New archaeological finds shed light on Nicholas Street’s medieval past.
LIMERICK City and County Council today confirmed the discovery of a medieval undercroft during works at the THRIVE Fireplace Site located at 35-39 Nicholas Street.
The Fireplace Site had previously received €6.56 million from the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme’ in September 2025. This funding was provided to help build a Forge Design Factory.
“The finds will not delay the delivery of the project,” a spokesperson for the local authority confirmed.
The council added: “The project team is considering how best to incorporate these elements into the final design for the Forge Design Factory.”
While doing the ground reduction for the upcoming construction works, several discoveries were found. The discoveries made by archaeologists will allow them to examine the undercroft closer, as it is now more visually exposed than ever before.
Archaeologists working on the Fireplace Site believe the undercroft was once part of the stone mansion that was built on Nicholas Street in the 1500s. They are unsure yet if the undercroft was a later development. The basement lies between surviving walls, and it contains a limestone fireplace.
On the site, old walls from buildings located in the area were still visible. Artefacts found in the sand, from which the walls were built, tell the archaeologists that it was a later construction.
What appeared to be an old bread oven was also discovered at the scene. This discovery will provide substantial information on the evolution of the site, from its medieval origins to the more recent redevelopments made throughout the centuries.
Other discoveries made on the site include stone, believed to be from when the mansion was built and a cobbed surface dating back to the 19th century.
Limerick City and County Council has released a video of Archaeologist Frank Coyne in which he explains the significance of his team’s latest discoveries.
The developments on the Fireplace Site remain ongoing, with the main construction works of the Forged Design factory, expected to commence in early 2027.