Limerick City Library Information Reel

Brennans Row

Limerick City Library wrote: »

Firstly, there will be a Harp Recital by the Irish Harp Centre from 6.00 to 7.00pm which will be open to the public to attend.

I saw Janet Harbison’s Irish Harp Orchestra in the Kölner Philharmonie two years ago.

They gave a great concert that night and I was chuffed to read that her Castleconnell Irish Harp Centre is a driving force behind them.

Definitely worth a visit.

Brennans Row

I have been reading over the last few years on plans to move the City Library from the Granary to a new location (Potato Market).

I know all such public building projects are out of the question at the moment due to dire financial state of the country.

On top of that, the City and County Councils are to amalgamate which would practically put all such decisions on hold until that process is finished.

However, things could change very quickly if NAMA prioritized the Opera Centre, which would mean the City Library would then have to vacate the Granary.

My own personal re-location preference would be to convert the old Leamy School, depending of course that the rear part of the building is large enough to cater for a library.

Therefore I would be really curious to read, what re-location favourites the Library Staff have themselves? and / or could you give us any updates, if any at this time?

Brennans Row

School of Architecture ~ University of Limerick

This brochure documents twenty seven proposals for a New Limerick Library, designed by third year architecture students in SAUL, the School of Architecture at the University of Limerick, in the autumn semester 2008.

These projects shall serve as a basis for a wider discussion on the aspirations and demands regarding contemporary library facilities in Limerick. They stand in support of plans to establish modern facilities for the Limerick Public Library and promote a design competition amongst professional architects to select the best project.

A public exhibition of these designs was hosted by the Limerick City Library as SAUL’s contribution to Library Ireland Week 2009

See PDF link (Size 37 MB)

phog

Limerick City Library wrote: »

Limerick City Library's
Evening Lecture Series

You are cordially invited to

"Limerick's first Historical Society, The Limerick Field Club, and it's Journal, 1892-1908"

An illustrated talk by Dr. Liam Irwin, on Tuesday 27th September 2011 at 8pm

Refreshments will be served. Admission is Free.



You can read each volume of The Limerick Field Club here

A reminder that this takes place this evening.

Limerick City Library

*NEW* to all interested about Limerick's origin and history we've uploaded " The Glamour of Limerick" by A. J. O'Halloran http://www.limerickcity.ie/Library/LocalStudies/BooksJournals/TheGlamourofLimerickbyAJOHalloran1928/

Limerick City Library

History Lecture Series, 2011-12


Next presentation in the history lecture series for 2011-12 :

American Consuls in Ireland : a Limerick Case Study 

an illustrated lecture by

Dr. Bernadette Whelan of University of Limerick

on

Tuesday, 25th October 2011
at
8.00pm

This lecture ties in with the recent publication of Dr. Whelan's book 'American Government in Ireland, 1790-1913: a history of the US Consular service'

Limerick City Library

The Irish Writers Centre Presents; The Peregrine Reading Series

The Peregrine Reading Series takes some of Ireland's best loved writers to the four corners of the island in a quest to promote prose literature and to develop an audience for prose readings around the country.

At Limerick City Library, Martin Malone, Deirdre Purcell, and Michael J. Farrell are our Peregrine Readers!

Date: Wednesday, the 26th of October 2011
Time: 8.00pm

All are Welcome!

For a brief bio on the three writers click here

Limerick City Library

Poetry Reading @ Limerick City Library

Limerick born Poet, Tim Cunningham, whose collections include; "Don Marcelino's Daughter", "Kyrie", and "Unequal Thirds"

on Thursday the 20th October at 7.00pm

All are Welcome

Limerick City Library

Curio No. 3: Limerick Chronicle 19/11/1853

"An accident of a very serious nature occurred from the explosion of Gunpowder at Bonmahon, on Monday evening. The storekeeper of the mines after going home with his bag of powder, sat down by the fire and tried to open the knot that tied the mouth of the bag - not succeeding, and being without a knife, he attempted to burn it - the powder exploded, blowing his wife, and six children, who were sitting by the fire in every direction. The roof was torn completely off the house, and the two adjoining houses were in flames-the escape of the inmates was miraculous."

Limerick City Library

Curio No. 4: Limerick Chronicle 22/1/1931

"A 3 year old boy, who smokes cigars and cigarettes, has been discovered by health authorities at Fort Scott (Kansas). The child's habit came to the attention of Dr. Brown, the secretary of the State Board of Health. The mother disclosed that the boy had been smoking since he had been able to walk. She said that on the morning of the doctor's visit, the child (who recently recovered from Typhoid fever) had 'fussed around' until his father gave him a cigarette."

