well what about the developments popping up in the shannonside ?

@jimg wrote:

I actually thought you were joking with your first message and thought it was hillarious.

Of course you thought it was hilarious jimg, developments like this don’t happen in Limerick, or anywhere else in Ireland for that matter. But I’ll bet anything on the fact that if this project does get the green light then you’ll be the first one running over the Shannon bridge to have a good look, right? Of course, I’ll be standing at the opposite side of the bridge with a big fucking sign in my hands: NO FUCKING WANKERS ALLOWED!!! And how funny will that be, eh? 😀 😀 😀 Now you know who we’re talkin’ about here, right dude? 😀 😀 😀

@justnotbothered wrote:

Jack, it’s not that I lack ambition, it’s just I’d rather enjoy parks and riverwalks than highrise buildings. Now, if you want to build off the river and in an place in need of redevelopment, say, the Island field or John Street then I appluad your vision. Why pick there to build, why pick a protected wetlands when there is plenty of places which actually need re-development?

Hey justnotbothered! Listen, I’m not having a go at you personally, OK? That’s not what I’m about. I’m sure you don’t lack ambition, or wharever, I’m talking about specific people in Limerick who just screw everything up and don’t seem to give a damn about the consequences of their never-ending bullshit, you know? I get extremely frustrated and annoyed to see some of these so-called “landmark developments” going up in Limerick City! That’s a joke if I ever heard one. Haven’t you noticed that everything is a landmark development? They could build a fucking car part and it would still be a landmark development! What’s that all about? The funny thing is, the project I was/am talking about is what you’d call a landmark development. Funny, huh? And not just in Limerick either. Remember, the tallest building in western Europe is in Frankfurt, Germany and that comes in at 56 or 57 storeys I believe. The main tower, 63-storey tower proposed by my uncle and his associates tops that by 6 storeys at the very least. Not bad, huh? But that’s not why they designed this building though. This building/s was designed to put Limerick City into the big league, believe it or not.

I do understand that you would rather enjoy parks and stuff like that, I really do. To be truthful, I know very little about those wetlands, so I would appreciate any information about this site. Thanks mate. But as I’ve said, it isn’t me who made up these drawings that, I just thought that it seems like a great location for such a big development. But if those wetlands are protected then that’s another matter entirely. I’m more than sure that somehow with the right plan and with enough attention to detail then this project could be incorporated into that area without causing any real damage. These are serious people with serious connections and with serious money to spend. There are so many other issues to deal with with a development of this size, I know, but I believe it can be done. You know what, could you suggest any other sites/locations where something of this size could possibly go close to the city? It’s been a long time since I’ve even set foot in Ireland let alone Limerick, so any info will be well appreciated.

I saw pictures of the Hilton (yet another landmark:rolleyes: ) recently and yes, it fucking stinks!!! Big time!!! You could look all over Limerick and you probably won’t find a better location for a hotel or apartment building…and what have they put up there? hummmm….a concrete box with windows!!! WOW!!! I’m blown away by the ground-breaking design and the quality of the workmanship on display here. Think it will win any awards? Christ almighty, my five-year-old daughter could design better than that with her fucking crayons!!! 😡 😡 😡

@jimg wrote:

Har har.

Just to clear things up, the reason I found your earlier message hilarious is not because I have something against high rise or ambition in the country (the opposite in fact) but because I thought it was deliberately written to sound like a script for Little Britain or something like that – a Vickey Pollard monologue, maybe? I didn’t realise you were serious! 😮 Seriously my friend, you come across like a hyperactive 15 year old on speed the way you express yourself.

Now, now now son, don’t go throwing your rattle out of your pram again, OK? If you read what I said properly then you will clearly see that I was not talking about you personally. It was more a symbolic gesture to all those small little narrow-minded twats there in Limerick who seem to have a problem with real architecture and real quality in the art of construction. It was a finger up to all those arseholes who knock something that can be truly great and who seem to have no problem whatsoever with cheapass, dull and boring rubbish that probably cost a fiver to put up! Know what I mean bud? No? I didn’t think so. I’ll bet you know just about as much about real architecture or real construction as I do about what time you rolled out of bed today. A hyperactive 15-year-old on speed, eh? Hummmm…that sure brings me back…]much more addicted[/B] to building great/beautiful buildings, art, cutting edge design and achieving the best work that I can. Runs in the family. Its really is very fulfilling actually, you should give it a try sometime son, instead of standing around talking bollocks all your life!! Next time, don’t forget to put your glasses on and double check when you’re reading something, OK? Life will be soooo much easier for you that way. Save a lot of bother, ya know? Hummmm….I think I’ll go and express myself in Limerick City one fine day soon….

