1. Limerick City and its Boundaries
A special event to mark the 400th
anniversary of Limerick City becoming an
administrative county
an illustrated lecture by
Dr. Matthew Potter,
Dept. of History, University of Limerick

2. Four periods of Irish urban
government
• Viking 841-1169
– Dublin, Limerick, Waterford, Wexford
• Medieval 1169-1603
– 330 towns founded by Normans
• Early Modern 1603-1800
– 117 borough corporations
• Modern 1800-Present
– 85 urban authorities in the State

3. Foundation of Limerick Corporation
• Viking local government 922-1195
• Normans capture city 1195
• Limerick Corporation founded 1197
• 12 charters 1197-1609
– First charter 1197
– Second charter 1292
– Charter a written constitution
• Unwritten elements in civic constitution
– City Council
– Aldermen

4. King John

5. First boundary
• Set by King John 1216
– 40 ploughlands
– At least 5,000 acres
• 57 acres enclosed by walls
• Liberties
– North
– South
• Scattery Island 1578

6. Charter 1609
• Limerick became an administrative county
• Only eight county boroughs in Ireland
1609-1841
• Only five cities currently enjoy this status
in the State
• Grand Jury of Limerick City 1609-1853
• Mayor became Admiral of the Shannon
• Boundary set out

7. King James I

8. Second boundary
Set by Charter of King James I 1609
• 25,000 acres
• Perambulation
• Mayor stones/ Mayorstone
• North and South Liberties

9. Form of government
• Court d’Oyer Hundred consisting of
Freemen
• Common Council
• Mayor, two Sheriffs
• Other officials, such as town clerk,
recorder, chamberlain
• Small ruling class

10. The Hourglass City 1740

11. Functions of Limerick Corporation
• Defence. Walls and militia.
• Law and order. Police and prisons.
• Law courts.
• Control of trade and industry. Markets, fairs,
port, fisheries.
• Environment. Fire brigade, refuse, street
cleaning, wandering animals.
• Infrastructure. Walls, streets, bridges, quays.
• Administration of charities. Almshouses, Blue
School.

12. Freemen
• Politically active citizens
– Birth
– Marriage
– Apprenticeship
– Gift of Common Council
• Non-resident freemen
• Corruption

13. Problems affecting Limerick
Corporation 1691-1841.
• Penal Laws excluded Catholics from
local government
• Corporation became increasingly
oligarchic
– Corporation Roches 1714-1762
– Smyth/Verekers 1776- 1841
• Political activities predominant
• Abandonment of functions
• Corruption

14. Other Service Providers.
• Grand jury 1609-1853
• Improvement commissions
– St Michael’s Parish Commissioners 1807-53
– Harbour Commissioners 1823-1997
• Turnpike trusts
• Central government
• Private and voluntary sector

15. 1840 Municipal Corporations
(Ireland) Act.
• Old council (self-electing) abolished
• New councils elected on a very limited
franchise (all adult males, in possession of
property worth £10 or more per annum)
• Mayor continued to be elected annually by
the council
• Very limited powers.
• The judicial role of the corporation abolished
• Borough boundary drastically reduced

16. Daniel O’Connell

17. Third Boundary
• Municipal Corporation (Ireland) Act 1840
– Reduction from 25,000 to 2,400 acres (90%)
– North and South Liberties absorbed into
Counties Limerick and Clare
– Scattery Island lost

18. 1853 reforms
• Grand Jury abolished
• St Michael’s Parish Commissioners
abolished
• All their powers transferred to Corporation
• Rates introduced

19. Municipal Socialism
• 1878 Municipal fire brigade
• 1878 Gas company
• 1883 Waterworks
• 1887 Social housing
• 1893 Free public library

20. New responsibilities since
independence.
• Housing Revolution 1932-87
• Planning (1934 and 1963)
• Environment
• Urban renewal (1986)
• Arts (1973)

21. Fourth Boundary
• Minister for Local Government
– Timothy J Murphy (1948-49)
– Michael Keyes (1949-51)
• Boundary set 1950
• Area of city doubled
– 2,395 acres
– 5,155 acres
• Limerick City Management Act 1950
– Number of councillors increased from 15 to 17

22. Michael Keyes

23. Fifth Boundary
• 1974-2007 applications for boundary
extension
• 2007 Fitzgerald Report
• Increase in area of the city
– Area : 5,155 to 7,675 acres (50%)
– Population: 52,560 to 59,811 (14%)

24. Comparison of city boundary
• Area 2009 = 7,675 acres
• Area 1840 = 25,000 acres
• Area 2009 is only 30% of area 1840