City Museum

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The Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum is situated in Castle Lane, Nicholas Street, next to the main entrance of King John’s Castle in the heart of the City’s Medieval Quarter. It is about a 10 minutes walk from the Tourist Office and 20 minutes from the rail and bus station. It is not readily accessible by public transport.

History

The museum was founded in 1906 and was opened to the public in 1916. Its original location was in the City Library, which was then in the Carnegie Building in Pery Square and the librarian of the day was its curator. The museum was closed to the public between  1974 and 1979, when it reopened in new premises in St. John’s Square, where it remained for 20 years. The buildings in Castle Lane, where the museum now is, were built in 1998 and are meant to represent the styles of building found in Limerick in the past. The Museum is in the warehouse-style building at the front of the lane. Further down are representations of brick-fronted Georgian houses with so-called “Dutch Billy” roofs, a low cagework (timber-framed) house and a medieval tavern.

The Museum's collection illustrates the history of Limerick and its people. Its displays include archaeological artefacts, Limerick silver, Limerick lace, examples of local printing, cases on the struggle for independence and much more. The Museum's catalogue is available online; click "Limerick Museum Online" at the top of this page.

The Museum is owned and run by Limerick City Council and in 2000 it was renamed The Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum in honour of the local politician, former mayor and T.D. Larry Walsh, curator since 1977, has recently retired.

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Contact

Limerick City Museum

Phone: (061) 417826
Fax: (061) 415266
email: museum@limerickcity.ie

Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 1pm and 2-15 to 5pm
Closed Sundays, Mondays and Saturdays of Bank Holiday weekends.

The Museum will be closed from the 24th to 30th Dec. inclusive. We will be open on 31st, then reopen on 4th January.
Admission free

Address:
Limerick City Museum
Castle Lane,
Nicholas Street,
Limerick City,
IRELAND

Useful Links

The Local Authorities Museum Website.
http://www.hometown.ie/LAMN

Limerick City Library has many online resources for local history; there is also a full catalogue of the books on its main website. For local studies go to:
Local Studies

Limerick City Archives has a large collection of material relating to its parent body - Limerick City Council, and it has also collected archive material relating to older administrations including Limerick Union, Limerick Rural District Council, private papers and collections relating to the commercial and cultural aspects of life in Limerick City.

The Thomond Historical and Archaeological Society runs a full series of lectures and outings of historic interest throughout the year.
http://www.thomsoc.com/

The Hunt Museum is one of Ireland's greatest private collections of art and antiquities, dating from the Neolithic to the 20th Century, including works by Renoir, Picasso and Yeats
http://www.huntmuseum.com/

Limerick Civic Trust was formally inaugurated at a public meeting on 17 February 1983. It was Ireland’s first Civic Trust. It is a self-funding Conservation Society, which initiates and undertakes a programme of projects for the general improvements of Limerick’s environment in conjunction with local authorities, state agencies and other interested parties. It is an independent non profit making voluntary society and is registered as a charity.
http://www.limerickcivictrust.ie/

Limerick County Library
http://www.lcc.ie/Library/

Limerick City Museum