Clare Street Campus Limerick School of Art and Design

new build alongside 19th century convent

clare street backed onto walls of irishtown , derives name john fitzgibbon, 1st earl of clare lord chancellor of ireland 1789 1802. james o sullivan, tobacco merchant, constructed street on swampy land known múin na muice, moor or common of pigs, , dedicated fitzgibbon.

the clare street campus located on site of old lancastrian school, developed joseph lancaster education of poor in 19th century. lancaster quaker, born in london in 1788, had devoted himself education of poor. system employ more advanced boys monitors, or assistant teachers, enable few masters teach large number of boys. spelling , reading taught charts hung on walls, thereby dispensing need books poor , slates used write on, save paper. first school founded in london in 1801 , school in limerick founded around 1806. entrance school on old clare street , street became known locally long can, after lancastrian school.

attendance figures dropped @ school , gradually fell disrepair. in november 1821, christian brothers purchased school £200. in 1858, let part of garden madame de beligond, superioress of shepherd convent @ annual rent of £10. when christian brothers left building in 1888, sold nuns £200. established girls reformatory on site of old thomond brewery, adjacent convent, 1 of 3 breweries still in operation in limerick city in 1870s. sold nuns in 1879 , demolished construct reformatory house young women had become pregnant out of wedlock. established magdalene laundry on adjacent site had been public execution ground in 16th , 17th centuries, known farrancroghy execution site. continued operate reformatory , laundry @ site until sold regional technical college in 1994.

major refurbishment , construction works have been carried out @ site, in 2 phases. first saw refurbishment of of main building , chapel in late 1990s. second phase completed in august 2008 , consisted of construction of additional space, further refurbishment , considerable ground works, including new entrance onto clare street.