Limerick City Library

*NEW* We have digitised a copy of 'Round About the County of Limerick' by Rev. James Dowd, which was published in 1896.

You can Read it Here

Brennans Row

Councillors want to acquire Limerick city centre church for new library


By Mike Dwane

(Limerick Leader) Wednesday 19 October 2011

THE Jesuits have a long history in education in Limerick and while the order may have quit the city centre, councillors want that tradition of learning to continue by acquiring their former church for a new library.

The Church of the Sacred Heart at the Crescent was bought by the late Galway developer John O’Dolan in 2006 for a reported €4 million but is now available at a knockdown price, councillors claimed at a meeting of the cultural committee.

But director of services Pat Dowling reminded members that the Council had previously given the go-ahead to investigate the Potato Market as a potential location for a new city library.

Cllr Kathleen Leddin said the Jesuit Church would be “ideal”. Currently located at an outdated building in The Granary, the library, Cllr Leddin said, had previously been located on Henry Street and Pery Square, at the same end of town as the Jesuit Church.

Cllr Michael Hourigan, meanwhile, urged the Council to make a bid for the property.

“It is on the market again at a fraction of the price it was available for only a few years ago. It would cost hundreds of thousands. We are not talking about millions any more,” he said.

“If not as a library or a museum, we would find some use for it,” Cllr Hourigan said in proposing City Hall acquire the property, seconded by Cllr Kevin Kiely.

Mr Dowling previously told the Council that he had visited the church but this was not to be interpreted as meaning a bid was in the offing.

“It is easy to say it would make a great library but that is something that would take at least 10 years,” he said, adding “significant investment” would be needed to bring the building up to standard.

“The Council did agree,” he said “to pursue a new library at the Potato Market and I wouldn’t like to give a mixed message that we have changed our minds.”

The city needed a “modern, iconic city centre library branch” and funding was being sought from central government for same, Mr Dowling said.

Limerick City Library

Brennans Row wrote: »

Councillors want to acquire Limerick city centre church for new library


By Mike Dwane

(Limerick Leader) Wednesday 19 October 2011

THE Jesuits have a long history in education in Limerick and while the order may have quit the city centre, councillors want that tradition of learning to continue by acquiring their former church for a new library.

The Church of the Sacred Heart at the Crescent was bought by the late Galway developer John O’Dolan in 2006 for a reported €4 million but is now available at a knockdown price, councillors claimed at a meeting of the cultural committee.

But director of services Pat Dowling reminded members that the Council had previously given the go-ahead to investigate the Potato Market as a potential location for a new city library.

Cllr Kathleen Leddin said the Jesuit Church would be “ideal”. Currently located at an outdated building in The Granary, the library, Cllr Leddin said, had previously been located on Henry Street and Pery Square, at the same end of town as the Jesuit Church.

Cllr Michael Hourigan, meanwhile, urged the Council to make a bid for the property.

“It is on the market again at a fraction of the price it was available for only a few years ago. It would cost hundreds of thousands. We are not talking about millions any more,” he said.

“If not as a library or a museum, we would find some use for it,” Cllr Hourigan said in proposing City Hall acquire the property, seconded by Cllr Kevin Kiely.

Mr Dowling previously told the Council that he had visited the church but this was not to be interpreted as meaning a bid was in the offing.

“It is easy to say it would make a great library but that is something that would take at least 10 years,” he said, adding “significant investment” would be needed to bring the building up to standard.

“The Council did agree,” he said “to pursue a new library at the Potato Market and I wouldn’t like to give a mixed message that we have changed our minds.”

The city needed a “modern, iconic city centre library branch” and funding was being sought from central government for same, Mr Dowling said.

This site was analysed before as possible location for a new library central branch but AFAIK it was deemed to be too small in terms of floor space to accommodate the central library collection and all of the requirements of a modern library space.

Brennans Row

Limerick City Library wrote: »

This site was analysed before as possible location for a new library central branch but AFAIK it was deemed to be too small in terms of floor space to accommodate the central library collection and all of the requirements of a modern library space.

You are probably right as the interior of the Jesuits appears to be too narrow in width for a library.

Still though, here is an image of a bookstore inside a former Dominican church in Maastricht.

Limerick City Library

Brennans Row wrote: »

You are probably right as the interior of the Jesuits appears to be too narrow in width for a library.

Still though, here is an image of a bookstore inside a former Dominican church in Maastricht.

That looks stunning.

