Women’s History
Historical stories concerning women’s lives, work, education, politics, family responsibilities, social reform and public influence in Limerick and Ireland between 1900 and 2000, including campaigners, workers, mothers, professionals, artists and community leaders.
Showing 1–10 of 250 records: 13 articles and 237 images
Archive Records
Stone Church
This adapted image is based on Thomas Newenham’s 1830 engraving of Kilmallock Dominican Priory, one of County Limerick’s most important medieval monuments. Founded in 1291 by the Fitzgerald family, the priory, also known as St Saviour’s, stands beside the River Loobagh within historic Kilmallock. Newenham’s original view appeared in Picturesque Views of the Antiquities of Ireland and recorded the ruins during the nineteenth century. This modern adaptation respectfully reimagines that historic scene while preserving the character, architecture and atmosphere of the original composition. The priory’s tower, east window and weathered stonework remain enduring symbols of Kilmallock’s rich medieval heritage today.
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Frank McCourt
Frank McCourt was born in New York in 1930 but grew up amid severe poverty in Limerick, whose streets and hardships shaped his writing. After returning to America, he served in the United States Army and became a teacher in New York. His memoir Angela’s Ashes transformed memories of childhood hardship into an internationally successful narrative, winning the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Critics Circle prize. He continued his life story in ’Tis and Teacher Man, describing emigration, education and classroom experiences. McCourt’s vivid storytelling brought worldwide attention to twentieth-century Limerick while provoking discussion about memory, poverty, family and representation.
View ImageDock Road
In 1920, Dock Road in Limerick was a bustling artery of industry and trade, playing a crucial role in the city’s economic life. Lined with warehouses, mills, and factories, it echoed with the sounds of carts, early motor vehicles, and the footsteps of workers heading to the docks. The River Shannon nearby made Dock Road the lifeline for imports and exports, connecting Limerick to the wider world. The area around the Dock Road was a hive of activity, with local businesses depending on the constant movement of goods. It reflected both the promise and hardship of early 20th-century urban Ireland.
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Nua Ruins
The old church near Holycross, County Limerick, was recorded as a ruin by 1642. In 1679, Rachael Bourchier, Countess of Bath, restored the building, just one year before her death. Thereafter it became known as the New Church, or Teampall Nua in Irish, and served local Church of Ireland parishioners. A belfry was added during the restoration, giving the structure a distinctive profile. Although the church later fell out of use and returned to ruin, its surviving walls, arched openings and graveyard remain important reminders of seventeenth-century religious life and the long history of worship at this historic site today.
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Vanished Junction
This 1975 view captures the junction of Lower Henry Street and Sarsfield Street before the creation of Liddy Street transformed the surrounding cityscape. The photograph preserves a moment when traffic, shopfronts and older buildings still defined this busy corner of central Limerick. Lower Henry Street connected the commercial heart of the city with the Shannon quays, while Sarsfield Street formed an important route towards Sarsfield Bridge. The later development of Liddy Street altered movement through the area and removed part of the earlier streetscape. Today, the image offers a valuable record of a vanished junction and changing daily urban life.
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Colour Print
This variation of a colour print depicts Adare Manor beside the River Maigue in Adare, County Limerick. The imposing Gothic Revival residence is shown within landscaped grounds, reflected in the calm water and framed by mature trees. Often described as a calendar house, the manor is associated with 365 windows and 52 chimneys, representing the days and weeks of the year. Published in Francis Orpen Morris’s A Series of Picturesque Views of Seats of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, the image celebrates the architecture, setting, and aristocratic character of one of County Limerick’s most recognisable historic…
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Vanished Junction
This 1975 view captures the junction of Lower Henry Street and Sarsfield Street before the creation of Liddy Street transformed the surrounding cityscape. The photograph preserves a moment when traffic, shopfronts and older buildings still defined this busy corner of central Limerick. Lower Henry Street connected the commercial heart of the city with the Shannon quays, while Sarsfield Street formed an important route towards Sarsfield Bridge. The later development of Liddy Street altered movement through the area and removed part of the earlier streetscape. Today, the image offers a valuable record of a vanished junction and changing daily urban life.
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Vanished Junction
This 1975 view captures the junction of Lower Henry Street and Sarsfield Street before the creation of Liddy Street transformed the surrounding cityscape. The photograph preserves a moment when traffic, shopfronts and older buildings still defined this busy corner of central Limerick. Lower Henry Street connected the commercial heart of the city with the Shannon quays, while Sarsfield Street formed an important route towards Sarsfield Bridge. The later development of Liddy Street altered movement through the area and removed part of the earlier streetscape. Today, the image offers a valuable record of a vanished junction and changing daily urban life.
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Suits Jpeg
Tom O’Donnell and Paschal O’Grady, Limerick’s celebrated comedy duo, are pictured visiting Westport House in October 1967. Known simply as Tom and Paschal, they entertained Irish audiences nationwide for nearly five decades with sharp humour, memorable characters and remarkable stage chemistry. In 1961, they became the first comedy act to appear on Telefís Éireann’s opening-night broadcast. Their popular “Cashy and Noni” routines and annual Christmas Crackers revues made them beloved local favourites. Beyond entertainment, they toured towns and villages raising funds for schools, GAA clubs and churches, leaving an enduring legacy of laughter, generosity and affection throughout Limerick and beyond.
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