LIMERICK StRand HOtELItS pLaCE In IRISH HIStORyThe intention of the Limerick Civic Trust and the Limerick Strand Hotel in preparing the text and illustrations which follow, is to make guests to the hotel, both local and overseas, aware of the history of the hotel site, which spans a period of more than 250 years.

1. Stephen O’Mara Senior (1844-1926) - Senator in the first Senate was eldest son of James O’Mara 1817-1899 founder of the O’Mara Bacon Company Limerick. Stephen purchased Strand House in 1908 where he lived with his family until he died in 1926. Stephen O’Mara Senior, who supported Issac Butt in his election in Limerick City, was an Mp during the leadership of parnell and acted as trustee of the national Funds. He was elected to the Irish Free State Senate in 1925.

2. Jack O’Mara (1856-1919), Stephen O’Mara Senior’s younger brother, was instrumental in building up the O’Mara Bacon Company

with his brother Stephen - expanding their connections to USa, Canada, Russia, Romania, France and also in acquiring donnelly’s Bacon factory in dublin.

3. Stephen O’Mara Senior’s brother Joseph O’Mara (1864-1927), who lived in Hartstonge Street, was a famous operatic tenor and he sang leading operatic roles in the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and elsewhere. He was amongst the earliest recording artists of operatic music.

4. James O’Mara (1873-1948), Stephen O’Mara Senior’s eldest son was a Home Rule Mp and Sinn Féin td. He was a member of the first

dáil Éireann and a trustee of dáil Éireann funds. He acted as a London agent for the bacon business until 1914 when he returned to Ireland to run donnelly’s bacon factory in dublin.

5. Mayor Stephen O’Mara (1884-1959), James’ younger brother - trustee of dáil Éireann funds, founded the bacon factories in Claremorris and Letterkenny and married anne O’Brien, sister of the novelist Kate O’Brien.

6. alphonsus O’Mara (1887-1958) Mayor of Limerick 1918, James’ young brother, bought donnelly’s bacon factory from his brother James.

CREdItS: The O’Mara Family, Clare Hannigan O’Mara, donough O’Brien, dr. John Logan, prof. Etienne Rynne, Fiona Kelly, dr. Mathew potter, Billy Gabbett, tanis Keane, Sean Lally - Limerick Strand Hotel. Research: Cian O’Carroll - Limerick Civic trust. Design: donal O’Keeffe.

StRand HOUSE

tHE O’MaRa COnnECtIOn

West Elevation & Main Entrance

East Elevation Facing Garden

Stephen O’Mara Senior 1844-1926

Back (Left to Right): Captain Michael Rynne (aide-de-camp to Dick Mulcahy), Dick Mulcahy (Chief of Staff of old IRA). Front (Left to Right): Mrs Mary Rynne, Eamon de Valera (President of the Irish Republic), Stephen O’Mara, Cathal Brugha (Minister for Defence).

James O’Mara, singer 1864-1927

For more detailed information on the history of Limerick Strand Hotel scan this QR code

Strand House, also known as Stonetown House, was built in the late 18th Century, by G. Vandaleur. The first tenant was daniel Gabbett, an extensive landowner. One of the most eminent members of this family was Edmund Gabbett (1816-1865), who was elected mayor of Limerick in 1858.

The Sexton-Baylee family were also owners for a period.

In the late 1940’s the O’Mara family presented a large section of the site to the Limerick Corporation for the development of a new City Hall. The project however was abandoned and the site was subsequently sold to the Intercontinental Hotel Group who in 1962 built

a hotel there, designed by architect Michael Scott. Because of the new circumstances the corporation passed on the sale proceeds to the O’Mara family. The hotel was purchased in 1970 by Jurys.

In 2006/07 the hotel was purchased by Lalco, a Galway property company, who replaced it with a more extensive complex including this hotel (Limerick Strand Hotel) and apartments.

South Elevation of Strand House 1940s

De ValeRa - night of 5 th/6 th DecembeR 1921 - “DeV, the Phone call anD the tReat y ”

Earlier that day Eamon de Valera, Irish Republican leader, had been conferred with the freedom of the city. He and his party spent the night in Strand House and while they were there a telephone call was received by de Valera from the Irish delegation led by Michael Collins confirming that the anglo Irish treaty had been signed at 2am, 6th december 1921. This momentous event in Irish history led to the Irish Civil War.

o’maRa family anD the “SounD of muSic”

Jim O’Mara acted as London agent to the business - his daughter Connie, born 1891, went to Vienna as a governess and married Baron Werner Von trapp, brother of Baron George Von trapp, whose romantic family story is told in the musical - “The Sound of Music”. Werner and Connie had a daughter also called Connie. Werner died in the First World War. Over the years members of the Von trapp family visited Strand House.

WaR of inDePenDence memoRialLeacht Cuimhneacháin Cogadh na Saoirse

The north east corner of this site contains a memorial garden which was erected at the suggestion of Stephen O’Mara (1884-1959) to commemorate the civic leaders of Limerick City and county who died in the fight for Irish freedom 1919-1921.

Kate o’bRienKate O’Brien (1897-1974) eminent Irish novelist, of the 1930-60s period stayed frequently at Strand House with her sister anne and her brother-in-law Stephen O’Mara. One of her best known novels, “The ante Room” was completed there in 1934. Strand House was one of her favourite places in Limerick City. From there, as described in ‘My Ireland’ in 1962, she could see “the two boat clubs, the river and The Sarsfield Bridge”.

neW StRanD houSe no. 1This art deco dwelling, designed by Limerick architect patrick J. Sheahan, was built in 1943 to replace the original Strand House which had been demolished about this time. It was a stylish and spacious house with an impressive hall and stairway. The O’Mara Family lived there until c1958, when it was bought by Michael (RIp 2006) and his wife tanis Keane. The Keanes were a well known family of Limerick Bakers. Following the death of her husband, tanis sold the house to a property developer who replaced it with apartments.

neW StRanD houSe no. 2This redbrick Victorian, villa-style house, previously known as Ivy Lodge, was owned for a period by the O’Mara family. They subsequently sold it to the Mid-Western Health Board.