The Granary

Attached multiple-bay four-/five-storey limestone bonded warehouse, built in 1787, on an L-shaped plan with six-bay four-/five-storey elevation to north, a carriage arch to both elevations giving access to a courtyard enclosed to west, by high rubble stone wall and to south, by glazed steel-framed and red brick library building elevation. Loophole to both elevations. Hipped artificial slate roof with hipped-gable to west. Intersecting gable roof structures of loopholes. Rebuilt red brick chimneystack, which appears nineteenth-century, is flush with north-facing elevation with irregular red brick flue path rising from ground floor level beneath. uPVC rainwater goods. Squared and coursed rubble limestone walls throughout with squared flush quoins to corners. Limestone street sign to corner reading: 'Michael Street. 1787'. Segmental-arched window openings, red brick arch, surround and reveals, metal sills and replacement uPVC casement windows throughout. Loopholes with rebuilt gabled elevations with four segmental-arched openings closed by replacement plank timber doors. Red brick carriage arches with plank timber gates. Nineteenth-century limestone gate piers to Michael Street joined by wrought-iron railings with spearhead finials and wrought-iron vehicular gate and pedestrian gate.

A very large former bonded warehouse building, which was built by the Limerick merchant Philip John Roche and renovated c. 1985. Contemporary with the renovation works was the construction of a large extension to house the county library with additional facilities. Although this is a standard warehouse structure, it is highly significant due to its scale and location around Michael Street, which was once dominated by industrial architecture. Indeed it was one of the first multi-storey warehouses to be erected in the city. It is a good example of how adaptable industrial architecture is to a number of uses including civic, recreational and office use.