Genealogy in Limerick
Limerick, a county of Ireland, province of Munster, bounded N by the Shannon which separates it from Clare, S by Cork, NE and E by Tipperary, and W by Kerry. Its principal rivers are the Maig, Feale, Gale, and Blackwater. It sends 2 members to parliament. The majority of the county of Limerick (Self Catering, Limerick, Ireland) is taken over by a limestone plain known as Golden Vale. The renowned Ardagh Chalice was found in West Limerick in a ring fort. The number of Castles in Limerick (Accommodation, Limerick, Ireland) exceeds any other county in Ireland.
Surnames associated with the county include Sheehan, O’Shaughnessy, O’Meara, Madigan. Woulfe, Cooke, Danaher, O’Grady, Hurley, Hogan, Noonan and O’Connor.
The main towns in County Limerick include Limerick City, Rathkeale, Newcastle, Askeaton, Adare, Croom, Bruff, Hospital, Kilmallock and Kilfinane.
Co. Limerick (Holiday Homes, Limerick, Ireland) experienced substantial emigration to Australia from the 1830s onwards. Large-scale emigration to the United States of America and Canada commenced in the 1840s. The Great Famine was less severe in Limerick in that it caused more emigration than death. The population of County Limerick dropped by 21% during the 1840s and continued to decline until 1900 as a result of continued emigration.
Limerick Regional Archives, The Granary, Michael St, Limerick City, Ireland
The Limerick (Bed and Breakfasts, Limerick, Ireland) Regional Archives is the Irish Family History Foundation’s designated centre for the City and County of Limerick.
Church records in the Limerick Regional Archives area have various starting dates:
The earliest Roman Catholic parish records computerised at this centre start in 1745 and the latest start in 1851
The earliest Church of Ireland (Anglican/Episcopalian) records date from 1692 and the latest from 1845
The Centre has Presbyterian records which commenced in 1828
Methodist records commence in 1824
In addition to these church records, the Limerick (Hotels, Limerick, Ireland) Regional Archives also has access to:
Civil records
Comprehensive property records from the middle of the last century
Tithe records from the period before the Great Famine
The census of 1901
Other major genealogical sources used in genealogical research at the Limerick Regional Archives include:
Trade directories
Monteagle Estate records from 1830
City Hospital records from 1816 to 1820
Cemetery records from 1855 to 1920
A total of over one million genealogical records are at the disposal of staff at the Limerick Regional Archives.