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 link to the street on the 1911 census as been added.
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 :
Walsh Lane: The first Walsh Lane was located off John Street.
Walsh Lane: The second Walsh Lane was located off Edward Street.
Walsh Lane: The third Walsh Lane was located off Carey’s Road, all three were probably named after inhabitants there.
Watergate (part 2) Named after one of the old gates on the old wall of the city, the wall boundary can still be seen in the area today.
Watts Lane: Located off Catherine Place
Westland Row: Formerly Bowmans Street, off Wolfe Tone Street.
White Wine Lane: in Watergate was probably so named because of its proximity to the original Milk Market, milk was commonly known as the wine of the poor.
Wickham Street (part 2): located off the top of William Street, it was probably named after the Right Honourable William Wickham, who was Secretary of State for Ireland from 1802 to 1804. Photograph of Wickham Street
William Street, Upper William Street, William’s Lane (located at the end of Summer Street) This street like many others in the city was named after a member of the Cecil Pery family, this time as shown in the name William Cecil Pery. In 1951, it was proposed by Clann na Poblachta to rename William Street to Clarke Street, the motion did not pass. Photograph of William Street can be seen here.
Wilkinson Bow: Located in the Milk market area.
Wilson’s Quay: (now Lock Quay)
White’s Lane: Located in the Shannon Street area.
Wolfe Tone Street (formerly Collooney Street) is named after the Irish Patriot Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763-1798) who was a founder member of the United Irishmen.
Wellesley Lane, Wellesley Bridge (now Sarsfield Bridge) and Wellesley Place (now Clontarf Place) were named after Richard, Marquis of Wellesley (a brother of the Duke of Wellington), who was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1823 when the Act for the building of the Bridge was passed. It was officially opened in 1835 by the then Lord Lieutenant, the Earl of Mulgrave.
Wellington Terrace: Located in the O’Connell Avenue Area and named after the Duke of Wellington.
Windmill Street: is named after the old windmill which was erected at the side of that street by Launcelot Hill.
Street map of Limerick, 1912