Limerick City Library

Curio No. 5: The General Advertiser & Limerick Gazette 03/06/1806: 'Yesterday a young man was summoned to appear before our Chief Magistrate, charged with a species of fraud hitherto unknown in this part of the United Kingdom, to wit, selling his wife for 10 guineas, and then passing another man's wife on the purchaser instead of his own - "splendide fallax." '

Curio No.6 (For Halloween): The General Advertiser & Limerick Gazette 22/08/1805: "Extraordinary Chicken - We have this day seen a most extraordinary chicken, which, was hatched a few days since near Pennywell (Clare St.) it has a second body attached to it, about a quarter of an inch below the pinions, which is of a larger size than the natural one; the legs, and the wings, of the 2nd being as completely formed as the first, but of a putrid colour, and apparently possessing no active power, it is likely to live some days and may be seen at the house of the owner at Pennywell."

Limerick City Library

Curio No. 7: Limerick's apparent misrepresentation in the media appears to have a long history!

This is from the Limerick Gazette over 200 hundred years ago, 19/09/1806.

"The principal murders and depredations, which are stated to have been committed in Ireland for some time past, have been manufactured by the Editors of the English newspapers, to fill up a vacancy in their prints. Upon these occasions, Limerick and its neighbourhood are generally selected for the scene of blood and outrage. The arrival of the mail often astonishes some of the inhabitants with an account of their throats having been cut, their cattle houghed, and their houses burnt. This selection is rather an unfortunate one, as Limerick, since the year 1798, has been particularly free from any spirit hostile to the repose of society."

Limerick City Library

Curio No. 8: An interesting death notice from The Limerick Gazette, 19th September 1806

“Monday night at the Hot Wells, Bristol, Patrick O’Brien, the Irish Giant. This extraordinary man, whose height exceeded 8 feet, was born at Kinsale, and had long been the wonder of the age. He was interred in the Catholic Chapel in Trenchard Street, Bristol. A Gentleman had the curiosity to attend, with many others, to see the stupendous coffin, prepared for this remarkable personage. He informs us that its length was nine feet, five inches, and that five men got into it with ease, and had the lid placed upon it. The brass-plate contained the following inscription:- “Patrick Cotter O’Brien, of Kinsale, Ireland, whose stature was eight feet, one inch. Died Sept. 8 1806, aged 46 years.”- There were some emblems on it, denoting the deceased to have belonged to the Masonic Order of Knights Templar.”

Limerick City Library

Curio No. 9: Is this Limerick’s oldest ever citizen? Death notice from Limerick Gazette 27th February 1807 –
“At Drehadarsha [Drehidtrasna], near Adare, in this county, Ann Meade, at the advanced age of 114 years.”

Brennans Row

New Books of Local Interest

• Limerick - A Stroll Down Memory Lane Volume 11 – Sean Curtin
• Upstart : Friends, Foes & Founding a University – Ed Walsh
• Jim Kemmy : Stonemason, Historian, Politician, Trade Unionist – Brian Callanan
• Introduction to the Architectural Heritage of County Limerick – NIAH
• The Battle for Kilmallock – John O‘Callaghan

The stream of books appearing each year of local Limerick interest is phenomenal and I presume these will be added shortly to the library and catalogued.

I have been collecting most of the books published over the last 20 years or so and I wonder have you ever compiled a complete list of all the books ever published on Limerick?

Such a list would be an excellent source of information to add to the library’s local studies site.

Limerick City Library

Brennans Row wrote: »

New Books of Local Interest

• Limerick - A Stroll Down Memory Lane Volume 11 – Sean Curtin
• Upstart : Friends, Foes & Founding a University – Ed Walsh
• Jim Kemmy : Stonemason, Historian, Politician, Trade Unionist – Brian Callanan
• Introduction to the Architectural Heritage of County Limerick – NIAH
• The Battle for Kilmallock – John O‘Callaghan

The stream of books appearing each year of local Limerick interest is phenomenal and I presume these will be added shortly to the library and catalogued.

I have been collecting most of the books published over the last 20 years or so and I wonder have you ever compiled a complete list of all the books ever published on Limerick?

Such a list would be an excellent source of information to add to the library’s local studies site.

I'd like to confirm that all of those books have been purchased, and they are currently being processed. They will be available in the library once this is completed.

In terms of your query with regard to a complete bibliography of all the books published on Limerick, we are not aware of any such resource in existence.
The closest is Margaret Franklin's "A bibliography of Limerick city and county" which was published in 2005. You can check this book's availability in the Library by clicking here .

If you wish to browse all of the books on Limerick that we stock in the Library Service, you can use our catalogue which lists 1685 titles on the subject 'Limerick'.

Brennans Row

That‘s some list! I’ve managed to download them in 100’er lots.

I’m familiar with Margaret Franklin’s little gem of a book “Tracing your Limerick Ancestors” which is full of good practical tips. So if that is anything to go on, then her “Bibliography of Limerick City and County” must be pretty well done too.

Thanks a million.

