LIMERICK’S “secret asset” – its city centre laneways — are being considered by the Council for a new initiative to be shown much-needed love.
Councillors received a presentation at this month’s Metropolitan District meeting on the local authority’s Limerick Laneways Project, which identifies 25 laneways within the city for improvement.
Council members welcomed the prioritisation of works and plans for Theatre Lane, off Lower Glentworth Street, as a pilot project of the new initiative.
Social Democrats councillor Shane Hickey-O’Mara deemed it exciting, suggesting that Theatre Lane would be a perfect starting point. However, he urged the Council to prioritise Griffith Row at the back of the Theatre Royal, to coincide with the re-opening of the historic Limerick landmark, which he said has “huge potential”.
“I’m sure everybody has different lanes and alleyways they want to prioritise, but it’s already hopping and if we get the Theatre Royal back open full-time, it will be an extraordinary space,” Cllr Hickey-O’Mara opined.
Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely told Council management that she would like to see them take a look at Daly’s Lane, off Mallow Street, in an effort to make it more usable.
“There’s a crèche next door and you can see buggies going in and out. They use the People’s Park, which is great, but wouldn’t it be nice if they could use the lane as well?” Cllr Kiely commented.
Independent councillor Ursula Gavan felt more focus was needed on the immediate city centre laneways before looking at the Georgian Quarter.
“We recently passed a motion for Post Office Lane. We preempted actually the selection of EuroPride for Limerick, because we were hoping to have a similar lane to Love Lane in Dublin. I do know that Post Office Lane can be done successfully with Limerick Youth Service, which is what we proposed and I would like us to push that initiative,” Cllr Gavan insisted.
Cllr Elisa O’Donovan drew the Council’s attention to Augustinian Lane, formerly Augustinian Chapel Place, which she said she has been logging complaints about since 2019.
“I want to know why Theatre Lane is being prioritised constantly and what we are hearing from businesses and residents is being ignored,” Cllr O’Donovan asked.
Director of the Metropolitan District, Kieran Lehane, deemed the city laneways as Limerick’s “secret asset” and thanked Council members for their engagement on the matter.
“The members here set the budget. We had a budget presentation this morning, and the stuff we’re doing in the city centre now, the additional stuff, is coming from the budget process. So there’s a direct connection between what the members say, what the members vote, and the actions we can do,” Mr Lehane concluded.