Pery Square stands as the finest surviving expression of Limerick’s Georgian ambition. Built between 1835 and 1838, its elegant western terrace was designed as part of a larger development, but the Great Famine prevented completion. Construction was financed through an unusual tontine scheme, in which ownership depended upon the survival of nominated individuals. The adjoining residents’ garden later became the People’s Park in 1877, opening the landscaped space to the public. Today, the square remains an important cultural and architectural landmark, home to the People’s Museum, Limerick City Gallery of Art and the beautifully restored No. 1 Pery Square Hotel.
