My ancestors - Humphrys - Contents

18 The Crescent, Limerick

The Crescent ("An Corrán") was built in early 19th century.
Originally called Richmond Place (for a long time used both names).
It is a continuation of the main street of (new) 18th-19th century Limerick, George St (now O'Connell St), at the SW (Co.Kerry road) end.
Georgian houses, wide stretch of street, island in middle.
18 The Crescent was built c.1820.

The statue to Daniel O'Connell was erected 1857 on the island in the middle of The Crescent.
The Jesuit Crescent College (founded 1859) moved to Crescent House, The Crescent, in 1862.
The Jesuit Church, The Crescent (linked to the school) was built 1868.

18 The Crescent was home of Dr. David Humphreys by 1894.
He married in 1895.
Dick Humphreys was born there in 1896.
Sighle Humphreys was born there in 1899.
They left by Sept 1902.

The main street of Limerick, George St, was renamed O'Connell St 1903.
18 The Crescent is now offices, called "Corraun House" ("Crescent House") though this is not the same location as the old Crescent House (the school).
See entry at NIAH.

The Crescent (Richmond Place)

The new town, Limerick, in its infancy.
Sauthier's map of 1786.
"25" is the Bishop's Palace (still there today).
The future site of The Crescent is off the map, on the road to Kerry.

Extract from map of Limerick, by Coffey, 1823.
N is at an angle.
The Crescent (Richmond Place) is now laid out.
See full size.

Richmond Place on map of Limerick, by Coffey, 1823.
George St is to the RHS.
The future no.18 would be in the LHS of plot 11.
See full size.

The new town, Limerick.
McKern's map of 1827.
"41" is the Bishop's Palace.
The Crescent (Richmond Place) is visible.

The Crescent (Richmond Place) on 1829 to 1842 map.

The Crescent (Richmond Place) on Ordnance Survey of Ireland map. Date created: 1870. From here.
Of the 5 houses N of the church, no.18 is the middle one.

The Crescent (Richmond Place) on 1887 to 1913 map.

1947 aerial view showing The Crescent.
View from the SE, looking NW.
See wider.
From Britain from Above. Non-commercial use.

Proof there has been no re-numbering

First we establish there has been no re-numbering.

The Crescent in [Guy's, 1893, vol.D, p.80].
Numbers 1 to n down the E side.
And then, coming up the W side, Crescent College with the church, and then numbers 17 to 20.

The Crescent in [Guy's, 1912, p.80].
Numbers 1 to n down the E side.
And then, coming up the W side, Crescent College with the church, and then numbers 17 to 18.

In the modern numbering, the numbers go the same way.
This shows there has been no re-numbering for the whole street.
From here.

The Humphreys house is the modern no.18

Since the church residence is still no.16, the Humphreys house, no.18, must be two along from it, which is the modern no.18.

18 The Crescent, Limerick (red door).
Left to right: no.16 (church residence, with large porch sticking out), no.17, no.18, no.19, no.20 (at angle).
Click to rotate.
From Google Street View.

The Crescent, Limerick.
Photo c. 1880 to 1900. From NLI.
The school, Crescent College, is to the LHS of the church.
18 The Crescent is to the RHS of the church, just out of shot.

The Crescent, Limerick, in 1923.
Possibly during the 1923 election.
No.18 is the white door and the two windows to the RHS of the door.
No.20 has since been re-built.
See full size. Posted by Randel Hodkinson.

The Crescent, Limerick, in 1950s.
No.18 visible on LHS.
Image from here in Vol.1 of Limerick, A Stroll Down Memory Lane, by Sean Curtin. Used with permission.

18 The Crescent, Limerick (red door).
Photo 2006. See full size.
See closer shot and closer shot.

Front door.
Photo 2006. See full size.
See alternate shot.

Close-up of above. See full size.

Interior

Front hall, 18 The Crescent, Limerick.
Photo 1985 (when it was vacant).

Front hall. Photo 2006. See full size.
See alternate shot.

Movie

Pan of The Crescent from the SW (Kerry road) end to the NE (Limerick city centre) end.
From the O'Connell statue to the Jesuit church to no.18 (red door).
Video 2006.
From here. Hosted at my YouTube account.
Download AVI file.