The Limerick survey was carried out in 1943/44 by the noted archaeologists Ralph Lucas and P. J. Lynch, who completed detailed forms on the parishes around the county and including Limerick City.
The survey form was quite extensive – the survey compilers listed items of topographical interest, geological features, mansions and castles, and customs and patterns. They also compiled inventories of amenities, gave general information on towns and villages, listed dance halls, cinemas, industries, handcrafts, fairs and markets, and petrol stations. Copious notes were taken, often illustrated with pencil drawings.
These notes now give us a valuable insight into Limerick’s social history of the 1940s. The types of bed and breakfasts were listed, together with a commentary on whether they had facilities such as bathrooms, toilets, etc.
Besides completing the survey forms, the archaeologists took black-and-white photographs of antiquities and natural features deemed to be potential tourist attractions. We include these photographs here.
[Adapted from ‘The Irish Tourist Board Association Survey: a forgotten Limerick resource’ by Margaret Franklin, History Ireland, vol. 11, no. 4, Winter 2003]
