IRL
Ireland
IRISH GEORGIAN SOCIETY REVIEW 16
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Limerick Chapter Ailish Drake 01
Limerick is an incredible city, with a rich built heritage in both the medieval and Georgian parts of the city. The Limerick Chapter of the Irish Georgian Society believes that raising awareness of the intrinsic value of Newtown Pery is key to its survival. If there is investment in its public realm and its historic buildings, we see huge potential for Limerick to become a great place to work, live and visit. To this end, the Chapter has run a series of lectures this year, which focused on the historic regeneration of Newtown Pery. The series began with a presentation by the Georgian Lab, SAUL (School of Architecture UL), who has examined the challenges and costs associated with the renovation of a sample of town houses in Newtown Pery. The chapter has continued to engage with ongoing research on Newtown Pery in SAUL during the year. In February, Frank McDonald, former Environment Editor of The Irish Times, lead a discussion panel on the reinhabitation of Newtown Pery. McDonald was very critical of the language used in the Limerick 2030 plan, which states that ‘The overall condition of the Georgian properties is extremely poor.’ He argues that although there has been much neglect, the buildings themselves are in fact in good condition.
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Joining him on the night was Kieran Reeves, Senior Executive Planner with Limerick City and County Council and Mary Hughes, immediate past President of the Irish Planning Institute. With a large and vocal audience, what followed was a lively discussion on the failure of the ‘Living Cities Initiative’, the poor public realm and traffic planning of Newtown Pery and the proposed ‘Limerick Footbridge’. In March, the Chapter hosted a very enlightening talk by Giulia Vallone, senior executive architect at Cork County Council. Responsible for the beautifully designed RIAI award winning Emmet Square, Clonakilty, which brings life back into a Georgian Square, her presentation was entitled, Towns for People – Civic Stewardship through Public Spaces. She believes that in order to bring people back to live in our towns and cities, we must create vibrant places that citizens are proud of. Judith Hill, Architectural Historian and long-term member of the Limerick Chapter Committee presented our final lecture in the series. Judith presented an overview of the evolution of Newtown Pery and highlighted the great variety of buildings, from the late Georgian period but also including many fine examples of Victorian work, which are integral to its character. Judith also explained the
vistas and views (onto the river, the park and towards the various monuments) which create an environment that is unique and worth preserving as a whole. Our tours this summer took us to St Clerans Craughwell, constructed in the 18th century for the Burke family and for many years the home of film director John Huston, and the idyllic setting of Lough Cutra Castle near Gort. In June, we visited three fascinating buildings in Limerick demonstrating the rich Quaker history of learning, philanthropy and business in Limerick life. Ailish Drake, Chapter Head B Arch. Sc., MA MRAI
01 Limerick chapter members at St. Clerans Manor House, County Galway 02 Members of the Limerick Chapter at Lough Cutra Lodge, Gort, County Galway