Introduction:

The Irish Tourist Association Survey (I.T.A.) was carried out in Limerick city and county during 1943 and 1944. The I.T.A. was a forerunner of Bord Failte now the Irish Tourist Board. Limerick was surveyed for its potential for tourism. The survey was carried out along barony lines – of which there were 14 in Limerick. The survey was quite detailed and was carried out by two eminent archaeologists Ralph Lucas and P. J. Lynch. They recorded detailed information on survey sheets and took ‘box brownie’ pictures of antiquities of interest. The survey results were lodged with the library service. The photographs are in mint condition and there are over 200 in total. Limerick county library has now scanned these photographs and are making them available here for the first time. The photographs are very important as they record the state of old houses, castles and other antiquities in a particular point in time. Some houses such as Tervoe House for example have since been demolished!