| Dromcollogher Drom Collachair
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Dromcollogher
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Limerick |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Rural | 891 |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (WEST) (UTC-1) |
| Irish Grid Reference | R350220 |
Dromcolliher (Irish: Drom Collachair) is a small Irish town at the crossroads of the R522 and R515 regional roads in the west of County Limerick. It is part of the parish of Dromcollogher-Broadford (previously known as Killagholehane). It is also very close to the boundary of north County Cork.
There are many variations of 'Drom'. The locals spell it Dromcollogher, but Drumcolloher, Dromcolloher, Drumcullogher, and numerous other variations can be found. Dromcolliher is the version adopted by the Ordnance Survey, and postal authorities.
Since 1962, the town has been home to the "Irish Dresden" pottery factory. Irish Dresden closed its doors in April 2009.
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It was first mentioned in the 1160, in "The Book of Leinster". Other historical records include references in "Westropp" (1201), Munster Journal (1751), and the population was recorded as 658 in 1831.
It is classed a mediaeval town by Limerick County Council (Local Governing Body), and has a list of protected structures under the 'County Development Plan'. These include the facades of Aherne's and O'Kelly's, the local creamery, and courthouse, as well as two churches, Killagholehane and St. Timothys (now known as St. Bartholomews).
The modern church was built in 1824, by Fr. Micheal Fitzgerald, who purchased the land from a local landowner. It was restored several times, but was given a dramatic overhaul in the late 1980s/early 1990s by Healy and Partners Architects, Limerick.
Dromcolliher was one of the starting points for the Irish Co-Op Movement, with the first Co-Operative creamery being set up here in 1889 on the initiative of Horace Plunkett. The listed building has since been restored, and is a working museum. Percy French, the renowned Irish Composer, once stayed here and composed the song "There's Only One Street In Dromcollogher". This is in fact untrue as there are many streets in Dromcolligher and if you ask anyone from the area they will be proud to tell you so.
On 5 September 1926, a timber barn being used as a temporary cinema in Dromcolliher caught fire when a candle ignited a reel of Nitrate film stock. Forty-eight people died in this tragedy, always known locally as the Dromcolliher Burning; forty-six of them are buried in a large grave in the grounds of the local church. It remained the worst known fire disaster in Irish history until the Betelgeuse incident in 1979 and the Stardust disaster in 1981, which claimed fifty and forty-eight lives respectively.