People's Park, Limerick

Last updated

The Rice Monument in People's Park. Limerick (Co. Limerick), Spring Rice Memorial (2).jpg
The Rice Monument in People's Park.

The People's Park is a park located by Pery Square in Limerick, Ireland, just west of the railway station and bus terminal. At the northern edge of the park is the Limerick City Gallery of Art.

Contents

History

The park was initially developed as part of the Pery Square development in the Newtown Pery area of central Limerick. This development commenced in 1835 and the associated park was a keyholders-only park. The plan was to surround the park with housing for the more affluent members of society - [1] Pery Square was intended to be a complete Georgian square with the Georgian terraces enclosing a central park, similar in layout to Merrion Square or Mountjoy Square in Dublin, albeit more modest in scale. Ireland's Georgian economy began to decline with the onset of the Great Irish Famine and only one terrace of the square was ever completed - funds for the project ran out before this could be completed. [1]

The park was officially opened in 1877; it was given to the People of Limerick in honour of Richard Russell, a prominent local businessman. It was the then Earl of Limerick in the 1870s who granted a 500-year lease of Pery Square and the surrounding grounds to the city's corporation under certain conditions. These included an agreement that no political or religious meetings were allowed to be held in the park and bands were not to play there on a Sunday. [1] The plots of land that were earmarked for the development of the Georgian Square were eventually incorporated into the park and extended it further north to what is now Mallow Street, eastwards towards Boherbuoy Road and southwards towards St. Joseph Street.[ citation needed ]

Amenities

Historic view of park with monument The Park (with Monument) Limerick (5260847312).jpg
Historic view of park with monument

The park boasts a number of interesting items including a memorial upon a giant pillar to Thomas Spring Rice, MP for the city of Limerick from 1820–1832, [2] a 19th-century bandstand, an ornate drinking fountain (one of only two on the island of Ireland) and two gazebos.

Modern facilities include a playground opened in 2001 and memorial garden to The Little Angels of Limerick opened in 2002.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgian architecture</span> Architectural styles current in the English-speaking world between c. 1714 and 1830

Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, George III, and George IV—who reigned in continuous succession from August 1714 to June 1830. The so-called great Georgian cities of the British Isles were Edinburgh, Bath, pre-independence Dublin, and London, and to a lesser extent York and Bristol. The style was revived in the late 19th century in the United States as Colonial Revival architecture and in the early 20th century in Great Britain as Neo-Georgian architecture; in both it is also called Georgian Revival architecture. In the United States the term Georgian is generally used to describe all buildings from the period, regardless of style; in Britain it is generally restricted to buildings that are "architectural in intention", and have stylistic characteristics that are typical of the period, though that covers a wide range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limerick</span> City in Ireland

Limerick is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 102,287 at the 2022 census, Limerick is the third-most populous urban area in the Republic of Ireland, and the fourth-most populous city on the island of Ireland. It was founded by Scandinavian settlers in 812, during the Viking Age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Limerick</span> History of the City in Munster, Ireland

The history of Limerick stretches back to its establishment by Vikings as a walled city on King's Island in 812, and to the granting of Limerick's city charter in 1197.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Island, Limerick</span> Island in Ireland

King's Island is an area of central Limerick, Ireland. The area is often referred to colloquially as The Island and consists of two distinct areas, Englishtown and St Mary's Park. The historical city of Limerick known as Englishtown is located on the southern end and St Mary's Park; a local authority housing estate is located on the northern end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Limerick</span>

As with other cities in Ireland, Limerick has a history of great architecture. A 1574 document prepared for the Spanish ambassador attests to its wealth and fine architecture:

The architecture of Ireland is one of the most visible features in the Irish countryside – with remains from all eras since the Stone Age abounding. Ireland is famous for its ruined and intact Norman and Anglo-Irish castles, small whitewashed thatched cottages and Georgian urban buildings. What are unaccountably somewhat less famous are the still complete Palladian and Rococo country houses which can be favourably compared to anything similar in northern Europe, and the country's many Gothic and neo-Gothic cathedrals and buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Melbourne</span> Suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

East Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melbourne local government area. East Melbourne recorded a population of 4,896 at the 2021 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O'Connell Street, Limerick</span> Main street of Limerick city, Ireland

