Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the municipal corporations in Ireland: first report

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LIMERICK. 
344 REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONERS ON CITY OF LIMERICK. 

Part of the parish of Stradbally Killienegarruffe t§ Kilmurry -

Part of Derry Galvane Part of Carrig-i-Parson -

Part of Carnary -

Part of Cahirivally ---

Downaghmore -

St. 
Michael's St. 
Nicholas -", " 

Knockneffaule -

Mongrett -

St. 
Patrick's ----

St. 
Lawrence ----

St. 
John's -

Total -

A. 
R. 
p. 
1,387 0 0 918 2 0 2,016 0 0 587 1 0 682 0 0 639 3 17 1,301 2 0 1,203 3 0 346 1 10 * 860 0 0 1,136 1 0 3,037 2 0 691 0 0 4 1 0 

» 

* 2 2 32 15,213 3 19 Acreable Contents of Liberties. 

Inniscattery. 

Admeasurement, 1609. 

Boundary Act. 
Prescription. 

Ch ASTERS. 
John Earl of Morton. 

.Edward 
I. 

In No. 
5 ofthe Appendix B. 
of Documentary Papers to the Report of the Select Committee on thc city of Limerick Taxation, ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on the 31st July 1822, the denominations of the north and south Liberties are stated in detail; the number of acres in the former being 1,714, and in the IatteV 14,0401 In the Returns relating to the estates of the corporation, ordered to be printed by the House of Commons on the 12th August 1833, p. 
72, the denominations are given as taken from the grand jury w arrant of spring assizes 1833. 
They differ in some of the details from the statements of 1822; and the contents by the warrant of 1833 appear to be, of the north liberties 1,708 acres, and ofthe south 13,840; being a difference in the whole of20§^ acres less than the acreable contents ghen in 1822. 
The contents of both liberties by the late Return are 15,548 Irish acres, making about 25,000 statute acres. 
A strong impression seemed to exist that the actual contents of the liberties exceed those stated by the grand jury; but we are unable to say how far this impres¬ sion is well founded. 
5. 
Inniscattery is a small island in the Shannon, containing 103 Irish acres. 
It is about 60 miles distant from Limerick, and, although so remote, forms a part of the parish of St. 
Mary's, one ofthe city parishes above mentioned. 
6. 
By the charter of 6 James I., 
which created the county ofthe city, commissioners were appointed to measure and mark out the new boundaries " three miles every way, in and through the county of Limerick, from the exterior part of the city walls;" ancl by a deed of admeasurement, made under this commission, bearing date the 31st August 1609, and enrolled in Chancery, the mears and bounds of the county of the city were declared and certified to be as therein stated. 
This admeasurement was confined to the county Limerick side of the Shannon, and does not include the north liberties. 
A copy of this deed is printed in the Appendix B. 
to the Report ofthe Committee of 1822, before referred to, No. 
4. 

The boundaries so laid down far exceed, as already appears, the hmit of three miles prescribed by the charters. 
They are defined with great minuteness in the deed of admeasurement; and the powers of perambulating them, conferred by the charter, were exercised by the corporation in the year 1765 as a then usual ceremony. 
However, there has been no perambulation of late years, and perhaps it is owing to this omission that the limits of the county of the city are in one point, at least, not accurately known. 
This uncertainty occurs in the denomination of Tervoe, in the south liberties, and the consequence of it will be noticed in a subsequent branch of this Report. 
7. 
The Boundary Act has made no alteration in the limits of the county of the cj|r of Limerick. 
8. 
The corporation of this city exists by Prescription ancl Charter, and its authority is regulated ancj confirmed by statute. 
Its prescriptive rights have been constantly pleaded, and are recognised by several of its charters, and recently by the 4 Geo. 
IV. 
c. 
126, commonly called the Limerick Regulation Act. 
9. 
The earliest Charter known to have been given to the citizens of Limerick is that of John Earl of Morton and Lord of Ireland, in 1199. 
This charter is not on record, but is recited in the next succeeding charter, that of Edward I., 
as a grant to the citizens of Limerick of" all the liberties and free customs which the citizens of Dublin, by whatever charters of Kings of England and Lords of Ireland, wheresoever used." 
By an inquisition taken at Limerick, 18th Mar. 
12 Jac. 
I., 
and hereafter more fully noticed, it is found that.King 
John granted to the mayor and citizens of Limerick 40 plough lands, at a rent ot i* yearly. 
These plough lands are near the city, and for one of them a chief rent is received by the corporation to this day. 
The « honour" of Limerick was granted by John in me second year of his reign to William de Braosa. 
for 5,000 marcs. 
The city of Limerick being retained in the hand and demesne ofthe King with the cantred of the ostmen and the noiy Island (Inniscattery). 
-* 

10. 
The charter of Edward I. 
is dated in the twentieth year of his reign (4th February 1-WW This charter and an exemplification of it in*the 31 Edward I. 
are enrolled. 
(Rot. 
6 EdwardVLm.il.)