PETER ST

Peter Holmes Street to give it it's full title dates from 1839. Houses were removed in Castle St in order to facilitate an entrance for the new street leading to the Courthouse. Currently the street is sometimes called Banba Square. He also built a large house in Puckane known as Petersfield. This was later renamed Johnstown.

"the street lately opened from Castle St to the new Courthouse to be called Peter St from Peter Holmes, Lord of the Soil."

(Nenagh Guardian 14/09/1839)

Before the monuments in the square, before the traffic restrictions, when a statue dominated the skyline. and when the railings had lamps. On fair Days, Banba Square was reserved for Sheep with the pens tied to the railings

A face from the past adding a sense of scale to the picture

The Courthouse with two of the Gaol wings and the Governors House in the background.  Notice the existing high wall

Lady Justice sits on her perch overseeing the correct administration of the law. Later she was to be removed as the statue was found to be too heavy for the pediment. 

Advertising the Show in Nenagh Showgrounds sponsored by Pratts Patent Poultry Meal

"......At Nenagh, a fine white quartzose sandstone obtained at Drumbane, near Thurles has been used at the new court-house. It is a good free-working stone, and may be procured in large blocks...."

Practical geology and ancient architecture of Ireland - (George Wilkinson - 1845)

The business end

Notice the absence of the RC Church built 1896

COURTHOUSE, ST MARY'S R.C. & THE TOWNHALL

One of the earliest photo's of Nenagh. The Townhall has not yet been built and the new Church of Ireland is visible so this would date the photo to between 1860 and 1889

A view of the Townhall & Donjon from the Courthouse Colonnade

Some postcards recording the principal buildings. The Townhall to the forefront designed by architect Robert Gill and completed in 1889. The Archivolt over the doorway is heavily influenced by the Doorway in the Castle St. Lecture Hall built twenty years previously.

BUILT 1906 - ARCHITECT HENRY JAMES LUNDY

VIEW FROM THE COURTHOUSE

Jamesy

Before the Rialto was built and when Jamesy ruled the square

Preparing the groundwork for Jamesy (1)

Poor 'oul Jamesy'....last heard of in the grounds of a hotel in Longford

This statue from Mullinahone is probably what Jamesy should have looked like

Preparing the groundwork for Jamesy (2)

Jamesy under his cupola standing to attention and guarding the square

https://www.longfordleader.ie/news/local-news/106862/-Long-lost--Nenagh-statue.html

Jamesy on guard

Jamesy's long lost shelter found repeating its original purpose but this time in St Senan's Well in Doonass, Co Clare.

(Acquired by Canon Hamilton in the 1950's)

....unfortunately not everyone appreciated Jamesy. He was finally removed in 1955

(Val Nousden - Irish Independent - 03/08/1942)

The Fallen still remain dead

The Council Steamroller and workers wagon parked around the corner at Wolftone Terrace

Hodgins General Merchant on the corner of Peter St and Castle St (1)

Hodgins General Merchant on the corner of Peter St and Castle St (2) -

all kinds of accoutrements available for sale. From chocolate and cycles to seeds, mowers and implements. I bet you'd find Fork Handles (or candles) in this establishment. Meanwhile the young lads look as if they're up for some 'divilment'.

Having a natter in the shade

Kids enjoying the sunny side of the street and bare feet appear to be the norm

"oh where did you get that hat....?"

.....young lad mining for gold

Horse drawn Farm Machinery lined up outside Hodgins and the advent of bicycles.....Humber & Rover....

Photo must have been taken on a Sunday or Wednesday half-day as there are no farming implements outside Hodgins.

Volunteers drilling outside the Town Hall. Notice the walls of the Bank Garden as the Rialto has yet to be built

Bertie Gill addressing Volunteers 12/07/1914

Political Rally 1948/49

Mass being celebrated  in the Portico of the Courthouse

Dancing outside the Bank

As ever the focal point for any protest or mass gathering. This one is the perennial call to upgrade Nenagh Hospital

PROVINCIAL BANK later to become the town Garda Station after they vacated their premises in Barrack St

Gerry & Josephine Irvine in their shop in Peter St

The Irish Volunteer - 20/06/1914

A view of a Brass band and children in Peter St. The photographers vantage point will have been on the steps in Castle St

The Rialto with Jamesy

RIALTO CINEMA

later a warehouse and Hardware store....now scheduled to be an I.T. hub -

(incidentally the films showing are David Niven in The Way Ahead and David Essex in That'll be the Day)

John Ryan the Coalyard

Classic example of the re-use and re-purpose of local landmark which much improves the vista in the square.

Hodgins advert from the 1950's suggesting people might be a bit tight fisted. Perhaps the reality is that they just had no money

The Brass letters of Stuarts Granolithic which was to be found embedded in the pavement outside of Irvine's. For years I thought it referred to a similar period as the Neolithic or Megalithic Era's. It's only in recent years that I found out it was a type of Scottish Concrete Flooring founded in 1840

Irvine's Grocers & Provisioners sadly no longer with us

A wet day in Nenagh

The Townhall repurposed