Architecture of Limerick
The cathedral plays a dominant role in this medieval area within Limerick City showing the amalgamation of the architectural styles of Romanesque and Gothic.
An important historical Protestant church sits near the cathedral also, and although in need of some repair, is now in use today by Dance Limerick.
Designed by William Corbett, the church is a fine example of classical architecture with an imposing portico in a similar fashion to the GPO in O'Connell Street, Dublin and the Bank of Ireland in College Green.
The very fine classical interior, with a wealth of quality materials and craftsmanship, adds to the overall architectural importance of this ecclesiastical site.
[2] The existing church in Glentworth Street was built in 1815, under the leadership of Fr Joseph Harrigan on land donated by Edward Henry, the Earl of Limerick.
One publicly accessible example of Georgian architecture is the People's Museum of Limerick at Pery Square.
The museum was established to house a collection of approximately 2,000 works of art and antiquities formed by John and Gertrude Hunt during their lifetimes.
[4] Typical features of this style of architecture in Limerick include arched or bay windows with brick detailing around doorways and elaborate railings enclosing long front gardens.
Features of buildings dating from the Edwardian period also include balconies, porched and timbered gables, and horizontal mullioned windows.
Life in these parts of the city in the early 20th century are perhaps best described in the worldwide best seller Angelas Ashes written by Frank McCourt.
During the 1960s Limerick Corporation began to clear the slums and laneways by relocating families to new large council estates on the edge of the city.
The estates were built primarily in Moyross, Southill, the Island Field (St. Marys Park) and Ballinacurra Weston.
Initially seen to be a success these estates began to experience high levels of disadvantage, unemployment, poverty and crime as was replicated in other parts of Ireland such as Ballymun.
However, since the early 21st century, the inner-city areas have experienced regeneration and revitalisation with funding and development from the City and County Council, as well as the Government.
The park, designed by Murray Ó Laoire Architects, incorporated a tourist information office and received the RIAI Triennial Gold Medal for 1989–1991.
A notable example is the Crescent S.C.[6] As a city situated on a river (the Shannon), and at a crossing point, Limerick's bridges are of vital importance to the region.
Apart from forming part of the Limerick to Galway route, the crossings are important today in connecting Shannon Airport to the city and beyond.
It was designed by the Scottish engineer Alexander Nimmo and based on the Pont de Neuilly in Paris.
The Shannon Rowing Club was founded by Sir Peter Tait in 1866 and has a very elegant clubhouse on the northern side.
[8] A monument by sculptor James Power located on the bridge just above the Limerick Boat Club building, commemorates the 1916 Rising.
An earlier monument on this site was a statue of Viscount Fitzgibbon of Mountshannon House,[9] who was killed in The Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in 1854, flanked by two Russian cannon captured in the Crimean War.
[10] The War of Independence memorial is located at the northern end of the bridge, commemorating two former mayors of Limerick (George Clancy and Michael O'Callaghan), among others, who were killed by the British in 1921.
It was built in the late 1980s, officially opening on 30 May 1988, and connects to a relief road that passes through a bird sanctuary and runs around the north of the city.
It replaced an earlier four-arched bridge that formed the only link before the mid-18th century crossing the Abbey river between Englishtown and Irishtown.
Opened in 2004 by then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, this fashionable modern bridge connects the recently commenced north bank campus (includes student villages/accommodation and Health Science building) to the main southern campus, but it does not serve as a public crossing point as there is no north bank entrance from the Clare side.
The site of what was Cruise's Hotel is now home to a Costa Coffee shop on the right-hand corner of the street entrance.
Other examples of lost architecture include the facade of the old Cannock's Department Store (now Penney's), which was demolished in the 1960s and replaced with a more modern styled building.
[17] The facade of Todd's Department Store (now Brown Thomas) which was destroyed by a fire in the late 1950s has also been replaced with a more modern design.
The most prominent are the 60m high Riverpoint building designed by Burke Kennedy Doyle Architects and completed in 2008 and the 200 ft four-star Clayton Hotel on Steamboat Quay, designed by Limerick firm Murray Ó Laoire Architects and completed in 2002.
In 2007, Thomond Park underwent a redevelopment project which included the construction of two large stands to accommodate a capacity attendance of 26,500 with 15,100 seated.
