Rutland Street, Limerick

Rutland Street (Irish: Sráid Rutland) is a street in central Limerick, Ireland that forms part of the main central thoroughfare of the city which incorporates Rutland Street, Patrick Street and O'Connell Street. Named after the 4th Duke of Rutland, Charles Manners, who was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1784 and visited Limerick in 1785.^[1][2] Rutland Street along with nearby Bank Place features some of Limerick's earliest (and oldest) examples of Georgian Architecture. It was the first street developed as part of Edmund Sexton Pery's plans for Newtown Pery, and was the first part of the great Georgian expansion of Limerick south from the medieval city.^[3] In 1901, Irish nationalists suggested renaming the street to Hugh O'Neill Street.^[4]

Rutland Street

Streetscape
Native name	Sráid Rutland (Irish)
Namesake	Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland
Length	85 m (279 ft)
Location	Limerick, Ireland
Postal code	V94
Coordinates	52°39′58″N 8°37′26″W
north end	Bridge Street, Mathew Bridge
south end	Patrick Street, Francis Street
Other
Known for	Hunt Museum, Fab Lab Limerick, former town hall

The Hunt Museum is located on Rutland Street. It is located in the former Customs House, designed by architect Davis Ducart. The building dates from 1769.

The headquarters of Limerick Corporation were located in the old Town Hall on the street. Limerick Corporation moved to Limerick's City Hall at Merchant's Quay near the City Courthouse in 1990. The old Town Hall then became the Mid West Business Institute, before it moved to Upper William Street.

As of 2024, the Opera Centre development is under construction in the city centre, which incorporates Rutland Street and the adjoining Michael Street, Ellen Street and Patrick Street.^[5]

View of Rutland Street (mislabelled Patrick Street), c. 1880–1914

References

1. Slater, Sharon (1 November 2013). The Little Book of Limerick. History Press. ISBN 9780752493657 – via Google Books.
2. Joyce, Gerry (1995). Limerick City Street Names (PDF). Limerick: Limerick Corporation. p. 48. ISBN 0-905700-07-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2013.
3. "Rutland Street". Film in Limerick.
4. Moloney, Timothy (19 February 2010). Limerick Constitutional Nationalism, 1898-1918: Change and Continuity. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. ISBN 9781443819985 – via Google Books.
5. Rabbitts, Nick (13 March 2023). "Major update issued on €200m development in Limerick". www.limerickleader.ie. Retrieved 12 June 2024.