musicians, and the shouts of the delighted populace, they proceeded through the principal streets of the city, while their merry-men played a thousand antic tricks, and the day generally ended in a terrible fight between the Garryowen and Thomond-gate boys, (the tradesmen of the north and south suburbs.) Bonfires are still lighted on May-eve, and St. John's-eve; and Patrick's-day commences with numerous acts of devotion at a well dedicated to the patron saint in the neighbourhood of the city, and ends with copious libations to his memory. On Sundays and holidays, scarlet cloaks are the prevalent costume of the humbler classes of females. Has this, as it seems peculiar to this neighbourhood, any connection with the heroism displayed by the women of Limerick in 1690, at the defence of the breach near the Black Battery ? The Irish language is rarely spoken by the inhabitants, except when they have to transact business with the neighbouring peasantry; and it is necessary for the occupiers of those shops which the latter frequent to be able to speak the native tongue. Among the lower classes, marriages and christenings are celebrated with more or less joviality according to the circumstances of the parties, and the unseemly custom of drinking and carousing at the wakes of deceased friends is still practised, though the hullulloo, or Irish-cry, is now rarely heard in the streets at funerals. On the whole a considerable improve

ment is visible in the manners of the lower classes, which must continue to keep pace with the progress of education, and the advancing prosperity of the city.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND INSTITUTIONS.

RELIGIOUS EDIFICES.

St. Mary's Cathedral.-Donald O'Brien, King of Limerick, or North Munster, founded this Cathedral about the year 1180, on the site of his own palace, and endowed it with various grants of land.* The church was much enlarged by Bishop Donat O'Brien in the early part of the thirteenth century, who assigned prebends to the secular canons. Hubert de Burgh, Eustace de l'Ewe, Cornelius O'Dea, and other subsequent bishops, expended large sums in its repairs and decorations, and in 1490 the citi

* The munificence of this prince to the church has been highly extolled by Irish writers. Mac Curtin informs us, that besides the Cathedral of Limerick, he built and endowed the following religious edifices: an abbey for Augustine nuns in the city of Limerick, and another for monks, which Sir James Ware attributes to Simon Minor-the abbeys of Manister Nenagh, and Kilcoole, in the county of Limerick-those of Clare, Canon Island, Inchicronan, Kilowen, Corcomroe, and Kilshanny, in the county of Clare, with those of Holy Cross, and two others in Tipperary; and re-edified the metropolitan church of Cashel.

zens repaired the nave which had fallen into decay. Of the changes which took place at the period of the Reformation very scanty information has been transmitted to us; but it would appear that many of the interior ornaments of the church were added in the reign of Henry VIII. as the head of that monarch is curiously carved on some of the stalls for the clergy. The various private chapels were soon after converted to other purposes; the communiontable replaced the altar, and the performance of divine service was confined to the choir.

Bishop Adams, who governed the see of Limerick in the early part of the seventeenth century, was a great benefactor to this cathedral, to which he presented a fine organ. After the surrender of the city to Ireton, in 1651, the church was plundered of much of its property, and many of its ornaments and monuments were defaced; but the corporation and citizens, in the reign of Charles II. made great exertions to repair these injuries, and preserve this venerable pile from ruin. In 1673 a good ring of bells and chimes were put up in the steeple, at the joint expense of the clergy and corporation. In 1680 the south door and porch were erected, a pavement made from thence to the main street, and trees were planted round the church-yard. A mortgage of £1000 forfeited by Alderman Leonard, was devoted by King William to repair the damages sustained by this and the other churches of Limerick during the