The year 1839 was a contentious time in Limerick’s history, the recently crowned Queen Victoria appointed the Whig politician Hugh Fortescue as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland replacing Constantine Henry Phipps. Hugh Fortescue held the office for two years. He was succeeded by Thomas Philip de Grey. The news of Fortescue’s appointment was not unanimously agreed with and as such the Mayor of Limerick Garrett Hugh Fitzgerald did not formally welcome him into office. This lead to a public meeting of the below named to congratulate Fortescue on his appointment.
The public meeting was announced in the Limerick Chronicle:
Her most gracious Majesty having been pleased to appoint the Right Honorable the Baron Fortescue, to succeed our most deserved beloved and deeply regretted late Chief Governor the Marquis of Normandy.
We, the undersigned, request a Meeting to the inhabitants of the City and Liberties of Limerick, to Swinburn’s Great Rooms, at the hour One o’Clock, p.m. on Friday, the 12th Instant, to congratulate his Excellency on assuming the Government of this country, and to express our confidence that he will follow out the course of policy adopted his respected predecessor.
We are obliged to adopt this mode of calling our fellow-citizens, in consequence of the refusal of the Mayor to comply with our request to convene such a Meeting – dated Limerick 9th April, 1839.
List of those in attendance at the public meeting:
| Richard Bourke,Thornfield | John Bourke | James Harvey | R. Harvey |
| Thomas Roche | John Roche | Stephen Roche | James Burns |
| William White | James Burns | John Bowerman | Andrew Connolly |
| Samuel Dickson, J.P. | Patrick O’Gorman | Richard Harrold | Daniel Harrold |
| Edward Harrold | Edward Harrold | Michael Gleeson | Edmond Connell |
| Micheal Whelan | John O’Brien | John Barry | John Bouchier, jun. |
| John Cooke | Michael Quinns | John Lucas | Lawrence Quinlivan |
| James Gavin | John Boyse | Thomas Boyse | Thomas Welsh, sen. |
| Thomas Welsh, jun. | David Roche M.D. | Patt Sheahan | James D. Lyons D.L. |
| R. Bodkin | William Howly D.L. | A. Shaughnessy | Michael Gavin, J.P. |
| Edward Goodwin | Pierce Mahony | John Ryan | E. O’G. Ryan |
| Cabel Powell, J.P. | Andrew Fawl | Richard Kane J.P. | Jeremiah Shine |
| Denis M. O’Brien | Martin Honan | Gabriel Alley | Michael Shine |
| Patrick Kirby | Robert Bourke, P.P. | John Barrett | John Dwyer |
| Tobias Potter | Brabazon Connor, J.P. | Eugene Molony | John Hogan |
| James Hogan | Michael C. Morony | Martin McMahon | Philip McArdell |
| P.W. Davoren | James Russell, J.P. | John Houlahan | Pierce Shannon |
| James O’Brien | Patrick Shannon | John Thomas Devitt, J.P. | Patrick Brennan |
| Alan Francis O’Neill | John Scott | James O’Shaughnessy | Thomas Devitt |
| William Galbraith | E. O’Brien | William Quinn | Cornelius O’Brien |
| A. Chapple & Co. | William Hartney | Joseph Walsh | Francis J. O’Neill |
| Malachy Ryan | John Unthank | James O’Shaughnessy | James Ryan |
| J. Knight Carey, M.D. | Mathew B. Ryan | Robert McMahon | Patrick Goulding |
| J. Brodie | James Ryan | Francis O’Shaughnessy | Thomas Quinlan |
| John Dallas | James T. Quinlan | B. McNulty | Garrett Sheehy |
| John McCullinan | Stephen O’Donnell | William Caulfield | Stephen Bourke |
| Thomas McDon | William McDon | J. Clampett | A.R. Cleary |
| John Hogan | James O’Connor | John O’Donnell | Paul Rochford |
| John Rochford | Cornelius Creedon | William St. Lawrence | Charles McMahon |
| John Hanrahan | John McMahon | M. O’Farrell | Charles McMahon |
| Charles Nunan | A. Tracy | James Curtin | Michael Dawson |
| Maurice Roche | F. Connell Fitzgerald | William Frewen | George O’Connell |
| John Hanly | Patt McDonnell | Mortimer McMahon | John McDonnell |
| Thomas Wallnutt | Edward J. Corbett | Michael Bourke | Georg C. Bunton |
| Michael Collins | Timothy O’Kelly | John Kelly | James Alton |