Prior to his death earlier this year, Thomas Toomey was one of Limerick’s foremost, most highly-regarded and most liked historians. He visited us at the Local Studies deparment on a very regular basis – for a number of years he came in for a day each week and worked on the newspaper archives on microfilm. And now the fruit of all that work has come back to the library! Tom’s family, with the assistance of another of Limerick’s favourite historians, Tom Donovan, have donated the files, accumulated by Thomas over those visits, back to the Library service. We have named them the Tom Toomey Newspaper Clippings Archive, and it is our intention to present extracts from time to time, as opportunity presents.
Here we present the first part of the Tom Toomey Newspaper Clippings Archive – a selection of items from the Limerick Chronicle of 200 years ago, December 1824.
Number 1 – December 1824
Plans for Athlunkard Bridge – At a meeting of Gentlemen connected with the City of Limerick and Counties of Clare and Limerick, interested in the erection of a BRIDGE over the RIVER SHANNON, at Athlunkard, called by Public Advertisement, and held at Swinburne’s Hotel, on Wednesday 10th November, 1824… (The Limerick Chronicle, 01/12/1824)
Horrible accident – The Mayor yesterday held an Inquest at the Infirmary, on the body of Johannah Halloran, who, on the 17th inst. fell into a cistern of burned [?] beer, which caused her to linger since that period in great agony, when death relieved her sufferings. Verdict accordingly. (The Limerick Chronicle, 01/12/1824)
Near disaster at Baal’s Bridge – Yesterday a lighter [barge] deeply laden with sand, drifted from her moorings at Abbey Bridge, and was hurried away by the violence of the current under Baal’s Bridge, near the piers of which she was in imminent danger of destruction… (The Limerick Chronicle, 01/12/1824)
Actual disaster in the Irish Sea – Twenty-four passengers in the City of Dublin steam packet to Liverpool, were drowned on Sunday, in going in a boat from the vessel to the shore. (The Limerick Chronicle, 01/12/1824)
Death by ‘Visitation’ – An inquest was held on Monday before Thos. Ivers, Esq. in Market Square, Ennis, on the body of Miss Eliza Colgan…Verdict, died by the visitation of God. (The Limerick Chronicle, 01/12/1824)
Sad News for the Fair Sex – By the late census it appears, that, in the City of Dublin, there are 19,471 females more than males…in Limerick City, 2,811… (The Limerick Chronicle, 01/12/1824)
City of Limerick Jail – The following opinion of the state of City Jail, entered on the books by Mr. Rice, highly creditable to the Inspector… (The Limerick Chronicle, 04/12/1824)
Murder Most Foul – A farmer of the name Richard Clasheen was found murdered on the Cullen road, beyond Tipperary on Saturday morning… (The Limerick Chronicle, 04/12/1824)
And further murder most foul – A most foul and atrocious murder, at which human nature recoils with horror and dismay, was perpetrated on Sunday night last on the lands of Couneen, within half a mile of Bilboa, in this County, where a respectable farmer named Daniel Connell resided… (The Limerick Chronicle, 08/12/1824)
Repo men run away – A number of Cattle, distrained for rent and arrears due out of the lands of Whitehall, near Killonan, in the Liberties, were rescued yesterday by a riotous mob… (The Limerick Chronicle, 08/12/1824)
Population of the Cities and Towns in Ireland, in 1821… (The Limerick Chronicle, 08/12/1824)
More on the murder at Bilboa – Committed to the County Jail, by the Rev. Rickard Lloyd… (The Limerick Chronicle, 11/12/1824)
Accidental death by exploding gun – We have deep regret in recording the death of Thomas Bennett, Esq. by the accidental explosion of his own fowling-piece on Thursday morning last, in the vicinity of Templemore (The Limerick Chronicle, 11/12/1824)
Sometimes things were quiet – the Mayor, the Honorable John Massy, and Wm. Roche, Esq. presided to-day at the Petty Sessions; only two summonses had been issued, and nothing of consequence came before the Court, which was adjourned to Monday (The Limerick Chronicle, 11/12/1824)
Methodist preachers under attack in Kilush – On Sunday last, as Mr. Ousely, Methodist Missionary, was preaching in the street of Kilrush, he was interrupted and most violently assailed by a vast concourse of the rabble… (The Limerick Chronicle, 15/12/1824)
Scandal in Newfoundland – We have had a very singular elopement here. Lieutenant _____ , of the 60th Regiment, has decamped with the wife of Lieutenant ______, of the Royal Artillery… (The Limerick Chronicle, 15/12/1824)
Charitable works – A quantity of Butter, seized yesterday by the Market Jury for deficiency of weight, was yesterday sent by the Mayor to the Alms House. On Monday… (The Limerick Chronicle, 15/12/1824)
Unrest in the countryside – A few nights ago, a party of armed men with a number of horses and cars, forcibly took away from the lands of Coolbeg, close to Kildimo…a large quantity of potatoes, distrained for rent due to Montiford Westropp, Esq… (The Limerick Chronicle, 18/12/1824)
Protection racket at the Market – Two respectable Victuallers complained to the Magistrates, of the injury suffered to their business, from the conduct of persons in the market who threatened their work-men, one of whom said he was cautioned against working any more unless he got a sum of money… (The Limerick Chronicle, 18/12/1824)
Methodist preacher has cure for unrest but Limerick Chronicle has no space to print his letter – We have received Mr. Ousely’s letter…he says that all the disturbances may be settled in one week, without the least injury to anybody…It is not in our power to publish his letter… (The Limerick Chronicle, 18/12/1824)