Look very carefully at what you’re reading bud.

Orbital Route 🙂

Previous Post

The proposed Orbital Route around the city centre will create a mainly one-way two lane clockwise traffic system that will be divided into three sections: Northern, Central and Southern.

The Northern Section travels along: Arthurs Quay, Charlotte’s Quay, Clare Street, Saint Lelia Street, New Road and Cathedral Place.

And the Central Section travels along: Sarsfield Street, William Street, Upper William Street, Sexton Street, Roches Street, Shannon Street and Henry Street.

The Southern Section travels along Parnell Street, Mallow Street and Henry Street.

Interesting news, I wonder did they just get pissed off at the delays, will this set things back any further i wonder? Of course the Limerick Post had to get their hands on this first!:rolleyes:

Opera’ sell-out

Exclusive by John O’Shaughnessy

BELFAST-based developers Regeneration, who spearheaded the proposed Opera Centre development in the city centre, have opted out of the project, selling on their interests to Dublin investors.

Local interests are confident that the euro 200million euro shopping centre will not be jeopardised or delayed, by the unexpected change of ownership.

Pat Kearney of Rooney Auctioneers, who spent four years negotiating transfers of ownership in Patrick Street, Ellen Street, Michael Street and Bank Place, on behalf of Regeneration, told the Limerick Post that, other than ownership, he expects nothing to change.

“It is not unusual for investors to assemble such packages with the purpose of selling on, they do the groundwork, get planning permissions and engage architects, surveyors, etc. With that done, fellow developers who prefer to be handed the finished product rather than going through the initial stages, which can be time consuming, show expressions of interest”.

The new investors are led by David Courtney of Spain Courtney Doyle, Dublin. Efforts by this writer to make contact with them proved unsuccessful. One source claimed to the Post that Clare-born developer, Mr Bernard McNamara, who recently purchased the Burlington Hotel in Dublin, was a likely member of the group.

Meanwhile, the owner of one premises in Patrick Street, and who was paid a substantial deposit by Regeneration for his property, said he heard through the grapevine that the Belfast consortium was no longer involved.

“The deadline given to a number of traders in the affected areas to have contracts signed and completed is, May 28, and must fully vacate by that date. We will wait and see what happens. We have been standing by for our final payments for some time. It will also be interesting to see if the new investors abide by the existing plans, or decide to make amendments”.

Other traders in the streets concerned have a later deadline.

Several shop owners have already relocated.

Potential tenants for the Opera Centre have yet to be identified, but, in the words of Mr Kearney, they are likely to be very high profile.

Remodelling William Street and O’Connell Street

I extracted a few images from the Report “Remodelling of Streets & Public Open Spaces”March 2007. Pedestrianisation will certainly be very positive for the city centre. I like the tree alleys along both streets. In fact I would prefer more trees instead of these street lanterns cum flag poles. There is no disguising the fact that the building facades on both streets look quite tired. Curiously there are no provisions for bicycle lanes?

It’s that blatant isn’t! Looks indeed as if Eoin O’Duffy had invited the NSDAP to have their party convention in Limerick in the 1930’s. But of course the flag poles would vary it’s theme during the year, i.e. Tricolour for Paddy’s day, yellow and white stripes for the novena week or 😉 images of big Macs during a promotion campaign …………………

It’s probably a bit late in the day to send a city council delegation down to Cork to see their remodelled Patrick Street. Let’s hope they have chosen the right design and materials fitting for these two (former Georgian) streets.

Well as for Penney’s (in fairness Cannock’s were the first culprits) it’s wishful thinking. The original Cannocks building was a gem.

