the city centre strategy, the remainder (of whats left) of the river side of Patrick Street could be about to dissapear entirely over the next couple of years. Hard to believe that in the space of around 40 years, this whole stretch of what was once, one of Limericks most intact georgian streetscapes could be no more!
From what I can gather, the street (like much of the city centre) fell into decline in and around the 1950s with many buildings becoming neglected and run down.
Patrick Steet C.1950
View trom centre of street near corners with Arthur’s Quay and Denmark Street towards Rutland St. Extreme l., part of shopfront of Prescott dyers, then a pub, then Irwin jewellers. On r., The Dublin House, then shopfront headed Gowns, then Alfie McLoughlin. Motor cars parked on each side of street, on l. Morris Minor TI 6673, pedestrians on footpaths. Street lighting suspended over centre of street.
In the above image, the curved building (Prescott Dyers) was taken down in the early 1960s, the site was used for advertising hoardings until the development of Aurthurs Quay shopping centre. The three smaller scale georgian buildings on the left were replaced by the National Irish Bank’s concrete monstrosity in the early 70s.
In 1971, most likely due to the poor condition of some structures, the then Limerick Corporation ordered the demolition of much of Francis Street and a number of buildings on Rutland Street and Patrick Street.
Images below taken on Patrick Street in July 1971 ( Courtesy of Limerick.com)
Most of the remainder of Patrick Street was demolished to make way for Aurturs Quay shopping centre in 1988.
Attached: Aerial of Patrick Street area (mid 60s)
It appears the People’s Park came into existence as a result of the non-completion of the Georgian terraced plans for Pery Square.
Only the tontine building scheme and the church had been completed. These buildings filled one corner of a square that could have taken 60 houses and been the size of Berkley Square in London.
In 1874 the corporation took the decision to provide a free park for the citizens. A lease for 500 years was obtained from the Earl of Limerick for Pery Square and the surrounding, vacant ground. So it was that Limerick’s only square was converted into Limerick’s first public park.
Judith Hill ~ The building of Limerick
Two images below from the Limerick Museum Online show how the People’s Park must have looked like in 1874. The Carnegie Free Library was built in 1906.
@KeepAnEyeOnBob wrote:
Having seen the above photos, it’s interesting to the see streetlighting with the ornate poles as in Dublin. Would it be an improvement for O’Connell St. etc. to have the repro-heritage style columns used in Dublin installed on-street instead of the building-mounted floods as at present? I think it’s pretty ugly the way the current lighting has cabling attached to the building facades (although I think there’s other cabling as well as for the lighting). Someone mentioned for another photo that the old street scene (from early motoring days) was nice and uncluttered, maybe the clutter problem would be worsened by having lighting standards?
Ornate Street Lamps
I fully agree. They would definitely compliment those streets that the city council has now designated as belonging to the city’s Georgian core. Best example is that horrible corner ESB pole at the corner of Barrington Street / Pery Square.
Below is or was an image of one the last remaining ornate street lamps down by the docks (Clarion Hotel?). As in the Patrick Street image above, the ornate street lamp outside Cannocks on O’Connell Street were real gems.
View from Mathew Bridge (1919)
These houses seem to be typical of the style built in the Englishtown / Irishtown i.e. roof ridges at right angles to the street so that each house presented a separate gable at the front. Alas all three now demolished.
See also Dutch Billy posts 1 2
The three buildings on the corner of Bridge Street and Merchant’s Quay form the backdrop, with part of the Potato Market at left of frame.
Royal Welch Fusiliers band, led by mascot, marching across Mathew Bridge. The far pavement has a crowd of people of all ages, either watching or moving away from the Cathedral.
Larger Image Limerick Museum
Am looking for an old aerial photograph of Thomondgate/Munchin’s Church from about 40 to 50 years ago if at all possible?
@justnotbothered wrote:
Am looking for an old aerial photograph of Thomondgate/Munchin’s Church from about 40 to 50 years ago if at all possible?
Sorry can’t locate the Limerick Museum online link for the original image.
That’s great Mike, thanks very much.
There is also a fine aerial shot of Clancy Strand and St. Munchin’s Church to be seen in Sean Curtin’s book Limerick ~ A Stroll Down Memory Lane (Vol. 4 page 19).
