ArticleBy George!

…is not only how many Irish people might feel about their neighbourhood but it's also where they actually live - literally so, as in Dublin alone there are five Georgian squares (and many more of those are scattered around the country). To be fair, it's not St. George the original exclamation refers to, but a king - and not just one but the first four of the six English kings of that name that are responsible for the Irish connection. They ruled in succession between 1714 and 1830, and most of what had been built during those 116 years, came to be known as “Georgian houses” that in turn formed “Georgian Quarters”. In a relatively small town, such a quarter might easily account for a significant part of the town centre - and that's exactly what Newtown Pery does in Limerick. It's only natural that the Limerick Civic Trust, an organization responsible for preservation and promotion of the town's culture and history (including its architectural heritage), is located in the very heart of that quarter.

Even though the words “culture” and “history” are often used next to each other, they are two complex and rather distinct concepts. While history is predominantly about facts, dates, events and personalities as such, culture encompasses all the above but in a very different way as it emphasizes the spirit of the time in question rather than its material component. To address the unique nature of each concept, the Limerick Civic Trust offers two distinct experiences provided by the People's Museum of Limerick and a tailored for each individual visitor Tour Around The Block. The former is all about an “eclectic and fascinating collection of items”, the “eclectic” part being quite endearing - in particular, when it comes to the “Toys Room”

The tour is also rather eclectic - or, at least, as eclectic as the guest wants it to be - but it focuses on places and experiences rather than objects. Essentially, it resurrects spirits of the past - impoverished soldiers and even army officers who had a “Soldiers' House” built for them right next to the local church; a wealthy house owner who sold his house not to see a monument to Daniel O'Connell, he passionately hated for some reason, right in front of his window…

While stories about particular individuals or even buildings might be touching, inspiring or amusing, the tour guide somehow manages to ensure that the story about the true protagonist of the tour - Newtown Pery itself - is told between the words. One can imagine the guardian spirit of the quarter accompanying every such tour and occasionally nodding and smiling approvingly…