Listed below are the most likely reasons behind each street name in the city, though some of the street names have changed through time and some of the original reasoning for certain names have been lost entirely. Many of these street names did not appear in Gerry Joyce’s ‘Limerick City Street Names‘.
Where possible a photograph of the street has been added as well as a link to the street on the 1911 census.
Streets beginning with:
A : B : C : D : E : F : G : H : I : J : K : L : M : N : O : P : Q : R : S : T : U : V : W : X : Y : Z :
Hall’s Range, Hall’s Lane, Hall’s Bow: Located in the Newtownpery area of the city.
Halloran’s Lane: Located in the John’s Gate area of the city
Halpin’s Lane : Located in the John’s Gate area of the city
Hammond’s Quay: No longer standing but about 1780, it was located where Sarsfield Street met the River Shannon. It was named after John Dowdall Hammmond who was leased land adjacent to this spot .
Hannon’s Bow: Located in the John’s Gate area
Hartstonge Street (part 2) and Hartstonge Street Lower : were named after the Hartstonge family who lived in the upper portion of this street. Photograph of Hartstonge Street: and Hartstonge Street Lower
Harvey’s Quay: (formally Fisher’s Quay) named after Reuben Harvey who constructed a portion of the Quay. The remaining portion was originally constructed by James Fisher, hence both names. Photograph of Harvey’s Quay
Hassett’s Bow: Located in the old Abbey Area of the city.
Hassett’s Bow, Hassett’s Lane: located in the Thomondgate area of the city.
Hatters Lane: Connected Old Francis Street and John Street.
Hell’s Lane: located in the Henry Street area
Hennessy Avenue: named after Rev. Fr. Hennessy O.S.A., a member of the Irish Volunteers.
Henry Street (part 2) (part 3) (part 4) (part 5), Little Henry Street named after Edmund Henry Pery the first Earl of Limerick, who had a house in this street. Photograph of Henry Street. In 1951 it was proposed by Clann na Poblachta to rename Henry Street to Heuston Street, this did not pass.
High Road: Located in the Thomondgate area.
High Street (part 2): most cities and towns have a High Street, Limerick being no different it’s High Street forms part of one of the oldest roads out of the old city. Photograph of High Street
Hill’s Quay: which no longer exist, but about 1780, it was located where Cecil Street met the River Shannon. It was probably named after Launcelot Hill, who was a timber merchant around that time, and who probably imported his timber through that quay.
Hill’s Lane : Located in the John’s Gate Area off Millers Lane parallel to Curry’s Lane.
Hinkes Lane: Connected Old Francis Street and John Street
Hogan Avenue: was named after Michael Hogan (1832-1899) poet, known as the Bard of Thomond, whose most famous work was the Lays and Legends of Thomond.
Hogg’s Lane: Located off Broad Street
Honan’s Quay: was constructed by Martin Honan, a prominent Limerick corn merchant who was elected Mayor of Limerick in 1842 and 1843.
Hore’s Street: (now New Street). Possibly named after the Rev. Edward Newenham Hoare who was responsible for the building of Trinity Church in Catherine Street in 1834.
Howley’s Lane: This lane connected Bank Place to Assembly Mall (Charlotte’s Quay) at the end of Michael’s Lane, which ran parallel to Michael Street.
Howley’s Quay: named after the Howley family a prominent merchant family in the 19th century.
Humprey’s Alley/Lane: Located off White Wine Lane.
Hunt’s Lane : Located off Dominick Street, between White’s Lane and Flag Lane.
Hyde Road and Hyde Avenue: named after Douglas Hyde (1860-1949) the first President of Ireland under the Constitution of 1937. A scholar, he was unanimously selected as President by all political parties. He was made a Freeman of Limerick in 1909, when he was President of the Gaelic League.
Hymies Boreen: is said to have been named after a resident of the Boreen.