Community News

13-10-22

 

PARISH OFFICE MOVE

 

In the coming weeks, the Parish Office will be relocated from its current location in the priest's house to the room which was previously the mortuary chapel to the left-hand side of the sanctuary. This room can be accessed from outside at the back of the church and also from the sanctuary. The reason for the move is as a direct request from the Diocese. Quoting Mr. Ger Crowley, Director of Safeguarding, Limerick Diocese, “...the current position is not appropriate. It is more appropriate and recommended that the office and priest's residence be separated.” We will inform you when the move is complete. (from Parish Newsletter)

 

KNOCK PILGRIMAGE

 

The Dominican Pilgrimage to Knock will take place on Sunday, October 9th. Buses will leave from St. Saviour's Dominican Church. Tickets available from the sacristy after 1pm Mass each day. Cost is €20 per ticket, including tea and scone.

 

 

ABBEY HISTORY BY FRANK(3)

 

“These aboriginal Limerick Gaelic place-names have gone out of normal usage since the North Circular Road area began to be settled by the city's merchant princes almost two centuries ago, more is the pity! Although they had no great tradition of keeping written accounts of their transactions, the fishermen nevertheless had in their numbers men of great scholarship and intellect such as John These aboriginal Limerick Gaelic place-names have gone out of normal usage since the North Circular Road area began to be settled by the city's merchant princes almost two centuries ago, more is the pity! Although they had no great tradition of keeping written accounts of their transactions, the "Gages" Clancy and his nephew, Jackie "Diddles" Clancy- the latter was the Secretary of the guild when they bought outright the inures of the Arthur family from Captain Charles William Augustine Arthur of Kilbane, County Clare in 1931, which had been owned by his family for centuries. The ancient office of Mayor of Limerick has been filled on fifty seven occasions by members of the Arthur family.” (From a Talk by the late outstanding and well-informed historian, Frank Prendergast)

 

FRANK'S ABBEY HISTORY (2)

 

“Jackie Clancy's scholarship has been recorded by RTE and has predictably attracted academic interest since the publication of "The Abbey Fishermen: a Short History". This has been considerably enhanced by the publication in 2010 of what may be the definitive work on this topic, "My life on the River: an Abbey Fisherman's Stories", by his daughter, Delia Clancy Cowles, a work which in my opinion would qualify him for a posthumous PhD. Award. Nicknames were always a very strong tradition in St. Mary's Parish but they had a particular importance in trades/guilds such as the Abbey Fishermen, where different families had several members-cousins and uncles with the same Christian names and so nicknames were used to distinguish them.

 

ARDNACRUSHA 1929

“Their centuries-old fishing rights were ended forever, however, when the E.S.B. in 1929 began to operate Ireland's first Hydro-Electric scheme at Ardnacrusha near the City. The Head-Race or Canal needed for this and built by the German engineering company Siemens-Schuckert, meant that millions of gallons of water were diverted into it from the main river, thereby reducing its levels and force. The salmon were attracted into the canal with disastrous consequences for the fishermen. Their subsequent inevitable battle with the E.S.B. authorities finished in the City Court House in January 1933. The fishermen refused to pay their fines for fishing in the Tail-Race, but these were quashed eventually.

The Shannon Fisheries Act of 1934 terminated the issue of snap-net licenses and a long battle for compensation ensued, which involved four families only; Hayes's, Clancys, Mac Namaras and Shannys. The compensation list itself with the names, nicknames, ages, addresses and amount paid to each member is a valuable research source for all local historians. Their centuries old domain on their river steeped in legend, ended forever with the settlements.” (TheirHistory andLegacy, a Talk by Frank Prendergast Sunday 5th of May 2013 at St. Mary's Rugby Football Club.) As far as I know there is a very fine exhibit of the above matter to be sen in our oldest Boat Club, that of the Curraghgour, which was established in 1877.

 

 

ISLAND FIELD 1935

 

While browsing through the Limerick Leader recently, I came across the following interesting piece. “At the opening of the Island Field housing scheme, (380 houses), on Sunday, August 1935, the Mayor, Mr. James Casey, congratulated the new tenants, whom he said, had been rescued from the slum districts, unsanitary houses, and unhealthy surroundings. All the city bands attended and an open-air dance, at which a string orchestra provided the music, was enjoyed by the tenants and the many thousands who joined in. The Mayor visited Mrs. Hurley, who was the mother of the first child born in the scheme and promised that he would act as god-father to the infant.”

 

JIM KEMMY REVISITED

 

It was refreshing, if somewhat a little sad, to hear the voice of the late vibrant politician and noted historian, Jim Kemmy, on John Bowman's radio programme from 8.30am, on Sunday last. He spoke of his leaving Limerick with very little money in his pocket, a little account of his time overseas, and of course, his return to his beloved city. Brings one back to another time, doesn't it?

 

NICHOLAS STREET 1788

Once again, I am at the point of rooting our bits and scraps bearing interesting facts. I delight in returning to the past and churning out what type of industrious people our citizens were way back then. As someone once said, 'A knowledge of the past is essential to an appreciation of the present.' Over in Creagh Lane, there was a man by the name of George Alps and he was an Attorney at Law and a Practor. I found that the latter word means a supervisor of a dormitory or of examinations. While around the corner on Mary Street we had no less than 18 people gainfully employed in the running of one profession or job, or another. Around the turn of the 19th century, Athlunkard Street boasted of 16 pig-buyers. However on Nicholas Street back in the year 1788, we find the following trades: Thomas Appleyard, a skin and feather merchant; Thomas Bennis had a hardware house; Richard Clarke was a cabinet maker, an upholder and an auctioneer; Martin Hanan was a tailor; William Jephson was an iron-monger; John McGregor was a hatter, while Joseph Jephson was a shoemaker.