Sketches and prints of Tipperary

We have a large archive of prints, photos and postcards relating to Tipperary. Some of my favorite ones are the Bartlett and Hooper sketches.

This one is of St. Marys, Thurles in a ruined state in 1793. The church was originally built by the Normans and came under the control of the Cistercian Abbey of Owney, Co. Limerick as in 1292 the Abbot mortgaged the church to Italian merchants. St Mary’s is recorded as being in ruins in 1615, rebuilt and was in ruins again in 1780. This print of the ruined church shows a much larger church than it is today with a large chancel tower. It was rebuilt in 1820, the present building, at a cost of £2,000 and seats 300.