Religion plays an important aspect in shaping Limerick’s architectural, social and cultural landscapes. No other city in Ireland has as many churches and places of worship along its main street and surrounding areas.
The Limerick City of Churches Series aims to showcase the city’s different beautiful and historic churches, representing different religions; some are still actively used as a place for worship while others are not.
Limerick City is best experienced walking, and so this series can also be completed on foot. The suggested series sequence takes about 6km flat loop walk, but you can decide to start at any point in the series, it is not important to do it in sequence. If driving, there are several city pay parking available.
St. Michael’s Church – Roman Catholic
For hundreds of years there was a church on the site on Denmark Street that now contains St. Michael’s Church. The site originally housed a medieval parish church, dismantled after the Siege of 1651, in ruins by 1654. Following the Reformation the first St. Michael’s began construction in 1779 and was officially opened n the 29th September 1801. It was enlarged in 1805, and Daniel O’Connell used it as a speaking post for some of his rallies. This was to be replaced in 1881 by the structure with the golden angel on the top that we know today, which was designed by M.Morris.
Source: http://www.limerickslife.com
Augustinians Church – Roman Catholic
The Augustinians Church on situated at the heart of the city on O’Connell Street.
The Augustinian order has been serving Limerick city since 1633, even earlier in the county when the original monastery was in Adare. After the dissolution of the original foundation in Adare by Cromwell the Augustinians eventually moved into the city and the present church in O'Connell Street was built in 1942. The original church in the Adare foundation, sometimes known as Black Abbey is the current Anglican church for the parish of Adare.
The present priory in O'Connell Street is to the left of the church. It was formally known as the 'Country Club', and came into the possession of the order in 1946. Built in 1825, the Augustinians rented the ground floor of the premises in 1897 for £2,075 from Dr Pryce Peacocke for a lease of 999 years. The Augustinians paid £15,000 for the building in 1946. The priory was officially opened on 25th May 1948.
On the right as you enter the church from O'Connell St is the original lintel stone dated 1633 from the order's first chapel in Limerick at Fish Lane. The O'Doherty family saved this stone in 1933 when the buildings in Fish Lane were knocked for new houses. The stone was kept in their stonecutting yard until brought to the attention of the Prior, Fr Vincent Lyons in 1961. Fr Lyons bought the stone and in October 1962, it was inserted into the wall of the church.
In the porch of the church, there are two holy water fonts from the church in Creagh Lane. These holy water fonts were in Creagh Lane from 1823 until the present day church was opened in 1941. The original proposed facade (right) had two towers - due to legal issues at the time only one was built. Inside the church, there is a booksop on the left and a Pastoral Centre on the right. Also on the right is a painting of the Ascension by Thomas Collopy, a Limerick man. This painting, dated 1782, originally hung in the chapel in Creagh Lane.
Central Hall – Methodist
The Methodist Church was established in 1739 by John Wesley, as an evangelical Protestant Christian cultivation. The first conference of the Irish Methodists Church was held in Limerick in 1752, and it was chaired by John Wesley. Central Hall, the Methodist chapel, Bedford Row built c. 1820 in use until 1920. The façade was hidden behind the face of the Grand Central Cinema until 2007. It is now incorporated into a glass faced building.
The Franciscans – Roman Catholic
The Franciscan Church on Lower Henry Street the foundation stone of the church was laid by Dr. Butler, Bishop of Limerick, in May 1876. The present site on Henry Street was acquired in 1824, and a church was built in 1826 and a friary in 1827. The builders were McCarthy and Guerin and the architect was William Corbett. The church was completed in 1886. The Dominican Church has been renovated in two occasions: in 1928/30 when it was also extended and in 1968. Since June 2008 this church remains closed.
The Franciscans were present in Ireland for about 700 years originally located an Abbey near Sir Harry’s Mall. Thomas de Burgo established this first monastery. The monastery became known as Saint Francis Abbey, the name it retained during the Suppression. The Abbey River, Abbey area and Abbey Fishermen derives their name from the Abbey located in the area. The friars were expelled from the city for a short time in 1651, during which time it is said that the Abbey Fishermen fed them. After this they successfully regained occupation of their residence at the junction of Athlunkard Street and Nicholas Street. A site in Newgate Lane was acquired in 1782, on which a chapel and friary was built.
This is not difficult, the objective is to show the churches on the different stages.
To solve this Multi Cache:
1. Go to N 52° 39.829 W 008° 37.462 (Published coordinates physical cache is not here)
From the picture look for the number after Paul then add those digits. Call this A.
2. Go to N 52° 39.782 W 008° 37.664
How many hand rails are there used to enter the church. Call this B.
3. Go to N 52° 39.810 W 008° 37.689
From this location look for the hidden church. Count the number of visible church windows. Call this C.
4. Go to N 52° 39.843 W 008° 37.712
From this location look at the church and count the number of large pillars in front. Call this D.
The final coordinates:
N 52°3(B+C).(A+B)1(D-C) W 008° 3(C+D).(A+B)CC
The cache is a magnetic nano that can only hold a logbook. BYOP.
Congratulations to Hicksfamily1918 for being FTF!