The funeral of the 1st Earl of Limerick in 1844 was not attended with the civility and courtesy expected after the loss of such a notable figure in Limerick’s history. Instead, the streets were filled with rioters who harassed the mourners as they made their way through the city. The question remains: who was the…
Category: History
Charlie Chaplin visits Adare in 1962
Charlie Chaplin, visited the picturesque village of Adare a few months after Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier III of Monaco stopped there on their way to Kerry. The Limerick Chronicle of April 14, 1962, reported, “well-known former film comedian, Charlie Chaplin, and his wife Oona, overnighted in the Dunraven Arms Hotel, Adare”. The couple were…
Inscriptions of Headstones in St Munchin’s Graveyard Part 3 N-W
The following are a collection of headstone inscriptions collected from St Munchin’s Church of Ireland Graveyard. This is not a complete survey. They are ordered by first surname on memorial. {Part 1 A-F & Part 2 G-M} N Nelson – In loving memory of William Nelson who entered into life eternal March 3rd 1903 aged…
Inscriptions of Headstones in St Munchin’s Graveyard Part 2 G-M
The following are a collection of headstone inscriptions collected from St Munchin’s Church of Ireland Graveyard. This is not a complete survey. They are ordered by first surname on memorial. {Part 1 A-F & Part 3 N-W} G Gabbett – Sacred to the memory of Deborah Alicia the beloved child of Daniel and Susanna Gabbett…
Tragedy in Mary Street in 1806 raised concerns over public safety
On Sunday, January 12, 1806, a tragic accident occurred on Mary Street, highlighting the grave dangers posed by neglected and dilapidated buildings in Limerick. The incident happened around three o’clock in the afternoon when the front wall of an old house collapsed, burying Mr. Owen O’Keeffe, a shopkeeper from Broad Street, who was passing through…
List of Licensed Pilots in Limerick Harbour, 1889
The following list of the Co-Operative Body of Pilots of the Limerick District licensed by the Limerick Harbour Commissioners comes from the Limerick Harbour Directory, 1889. Name Residence Age Height Complexion Pilotage District Occupation John Fitzmaurice Limerick 60 5′ 6” Sandy Shannon Capt. Lr. SS. Co’s Boat Morgan Fitzmaurice Limerick 55 – Sandy Shannon Harbour…
The Hands behind the Lace Stitches
The discussions around Limerick Lace often focuses on the founders of each of the factories, or the skilled stitching itself. On 23 March 2024, I spoke at the Limerick Lace Symposum on the lives of those who created lace, as recorded in the 1901 census and 1911 census. Those who treaded the needed at the…
Arthur Young’s 1770s view of Limerick
Arthur Young was born in 1741, the son of a clergy man in Suffolk, England. When he was thirty-five years old, he took a journey around Ireland which culminated in the publication of “A Tour in Ireland 1776-1779”, which to highlight his journey throughout the country during this three-year period. Arthur Young was an avid…
The Chairing of Mayor Henry Watson, 1824
Henry Watson (1789-1860) followed in his father Andrew Watson’s footsteps in employment in the Limerick Chronicle and politically, becoming an Alderman for the city. He became Mayor of Limerick for three years between 1823 and 1826 and again in 1854. After his reelection in 1824, the Corporation gave him the honour of being chaired through…
James Quin on trial for murder, 1833
The Limerick Chronicle, dated August 3, 1833, contains an account of the trial of James Quin for the murder of Mary Knight. The incident occurred during a disturbance at the residence of a sex worker, leading to the tragic death of Mary Knight. During the court session, of the Limerick Assizes – City Court, Wednesday,…
An Unusual Execution in Limerick in 1799
The following is an extract from The Lady’s Magazine, London, April 1799 Limerick, April 8. A permanent court-martial has been sitting here since the 19th ult. On Friday, James and Patrick Mangane, near Shonna Golden (Shannagolden), were executed on the New Bridge. Patrick Kelly, sen, and jun., of Ballingarry, J. Kelly, J. Sullivan, and J….
An Interesting Day in Limerick (1862) by Henry Robert Addison
The following extract shows one man’s view of Limerick in 1862. This section of text was included in the publication “Recollections of an Irish Police Magistrate” by Henry Robert Addison, formerly of the 2nd Dragoon Guards. The publication tells of the heroic and bizarre stories involving Major Thomas Phillips Vokes, a police magistrate in Limerick….
Flavin & Company, Italian warehousemen
Flavin & Company were based at 133 George Street from 1880 until at least 1892 when review was made of their business in Straten
Limerick as viewed by Robert John Buckley in 1893
The following extract comes from Ireland as “It Is And as It Would be Under Home Rule. Sixty-two letters written by the special commissioner of the Birmingham Daily Gazette, between March and August 1893.” by Robert John Buckley after he visited Limerick, on 22 April 1893. Robert John Buckley was born in Monaghan but moved…
Alice Moran, the last woman burned at the stake in Ireland?
Having come across this newspaper report from The Freemans Journal, 20 January 1923, several years ago and set it to one side, finally it required a deeper dive. This newspaper article reported on the “Executions of Women by Burning”, it stated that the last recorded case of a woman being legally burned to death in…