Railway Hotel, Parnell Street

Sep 7, 2025 | Limerick

Railway hotel in Limerick city. It is a white decorated building with the name Railway Hotel in big capital letters on it. the ground part is the Railway Bar with arched windows. We can see plants growing everywhere on the roof. And guess some broken windows.

Railway Hotel in Limerick City. Derelict building, falling apart. April 28, 2025. Credit: Don’t Let Me Fall Apart.

Photograph of the corner and side of the abandoned Railway Hotel in Limerick. Walls are white/cream. Arched windows with the name Railway Bar. On the corner we can see a ceramic plaque glued on the wall but we cannot see what is written on it.

Corner of the Railway Hotel in Limerick. April 28, 2025. Credit: Don’t Let Me Fall Apart.

A ceramic mosaic plaque in a bleu green colour. Frame decoration are white flowers and leaves and text says Hole in my Hearth in white relief. The plaque is glued on a white wall.

Ceramic mosaic tile “Hole in my hearth”. April 28, 2025. Credit: Don’t Let Me Fall Apart.

The building

As of publishing the post, this building was not on the register of derelict buildings of the city of Limerick.

Address: Parnell street, Limerick.

Owner: Private owner.

Tile: Ceramic mosaic, white stoneware. Blue/green Glaze. Oxidation firing. “Hole in my hearth”.

This big building has 3 floors. It used to be a Hotel with a bar on the ground floor.

The building is fully empty.

A ceramic mosaic plaque in a bleu green colour. Frame decoration are white flowers and leaves and text says Hole in my Hearth in white relief. The plaque is glued on a white wall.

Ceramic mosaic tile “Hole in my hearth”. White stoneware, bleu/green glaze. Oxidation fired. April 28, 2025. Credit: Don’t Let Me Fall Apart.

History

The building was built in 1871. It has always been used as an inn or a hotel. It is located right in front of the Limerick Colbert Train station.

The Railway Hotel closed in 2016 for economic reasons, resulting in job losses.

This hotel had been a popular venue for a long time.

Since its closing, the building has not been maintained or used in any other way and has started decaying and falling apart. Windows boarded and broken. Plants growing everywhere on the roof. We can see parts of the roof that seem to be collapsing. It’s a birds nest.

The building has been acquired by a new private owner. In July 2024, a fire started in the ground floor of the Hotel. At the time, the hotel had been given permission to get converted into Student Accomodations. It is suspected to be a criminal act from people believing the hotel was going to be used to welcome migrants and refugees.

In 2025, this building is still fully vacant and keeps degrading more and more.