161 Errol Street

SWN Arden and Errol Streets 

The Limerick Castle Hotel (36] 1863-

The name

Limerick Castle itself was built in the time of King John in the 13th century on the banks of the Shannon and in a part of Ireland held today to contain more Norman ruins than can be found in all of England.

Owners and licensees

The first licence went to Thomas Griffen for a brick building of six rooms, which was extended to 10 rooms in 1895 and when the façade was altered in 1934, took in the house-next-door in Arden Street.

Locals remember that in 1978 the licensee was Jack Titus, a Richmond footballer known as ‘Skinny’. To quote from Brian Hansen (Tigerland  1992)

Although short of stature and barely tipping the scales at 12stone, he was one of the greatest of full-forwards and most marvelous of characters. His passing was tinged with mystery. He died soon after an altercation at his North Melbourne hotel, the Limerick Castle. He was 70 at the time of his death.

Another former Richmond champion, Kevin Morris, who sold it in the late 1990s later owned the hotel.

ALONG THE WAY

Looking down Errol Street towards the Errol Street primary school, there are several rows of single-storey houses. On the west side, numbers 147-59 were built for Thomas Griffin in 1873 and rented out, usually to tradespeople who worked In the area. On the east side, numbers 156-62 were built in the early 20th century for a Mary-Ann Allison of the famous undertaker family and various members of the family lived there.

Historic Pubs of North Melbourne by Hotham History Project.