Work and Industry

Archiving 472 Items

Historical stories concerning employment, factories, docks, workshops, trades, labour movements, strikes, unemployment and industrial change in Limerick and Ireland between 1900 and 2000, including the experiences of workers, employers, unions and local communities.

The Heart of Edwardian Limerick

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15 July 2026

The Heart of Edwardian Limerick

At the beginning of the twentieth century, George Street stood at the centre of commercial life in Limerick. Today known as O’Connell Street, it was bordered by impressive Georgian buildings housing hotels, shops, offices and established local businesses. Horse-drawn carts, private carriages and crowds of pedestrians moved constantly along the busy thoroughfare, while traders brought additional noise and colour to the scene. Landmarks included the Royal Hotel, MacMahon’s Temperance Hotel…

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1916 Memorial, c.1940s

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10 July 2026

1916 Memorial, c.1940s

On Sarsfield Bridge in 1940s Limerick, the 1916 Memorial rises proudly beside the roadway, enclosed by green iron railings and watched over by elegant lamps. Its pale stone pedestal supports bronze figures commemorating the Rising, their solemn poses lending dignity to the riverside setting. Trees line the background, softening the urban scene and framing the monument against a bright open sky. Pedestrians in period dress walk along the bridge, suggesting…

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Limerick Stone Cottage, 1937

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13 July 2026

Limerick Stone Cottage, 1937

This February 1937 photograph shows a weathered stone cottage in Limerick, with children gathered at its doorway and along the narrow street outside. The rough masonry, patched walls, boarded upper windows and low, sloping roof reveal the building’s age and modest condition. Electrical wires cross above the house, suggesting the gradual arrival of modern services within an older urban landscape. The children’s presence brings warmth and life to the scene,…

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Thatched Cottages of Adare

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12 July 2026

Thatched Cottages of Adare

In July 1981, a row of traditional thatched cottages lends Adare its distinctive old-world character. Whitewashed walls, steep straw roofs and small windows line the roadside, reflecting a style once common throughout rural Ireland. The cottages appear carefully maintained, their simple façades softened by flowers, hedges and mature trees. Passing traffic and summer light place the scene firmly in everyday village life rather than a staged historical setting. The image…

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Glenduff Castle Restored

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16 July 2026

Glenduff Castle Restored

Glenduff Castle is shown restored to its former splendour, standing proudly amid landscaped gardens in rural County Limerick. Built around 1840 for the Ievers family, the castellated country house incorporated an earlier tower house dating from about 1600. Its battlements, flanking towers, arched entrance and long stone façade created a striking Gothic Revival residence. The scene imagines the estate before its destruction, with residents, visitors and a horse-drawn carriage bringing…

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