O'Connell Street is the main thoroughfare of the city of Limerick. It was previously known as George's Street until it was renamed after Daniel O'Connell. The street runs in parallel to the River Shannon and forms part of an overall thoroughfare, along with Rutland Street and Patrick Street, that bisects Limerick City Centre in a north east to south west direction. The street is about a mile in length, starting at the Arthurs Quay / Denmark Street junction and ending at The Crescent. A monument to Daniel O'Connell stands at the centre of The Crescent overlooking O'Connell Street. The street is noted for its Georgian architectural heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmund Pery, 1st Viscount Pery</span>

Edmund Sexton Pery, 1st Viscount Pery was an Anglo-Irish politician who served as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons between 1771 and 1785.

James Pain was an English architect. Born into a family of English architects, his grandfather was William Pain, his father James Pain and his brother George Richard Pain. James Pain served as an apprentice to the architect John Nash of London. James and George Richard were commissioned by the Board of First Fruits to design churches and glebe houses in Ireland. In 1833, James Pain became one of the four principal architects of the Board of Ecclesiastical Commissioners. He settled in Limerick, Ireland. Many of his designs were produced in collaboration with his brother George Richard who practised in Cork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limerick City Gallery of Art</span> Art museum in western Ireland

Limerick City Gallery of Art is an art museum in the city of Limerick, Ireland. It is run by Limerick City Council and is located in Pery Square, in the Newtown Pery area of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newtown Pery, Limerick</span> Neighbourhood of Limerick, Ireland

Newtown Pery is an area of central Limerick, Ireland, and forms the main city centre of the city. The district is known for its Georgian architectural heritage and is the core area of Limerick's Georgian Quarter. It is one of the three towns that make up modern-day Limerick City Centre, the other two being the older Englishtown and Irishtown, which date from the medieval period. Newtown Pery houses the largest collection of Georgian townhouses in Ireland outside of Dublin. In 1837, Samuel Lewis in his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described Newtown Pery as "one of the handsomest towns in Ireland".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Street, Limerick</span>

William Street is one of the main thoroughfares of central Limerick City, Ireland. The street starts at a junction with O'Connell Street and continues in a south-east direction, where it is called Upper William Street. The street is named after William Pery, 1st Baron Glentworth a relation of Edmund Sexton Pery who is credited with the development of the present day Limerick City Centre area known as Newtown Pery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pery Square</span> Georgian square in Limerick, Ireland

Pery Square is a Georgian Terrace located in the Newtown Pery area of Limerick city, Ireland. The terrace was constructed as a speculative development by the Pery Square Tontine Company between 1835 and 1838. The square was named in honour of the politician Edmund Sexton Pery. The terrace is notable as one of the finest examples of late Georgian architecture in Limerick and Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutland Street, Limerick</span> Street in central Limerick, Ireland

Rutland Street is a street in central Limerick, Ireland that forms part of the main central thoroughfare of the city which incorporates Rutland Street, Patrick Street and O'Connell Street. Named after the 4th Duke of Rutland, Charles Manners, who was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1784 and visited Limerick in 1785. Rutland Street along with nearby Bank Place features some of Limerick's earliest examples of Georgian Architecture. It was the first street developed as part of Edmund Sexton Pery's plans for Newtown Pery, and was the first part of the great Georgian expansion of Limerick south from the medieval city. In 1901, Irish nationalists suggested renaming the street to Hugh O'Neill Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irishtown, Limerick</span>

Lucy Hartstonge was an Irish heiress and philanthropist who founded the first fever hospital in Ireland, in the late 18th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The People's Museum of Limerick</span> Local history museum in Limerick, Ireland

The People's Museum of Limerick is a local history museum in Limerick, Ireland.

The Limerick Civic Trust is an environmental, architectural conservation and educational organisation founded in 1982 that works to identify, record, preserve and publicise Limerick's culture, history, environment and architectural heritage. Although the trust works in conjunction with local authorities, state agencies and various commercial and professional entities, it remains an independent organisation and is entirely self-funded.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sharon Slater (7 January 2013). "The People's Park". Limerick's Life.
  2. "Rice's Memorial, People's Park, Pery Square, Limerick, Limerick City". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Retrieved 4 June 2016.

52°39′30″N8°37′40″W / 52.65833°N 8.62778°W / 52.65833; -8.62778