Online Revolutionary Map of Limerick unveiled by Limerick Museum

Revolutionary Map of Limerick has been unveiled by Mayor of Limerick City and County Council, Daniel Butler at Merchants Quay pictured with Michael Maguire. Limerick Library Service and William O’Neill. Picture: Keith Wiseman.

Limerick Museum unveiled the map as part of events marking 2022 centenary commemorations

A new online Revolutionary Map of Limerick (1913-23) has been launched by Limerick Museum as part of events marking 2022 centenary commemorations.

Created by William O’Neill on commission from Dr Matthew Potter, Curator Limerick Museum, the map seeks to pinpoint the locations in Limerick City and County of events pertaining to one of the most important decades in Irish history.

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The information included is based on the work and research of Tom Donovan, Michael Hopkinson, Jennifer Levey, Helen Litton, Des Long, Sinead McCoole, John O’Callaghan, Padraic O’Farrell, Eunan O’Halpin, William T O’Neill, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc, Matthew Potter, Des Ryan, Sharon Slater and Thomas Toomey.

The project also used newspapers such as the Irish Times, Freeman’s Journal, Limerick Leader, and Limerick Chronicle.

Speaking at the unveiling Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr Daniel Butler said: “Limerick was a major theatre of activity during the Irish Revolutionary period. Both the city and county produced an array of figures who were willing to train, fund, and fight for Irish republicanism. In addition, there was also the Limerick Soviet, one of the most extraordinary events of the period, a general strike in which city’s citizens governed their own affairs independent of British rule.”

Dr Matthew Potter, Curator of Limerick Museum said: “Limerick also had a disproportionately large number of both police and army barracks, garrisoned by the Royal Irish Constabulary (including the Black and Tans), the British Army, and the Auxiliaries. In addition, Limerick was the scene of the Dromkeen Ambush (1921), the most successful ambush by the IRA outside of Cork, during the entire War of Independence. The Civil War engulfed the nation in 1922-23, and all eyes were looking at Munster, which was the scene of major engagements, such as the Battle of Limerick City and the Battle of Kilmallock.”

The Revolutionary Map is being constantly improved and updated.

To begin with, the project is focusing exclusively on events within Limerick itself, and Limerick people who fought or were killed outside the city and county boundaries of Limerick have not yet been included.

Please contact Limerick Museum at [email protected] if you have any edits that you wish to make to the map, including pictorial and other evidence that might enhance the story.

The map forms part of the Limerick City and County Council Decade of Centenaries Programme which is organised by Limerick Library Service and funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 initiative.

The Revolutionary Map of Limerick (1913-23) may be accessed HERE

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