Below images Circa 1960 and 1900

I don’t want the pedestrianisation of O’Connell Street to go ahead. Just look at it this way, you’re walking up Cruises Street in the middle of Autumn at 8 o’clock, how many people do you meet? Less than five would be my answer. This pedestrianisation will turn the CBD into a ghost town.
@Demolition Man wrote:

Limerick should look to Patrick St in Cork as an example of excellent street design that enhances the architecture surrounding it.In my opinion it’s the most attractive street in the country and is a credit to the city council for pushing through on its bold and controversial design.

I fully agree with what Demolition man is saying Patrick Street right now is absolutely gorgeous. It is the city’s main street and has recently (2005) got a makeover but it still allows traffic through the city centre.
Tbh I would prefer something along the lines of O’Connell Street in Dublin than to Patrick Street as the traffic situation in Cork is quite confusing and dangerous when it comes to Cars coming from the side streets leading onto Patrick Street.

I think a masterplan similar to that of O’Connell Street in Dublin would enhance the city beautifully.

@demolition man wrote:

This may be a long shot,but wouldn’t it be boss if pennys were to sell up, leaving the old cannocks site to be bought and refurbished to it’s orriginal state by the city council.It could be financed by pulling the plug on this whole city munster rugby landmark crap.Sorry, at this point I feel I must proclaim my allegiance to munster rugby and indeed Limerick.:) The new streetscape would also help massively to promote it as a landmark site of its own.

I think you’re just going to have to accept it that the old Cannocks is gone forever:( . Of course things would’ve been so different if they had’nt demolished the original building in the first place. Its quite a puzzling decision really when you look at image 3 below you can see they strangely decided to replace the main building while leaving a haphazard looking single floor structure to the rear:confused: . Surely the thing to do was construct a new department store behind the original building! Penneys finally did this around the early to mid 80s, Im guessing this was when the store was reclad in red brick?

This is just a small bit I dug up from The Old Limerick Journal on the history of Cannocks, definitely something of a Limerick institution until it folded.

Cannock & Company Ltd was founded in 1850 by Scotsmen George Cannock & John Arnott(who were already operating a drapery establishment in Henry Street, Dublin at the time) and the business originally traded out of a number of buildings on the Georges Street site. In 1858 under the management of Peter Tait (who also set up the Limerick clothing company) a re-construction of the store was undertaken, incorporating all the property into 1 large building, this development gave Cannock’s its impressive and ornate façade, which was to lend character to the centre of Limerick for over a hundred years.

The upper floor was designed to cater for all apprentices and contained a large kitchen, dining and sitting rooms, a library and sleeping quarters. The entire cost of the undertaking was £9,000 and the principal architect was William Fogerty of Limerick, who was only 24 when he designed Cannocks, he later become President of the architects association of Ireland and also designed Boyd’s of William Street.

Kilmallock born Michael Clery (who set up Clerys of Dublin in 1883) succeeded Tait as director of Cannocks and exerted a strong influence over the company during his tenure. In 1888, a chemists shop adjacent to Cannock’s was bought up and renovations commenced to incorporate this building into the main store. It was during this time that the famous clock tower, which was to become a distinctive hallmark of Cannocks, was added. The clock, which was known as a Westminster chime clock, was made by Gillet & Johnston of London and contained 5 bells. It was handwound and rang every 15 minutes as well as striking the hours. The clock was also lit up at night and could be seen from a considerable distance.

In 1862 Peter Tait bought property in William Street, in later years it was occupied by Goodwins, destroyed by fire, rebuilt, occupied by Besco’s and finally by Winstons. As an odd twist of fate, Cannocks, having sold their O Connell Street store to Penneys in 1980, transferred their business to the William Street premises and traded there in the final years prior to closing down c.1984. The building has since been replaced by the Williamscourt mall.

Images

1. Original Cannocks without its clock
2. “New” Cannocks c.1964
3. Limerick city centre (mid to late 70s)

Just looking at the middle photo above c1964 referring to old Cannocks building. It appears that the area north of Patrick Street is water. Am I getting my bearings confused or is that not where the tourist office and a little park now stands? I’m assuming land was obviously reclaimed since 1964 to facilitate this. Any ideas when this land was reclaimed?