Brennans Row

• Understanding Limerick : Social Exclusion and Change – Niamh Hourigan
• The River Shannon: A Journey Down Ireland's Longest River – Aiveen Cooper
• Limerick C.840 to C.1900: Viking Settlement to Victorian City – Eamon O'Flaherty & Jennifer Moore
• Reading the Maps : A Guide to the Irish Historic Towns Atlas – Jacinta Prunty & H.B. Clarke

I thought I would add a few more books of local interest that were also published this year.

Despite the recession, it’s great to see people keep writing them. :cool:

One or the other could end up in the Christmas stocking.

Limerick City Library

Limerick City Library's Evening Lecture Series

Presents

“Bernstein’s Broadway: The Life and Career of Leonard Bernstein”
an illustrated lecture by Vincent Prendergast

on Tuesday, 22nd November 2011 at 8.00pm

Refreshments will be served
Admission is free & all are welcome

Limerick City Library

Have a look at this Map we created of all of the Death Notices listed in the Limerick Chronicle in the 1870's. Any thoughts? Are you surprised by the vast spread of Limerick people throughout the world?

Brennans Row

Limerick City Library wrote: »

Have a look at this Map we created of all of the Death Notices listed in the Limerick Chronicle in the 1870's. Any thoughts?

Mapping them like that with the newspaper clippings (pdf) embedded, is quite neat.

Having read some of the items, I get the impression that the Limerick Chronicle of the 1870’s had also many readers outside of Limerick. Was it read around Munster / Connaught too?

In all, I think the Limerick Chronicle mirrors the British Establishment (Church of Ireland, Military, etc.) in Ireland at that time.

Brennans Row

Not at a good omen for a new central city library when the department of finance stops the planned library buildings at the Limerick Institute of Technology and the University of Limerick.

On the other hand the city council has bought from NAMA the failed Opera Shopping centre site. Who knows what will happen here, as it seems the cards are been reshuffled for a new regeneration of the city centre.

Funding Withdrawn for College Libraries (Limerick Leader)

David Hurley.

Funding for the construction of state-of-the-art libraries at Limerick Institute of Technology and the University of Limerick has been withdrawn following the Government’s decision not include the projects in its Infrastructure and Capital Investment programme.

Both Libraries, which would have each cost several million euro to build, were due to open in 2013.

The works at the University of Limerick would have seen the construction of a major extension to the existing Glucksman Library.

The proposed library at LIT would have seen the construction of a three-story 4,600-square metre complex at a site to the south-east of the Moylish Campus.

Dr. Maria Hinfelaar, president of LIT, said she is disappointed with the Government decision.

“It is a major blow for LIT that this new state of the art library and information resource centre will not now be built, which was badly needed. We will need to rethink our campus masterplan over the coming months to review how we can best deliver our ambitions and objectives and provide such services to learners”.

The Limerick Leader understands that a significant amount of money has already been spent bringing both projects through the planning process and that both are “shovelready”.

In February the then Tanaiste, Mary Coughlan, announced that both projects would proceed by way of public-private-partnership and that hundreds of jobs would be created during the construction phase.

Limerick City Library

Curio No. 10: Oldest ever verified person was French woman Jeanne Calment who died aged 122 in 1997. Now read on -

from Limerick Gazette 28th July 1809, death notices - "Lately, in a workhouse at Liverpool, a female pauper, at the the advanced age of 124 years. She retained all her faculties to the last, except her sight, which, two months previously to her dissolution, had been much impaired."

Limerick City Library

Curio No. 11: The term 'faction-fighting' is well-known and Limerick was a great location for these encounters. The great Limerick surgeon, Sylvester O'Halloran, achieved his renown for dealing effectively with brain trauma injuries mainly as a consequence of faction fights. As the famous ballad Arthur MacBride has it, "when a trusty shillelagh comes over your head" the injuries could be severe indeed. Here's a report of such an occasion from Limerick Gazette, 11th August 1809 -

"Last Friday evening, at the Fair held near this city, two formidable factions met for the purpose of deciding an old quarrel - a party of dragoons stationed on the Greene to preserve order, prevented those sanguinary wretches from commencing the battle there; however, when they arrived at John's Gate, the conflict furiously began on both sides, with sticks, stones, &c. and continued for some time to the terror of the inhabitants of that part of the town, till numbers were severely wounded; they were dispersed by the military. Not contented with what took place that evening, they again assembled on Sunday morning, in a field near Garryowen, and re-commenced the battle, when the Mayor arrived, put them to the route, secured eight of the ringleaders, whom his Worship committed to prison."

Limerick City Library

‎*New* Index of Freemen of Limerick, 1746 - 1836, from North Munster Antiquarian Journal (Vol. 4, No. 2, 1944, p103-127)