BACK LANE THEY WERE A BIT LAZY WHEN IT CAME TO NAMING THIS LANEWAY
Tailor’s Guild Hall has an historical connection with Back Lane. It was meeting place of the Guild of Merchant Tailors but it was also used by the Catholic Committee during the campaign against Penal Law in 1792, becoming known as the ‘Back Lane Parliament’. It was used later by the Society of United Irishmen, illustrating its long associations with Irish history and political issues.
Mother Redcaps is located on Back Lane but there are rumours that it is to be demolished. The current building is officially described as a terraced four-bay two-storey former factory, dated 1875, subsequently in use as public house and market, having shopfront and integral carriage arch to front (north-east) elevation. Archaeological excavations held on the site in 2006 revealed deposits ranging from Hiberno-Norse to post-medieval, indicating the long history of occupation at this location. The carved keystone over the door provides contextual interest, bearing the initials of James Winstanley, for whom the building was erected as a shoe factory in 1875. This building forms part of the Mother Redcaps complex, in which a substantial indoor market was held from the late 1980s until 2005.