Below is an interesting image of Thomond Bridge before St. Munchin’s Church was built.
Limerick Museum online
Local Thomondgate man Pat Doran has written an interesting book (2008).
A Clune’s Lane Fisherman ~ Pat Doran
The life of ordinary working people is often not the content of history books. However this history is as important as the reign of kings or of great wars. But from the perspective of a local historian often this history is tragically lost and is not recorded for future generations. Pat Doran has however recorded his history, life and times.
This book is a unique contribution to the social history of Limerick, looking as it does at the life of dock labourers and of salmon fisherman on the Shannon estuary. Through the eyes of Pat Doran we can gain a better understanding of the Limerick that no longer exists. The fact that a working man like Pat has documented and recorded his life is a great achievement. As a local historian I can say it is crucial that Pat’s story, and the stories of men and women like him, should be recorded for future generations.
David Lee
Sean Curtin has also just published volume 8 of Limerick ~ A Stroll Down Memory Lane and volume 9 is well underway.
He plans in volume 10 a “then and now†issue which should reveal the changing face of the city.
He has done this already in volume 4 (page 100/101) with two panoramic shots of Harvey’s/Howley’s/Bishop’s/Steamboat Quays from the 1940’s and 2004.
Sean’s latest stroll down memory lane (Limerick Leader)
By Ger Fitzgibbon
THE eight volume of ‘Limerick – A Stroll Down Memory Lane’ by Sean Curtin has been launched by Mayor John Gilligan.
The latest volume of the immensely popular series of books, which chart the changing face of the city and county over the past century, was unveiled at a special reception in the Limerick Leader offices.
Mayor Gilligan described the book, which features such events as the 1938 City Grand Prix and the local effects of the 1973 petrol crisis, as a crucial window into our past: “People don’t realise just how fast this city changes. You never know where you’re going unless you know where you’ve come from. We’re one of the oldest cities in the country. Our heritage isn’t something that’s been dropped in here – it’s evolved over a millennium,” Mayor Gilligan said
The Editor of the Limerick Leader, Alan English, said that volume eight of the series was the finest edition to date: “Every page is a delight – I’m sure the book will be hugely popular, I can’t think of a better present to give anyone this Christmas. Sean Curtin’s contribution to Limerick life through his column every week in the Limerick Leader has been immense.”
Sean Curtin said that his love of history and local heritage has yet to waver: “You could say I live in the past. I still get a “wow factor” when I find a good old photograph. It’s extremely interesting for people who only have a fleeting interest in Limerick. Not necessarily in it’s history but in its changing face as well. Limerick has changed dramatically in the last 40 years. There were slums prior to that, and now it’s a wonderful city being built to face the river today.”
Mr Curtin said that volume eight took eleven months to put together. He added that volume nine is already well underway and is due to be launched next Christmas. Mr English, meanwhile, revealed that volume ten in the series will have a special ‘then and now’ format. “Sean has said that he plans to finish the series at book ten, but I sense his enthusiasm is such that he may not bow out for a long time to come,” Mr English said.
‘Limerick – A Stroll Down Memory Lane’ volume eight is available in all good book stores now.
@williams lane wrote:
Hi every one,i am a new member and just findin my feet,i am looking for old pictures of the Gerald griffin st aera before the trade electricl center was built,when the old houses and lanes were there.the lanes are named,(williams lane) witch is now the street leading on to summer st from the Gerald griffin side.Also (kerwicks bow) witch would have been right down the middle of the now trade electricl is now.
kind regards
Interesting request, I have been looking myself for images of that very area for sometime now (1900-1950’s).
I had a look on the Limerick Museum web site but found nothing visually on it. There is a picture taken from the spire of St John’s Cathedral in November 1950 showing the smouldering remains (fire) of the City Tannery. Brennan’s Row and some former houses on the now Trade Electrical site can be seen. See local parish book called “In the Shadow of the Spire†~ Rev. W. Fitzmaurice / Kevin Hannan page 242.
Have a look at this aerial shot, Summer Street / Williams Lane can be seen. See link
P.S. if you do eventually get photographs of this area, do post them here.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
