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ORNATE FOUNTAIN AT O’BRIEN’S PARK IN LIMERICK

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ORNATE FOUNTAIN AT O’BRIEN’S PARK IN LIMERICK

Drinking fountain, O’ Brien Park, Clare Street.

The park was laid out in the early 1940s and is dedicated to Terence Albert O’Brien, Bishop of Emly who was executed in 1651 following the Cromwellian conquest of Limerick City.

The fountain canopy features the heraldic emblem of a raised hand holding a sprig of flowers which is identical in design to the emblem on Tait’s Clock (1867) in Baker Place.

The motto on the canopy, ‘Gratiam dat Deus’ (God Give Grace), is also inscribed on Tait’s Clock and was Sir Peter Tait’s motto on his coat of arms.

For a period prior to its installation in O’Brien Park this drinking fountain was located inside the Limerick Clothing Factory on Lord Edward Street as a source of water for employees. The factory was founded by Sir Peter Tait.

THE RUSSELL MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN IN LIMERICK – THE JAFFEE FOUNTAIN IN BELFAST IS A TWIN

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THE RUSSELL MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN IN LIMERICK – THE JAFFEE FOUNTAIN IN BELFAST IS A TWIN

The Peoples Park in Limerick has a number of interesting items including an ornate drinking fountain which, according to Wikipedia, is one of only two on the island of Ireland but I do not fully agree with that claim

I have photographed three Victorian era fountains – One in Belfast (no doubt a twin of the Limerick fountain), one In Limerick and one in Dun laoghaire (which does appear to be much more ornate). There is also a possibility that the 1929 religious shrine at the junction of Reginald Street and Gray Street in Dublin started out as a similar structure.

The Richard Russell fountain, which had been overseas for many months undergoing restoration, was returned to the People’s Park in November 2009.

The fountain was originally erected in 1877 to mark the gratitude of Limerick for Richard Russell, a highly regarded employer. The official unveiling of the restored fountain, which was attended by some one hundred people, was undertaken by the mayor of Limerick, Kevin Kiely.

The restoration process, which retained the original red colour of the fountain, was carried out in Britain at a total cost of €80,000. Two plaques on the structure give due recognition to Richard Russell.

LADY GRATTAN DRINKING FOUNTAIN

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LADY GRATTAN DRINKING FOUNTAIN AT THE TOP OF DAWSON STREET ON ST. STEPHEN’S GREEN

The original fountain included two horse troughs [one of which had been replace by a modern copy in 1992].

The contract for Luas Cross City heritage works was awarded to KN Network Services (KNN) and various items of historical and cultural significance had been carefully removed by the contractor to secure storage for a period of up to two years and all have been returned.

The heritage works began in 2014 with the successful removal to storage of the Lady Grattan Fountain at St. Stephen’s Green. The fountain which dates from 1888 was in excellent condition and was returned close to its original location. Close inspection of the fountain and troughs had shown that some repairs which were carried out in the past had given way. Some new repairs to the stonework were undertaken before reinstallation.

The Lady Grattan Fountain was presented by Lady Laura Grattan (daughter in law of the patriot Henry Grattan, M.P whose statue stands in College Green) to the citizens of Dublin in 1880. The fountain was presented to the citizens of the city at a time when running water was only supplied to a small number of houses in the capital. The installation of fountains like this one in other locations within the city centre helped greatly in improving public health and hygiene generally.

It consists of a drinking fountain carved from polished granite stone. The cylindrical base supports a basin from which rises a quatrefoil shaft surmounted by a small Celtic cross. Decorative bronze spouts and fittings (some of which are missing) are set into the quatrefoil shaft.

Drinking cups would have originally been attached to the shaft to allow people to quench their thirsts, while horses would have been able to drink from the basin.

Flanking the structure were two granite rectangular troughs mounted on squared pedestal blocks. These troughs are likely to be unrelated historically with the drinking fountain and may have been brought from elsewhere during the twentieth century. Note: the troughs are now some distance along the street from the the fountain.

In 1992 the fountain was restored by Dublin City Council. The work involved bringing drinking water back to the fountain and replacing worn bronze castings, spouts and access doors. One of the horse troughs, which was badly damaged, was replaced by a modern copy.

THE PEOPLES PARK AT PERY SQUARE

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THE PEOPLES PARK AT PERY SQUARE IN LIMERICK – PHOTOGRAPHED USING AN IPHONE XR

I miss my visits to Limerick but am hoping that I can begin to visit again in 2021.

The park was formally opened in 1877, in memory of Richard Russell, a prominent local businessman.

The Peoples’ Park located at Pery Square in Limerick, just west of the railway station and bus terminal.

The Park boasts a number of interesting items including a memorial upon a giant pillar to Thomas Spring Rice, MP for the city of Limerick from 1820 – 1832, a 19th-century Bandstand, an ornate drinking fountain (which I really like) and two gazebos.

The park was forced to close for two weeks in February 2014 after Storm Darwin destroyed or badly damaged nineteen trees.

Of the nineteen one was one was especially important as it was both old and rare. The ornamental tree known as a ‘Tetradium Danielli” was about 80 or 90 years old. It is also referred to as a Bee Bee tree because it’s late summer flowers attract very large numbers of bees. The park supervisor decided that it would be a good idea to invite Zambian woodcarver Paradazi Havatyitye to carve three bees in the remaining stump. The park now features a number of ‘chainsaw sculptures’.

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