cannocksclock

In the early 20th century Drapery apprentices worked under the living in system, see 1911 census www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Limerick/Limeri...

Great to get these all details and help with getting closer to a date for this photograph. Thank you!

Now O'Connell Street, the building in the foreground is where Roches Stores was until recently . The building with the clock is where Penney's now stands

elainsor Thanks a mill! Have added your information to the description under the photo...

elainsor Roches Stores is now Debenhams

Unusually crowded street scene - even the shots of O'Connell Street in Dublin seldom show this many people.

Also given the absence of any cars, 1910 seems a bit late, I'd say more like 1900.

Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah Limerick finally got a look in even if our proud thoroughfare of O'Connell Street is called Georges Street. The clock tower in the distance was Cannocks Clock where many a romance began as it was the dating landmark for Limerick people. The porch sticking out on the right is next to or the current location of the Augistinian Friary where I served mass as a nipper. The first junction you can see on the left is Bedford Row and the shop on the corner was owned by Mulligans who sold bicycles but they had taken the soup and were no relations. Lairds were still in Limerick when I was growing up and further back you had the Home and Colonial Stores. The shop beside Buckleys is O'Mahony's book shop now and that seems to be the name overhead. Is and always was one of the best bookstores in the country. This area of Limerick was relatively modern, named Newtown Pery and it was laid out in a grid format with intersecting streets at right angles. Off to the right was the Irish town and straight ahead brought one down to the Kings Island where King Johns Castle, St. Mary's Cathedral and many other historic sites are located.

Your location needs adjustment Carol, it should be up two from the Quays and the shot was taken from just past the junction with Shannon Street/Roches Street facing down towards Bedford Row. The location for the other shot is slightly further down Georges Street (as was) nearer Bedford Row.

Great photo. Regarding the date, it might help to note that O'Mahony's was established in 1901. The clothing on the women on the right hand side suggests very early 1900s. The building near the Augustinians with the porch is the County Club. Does anyone know how typical the horse and trap/sidecar (?) in the middle of the picture and in the foreground on the left would have been? Would they have been privately owned or for hire? I believe the trap that most of us would recognise (with the door at the back) only appeared in the late 1890s and wonder if this is what preceded it.