Religious house - Augustinian nuns

The National Monuments Service's description

The Augustinian Priory of St. Peter in the city of Limerick (LI005-017----) was described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 330) as following; 'Founded by Donal O’Brien for Augustinian Black nuns at about the time of the arrival of the Anglo-Normans (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 322). The priory is shown on the 1590 map as situated between Bishop Street and the town wall (LI005-017010-) in the area known today as St Peter’s Cell. At the time of the dissolution in 1541 the buildings were already ruinous but occupied three-quarters of an acre (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 322). A stone head was discovered in the area in 1946 and Hunt (1949-52,16-7) suggested that the carving, which considered to be Romanesque in style, may have come from the priory. This limestone head is now in the Limerick Museum'.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 18 November 2019

References

Hunt, J. 1949-52 Romanesque head from Peter's Cell. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 6, 16-17.

Bradley, J., Halpin, A., and King, H.A. 1989 Urban archaeological survey - county Limerick (3 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Gwynn, A. and Hadcock, R.N. 1970 (Reprint 1988) Medieval religious houses of Ireland. Dublin. Irish Academic Press.