St. Michael’s Church, consecrated in 1844, is one of Limerick’s notable landmarks, famously known as “the sinking church.” The other church sharing this nickname is the Presbyterian Church on Henry Street.
The Mystery of the Sinking Church
The church earned its nickname because it was thought to have sunk slightly over the years. This sinking occurred because the building was not constructed on solid bedrock. A limestone quarry in what is now the People’s Park did not extend as far into the church’s foundations as expected, contributing to its gradual settling.
Architectural Heritage
Designed by the Pain Brothers, renowned for their contributions to Limerick’s architectural landscape, St. Michael’s Church features prominently among the city’s historic buildings and bridges.
Located at the end of Barrington Street and Pery Square, the church was originally envisioned as the centrepiece of Pery Square, surrounded by terraced Georgian houses on all four sides of the People’s Park.
A Growing Parish
St. Michael’s was built to replace the older St. George’s Church, located at the corner of O’Connell Street and Mallow Street. Founded in 1789, St. George’s Church could no longer accommodate the growing number of parishioners in the expanding Newtown Pery area. Interestingly, George’s Street (later O’Connell Street) was probably named after this church and St. George, the patron saint of England and not King George III, after whom the Georgian architecture surrounding St. Michael’s Church are named.