Identity Statement

Reference Code: P23/
Title: Limerick Protestant Young Men's Association
Dates: 1875-1980
Extent: 27 Boxes + 4 Volumes

Content & Structure

The Limerick Protestant Young Men's Association was founded in 1853 to provide and maintain suitable premises and grounds to encourage literary and scientific study, cultivate artistic taste, create good fellowship, and provide spiritual, moral, social and physical improvement among its members. A permanent headquarters for the Association was acquired at 97 George Street (later renamed O'Connell Street) in 1875, to which a new gymnasium and lecture hall were added two years later. A sports ground was purchased in 1920 at Farranshone. The Association was governed by a president, vice-presidents, treasurer, secretaries and a committee of thirteen members elected during the annual general meetings. Among its other duties, the Committee was responsible for the approval and general control of clubs which operated within the Association and which were managed by their own sub-committees. The most important of such clubs were those for Hockey, Lawn Tennis, Cricket and Bowls, which in 1938 amalgamated into a unified Sports Club. The Association also operated a billiards room, and a large library and reading room. Prospective members had to belong to one of the reformed branches of the Christian Church and be of respectable moral conduct. Women were eligible and were exempt from the subscription fee provided that they had a male relative who was also a member. The Association's popularity began to wane from the 1960s onwards. It remains in existence but mostly in an administrative capacity to oversee the maintenance of its premises.

The material has been divided into seven series to reflect the different aspects of the association's functions (committee matters; membership matters; finances; construction and maintenance of premises; sporting and other activities; library and reading room; and assorted maps, charts, photographs and architectural drawings). There are no records relating to the Association's early years (1853-1874), and few relating to its activities after 1959. The records are purely administrative by nature and reveal little of the Association's temporal and spiritual aspirations. Arising from the fact that secretaries were not obliged to hand over correspondence or other material upon resignation, some years and some aspects of the Association's activities remain poorly recorded.

Conditions of Access & Use

Access: Available by appointment
Finding Aid: Descriptive List (click on link attached)

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