Nenagh Town Hall, Industries, Social Organizations - Book of County Tipperary, 1889
About “The Book of County Tipperary,” 1889
George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.
The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. The Book of County Tipperary is the first of these to be made available on libraryireland.com, with its own search page. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.
- This online version is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
- The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
- Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.
With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.
To enjoy the rich variety of advertisements, confirm accuracy of the entries, or have a printed record of a family member, obtain an original or facsimile copy of The Book of County Tipperary.
A New and handsome Town Hall was completed in 1889 at a cost of £2,000. It occupies a site granted to the Town Commissioners by the Grand Jury, opposite the Court House, and has an assembly room capable of seating 700 people. Mr. Robert P. Gill, C.E., M.I.C.E., was the architect, and Mr. Michael Grace, the builder. There is a department in it for a public library.
The sources of employment at Nenagh include flour and corn mills, a woollen factory, two mineral water factories, and two coach factories.
The Nenagh Lawn Tennis Club was established in 1885, and has about 150 members. It has four grass courts and one gravel court. A club tournament was held in 1887. Captain Holt Waring, R.M., is secretary, and Mr. J. W. C. Barry, treasurer. Family subscription 25s. Bachelors, 15s. Entrance, 15s.
The North Tipperary Club, established five years ago, has its house in Castle-street. There are over 100 members. An annual subscription of three guineas is paid by members within a radius of 15 statute miles. Beyond that limit one guinea. Mr. Charles S. Honner is secretary.
The Nenagh National Literary Institute is in Chapel-street. It was established in 1885, is non-sectarian, and has about 130 members paying an annual subscription each of 6s. A library of 500 volumes, reading-room, billiard-room, gymnasium, and a concert hall, are among the attractive features. Mr. Thomas Rochford is president, Mr. James M‘Comaskey, secretary, and Mr. Daniel Sheehan, librarian.
The Young Men’s Christian Association has handsome quarters in Castle-street, built in 1869, at a cost of £1,500. There are 120 members. The annual subscription is 8s. Debates, essays, readings, and literary and musical entertainments are features. There are from 1,400 to 1,500 books in the library, and a reading room is well maintained. Rev. Canon Thomas is president and treasurer, and Rev. Wm. Fitzgerald, and Mr. Charles M. Carroll, secretaries.
The Ormond Football Club (Rugby), established in 1884, has about 30 members. Annual subscription £1. Mr. Alister H. M‘Leod is captain, Mr. David Coyne, secretary, and Mr. Fred. H. Bull, treasurer.
The Nenagh Boat Club was established in 1888. It has 30 members paying an annual subscription each of £1. The club house is at Dromineer, on Lough Derg. Mr. Wm. Foley is president of the committee of management, Mr. R. Gleeson, sol., secretary, and Mr. Fred. W. Day, treasurer. A lawn tennis club, established in 1889, is a feature. For this an extra subscription of 5s. is charged.
References to hunting, coursing, angling and fowling in the Nenagh district will be found at pages 37 and 51.
The Nenagh Cycling Club was established in 1889. There are 50 members, paying an annual subscription each of 2s. 6d. Mr. J. P. Walsh, J.P., is president, Mr. Alister H. M‘Leod, captain, Mr. Fred. H. Bull, vice-captain, Mr. David Coyne, treasurer, and Mr. Gerard J. Barry, secretary.