Brief History of Newcastle West Courthouse

The first courthouse was on Bishop Street near the Carnegie Library, where the inaugural Board of Guardians meeting occurred in 1839. 

When the current courthouse was constructed in 1842, the original building was converted into a market house but was later destroyed. An inscription above the entrance reads, "An honest penny is better than a dishonest pound." During the Civil War, a British military garrison occupied the courthouse. 

On the night of June 27, 1921, it was set on fire by a flying column of the West Limerick Brigade of the IRA. According to "Limerick's Fighting Story," after the attack, "the customary reprisals were vented on the inhabitants of the town " Fortunately, the façade of the courthouse survived the fire. 

The courthouse was left in a derelict state, and in October 1923, 16-year-old Robert Monaghan tragically lost his life when a brick partition collapsed on him. The building was subsequently deemed a public danger. In the mid-1920s, the courthouse was reconstructed and remains today.