If Walls Could Talk: Pomp and circumstance of Limerick’s early elites

IN January 1826, a magnificent fancy-dress ball and supper took place at a private residence on O’Connell Street. An extensive report of the event was carried in several local and national newspapers including the Limerick Chronicle and the Dublin Evening Post.

The hosts of the extravagant and exotic party were Major General Sir Charles Doyle KCB and Mary, Lady Doyle. In 1803 Doyle married first Sophia Coghill; they had three sons including Lt-Gen Sir Charles Hastings Doyle.

In 1838 he married Mary, the widow of William Stair; they had no children. According to the Dictionary of Irish Biography, ‘Sir Charles Doyle was promoted to the rank of major-general (1819) and he subsequently served as commander of the south-western district of Ireland (1825–30)’ which of course included Limerick.

Doyle’s official duties included facilitating visits to Limerick by senior military leaders.

For instance, on Wednesday, November 8, 1826, the Limerick Chronicle reported that ‘the Commander-in-Chief, Lieut-General Sir George Murray and Captain Lord Edward Hay, of the 72d Regiment, arrived in this city.

Murray was satisfied with the excellent appearance of the troops, and the superior manner in which the various manoeuvres were executed.

He also communicated to the commanding officers of his approbation of the correct and military deportment of the men. In the course of the day, the General minutely inspected the New Barracks, Castle Barracks, and Artillery Barracks.’

Sir Charles and Lady Doyle appeared to have enjoyed nothing better than throwing lavish parties at their house on O’Connell Street or attending balls held in their honour at military barracks across the city.

As previously mentioned one of the most lavish parties that they organised took place at their home on O’Connell Street on the evening of January 31, 1826.

The reports in the local press noted that ‘a numerous assemblage, comprising the wealth, rank, and fashionable of our city and adjoining counties’ attended a splendid ball at the home of Sir Charles and Lady Doyle, and it was a late one.

The festivities did not commence until 11pm and the guests were received at the door by a ‘retinue of servants dressed in rich liveries, who announced them as they proceeded to the rooms where the company was assembling.’

The pomp and ceremony did not end there as a guard of honour was stationed in the hall, and a party of Dragoons were positioned outside the house to ‘prevent the company from being inconvenienced by the pressure of the crowd of onlookers’ eager to witness the grand event.

The party was in fact, a fancy-dress ball of the most extraordinary scale and the guests went all out in their choice of attire.

The extensive report in the Limerick Chronicle noted that ‘the most finished description in our paper can convey but a faint and indistinct idea of the tout ensemble.’

Lady Doyle donned a very rich Turkish dress, while Sir Charles was in full dress en militaire, decorated with his various orders.

The Hon Mrs John Massy arrived dressed as the Fairy Queen while the Hon Mrs O’Grady wore the costume of a Grecian Princess.

Lady De Burgho appeared in the costume of Istria, Lady Gough was dressed as a matronly and demure Lady Abbess.

Miss Lyndon, as Lady Grandison, was correctly dressed in the full and formal costume of the 16th century. She wore a flowered damask headdress, a plume of white ostrich feathers, and a profusion of diamonds.

Other guests included Mrs Cuff Kelly as a priestess of the sun, Mrs and Miss Jackson, the former as a wife of Peter Paul Rubens, the latter as a bourgeoise of Strasburg, Miss Long as one of the Sisterhood, and Mrs Joyce as one of the “weird sisters” in Macbeth was distinguished in her high conical red hat, black and scarlet dress, and broomstick.

Some of the men’s costumes included the Mayor as a Royal Arch Mason, Lord Clarina as a Polish nobleman, and Mr Le Mesurier as Napoleon Bonaparte. Other guests appeared as kings, queens, sailors, fruit girls, nuns, and comic actors.

In all over, 300 people attended the soiree which featured several sets of Quadrilles; dancing did not cease until a late hour when the company began to retire, all agreeing that a spectacle as brilliant as the one they just attended was rarely witnessed in Limerick, even in the country mansions of the nobility.

The Doyles fancy-dress ball appears to have been a much-anticipated annual event when they lived in Limerick. While the exact house in which the Doyles resided is unknown, it has to have been a very large townhouse to cater for such an enormous number of guests.

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In 1828, the Doyles attended another lavish ball at the Artillery Barracks. At 10pm the guests began to arrive. The scene must have been extraordinary as ‘169 carriages were driven into the outer portal of the complex, and the guests ascended the staircase which was laid in a rich crimson carpet while overhead was a canopy of laurel.’

Dancing and merrymaking continued until the small hours.

Following the completion of his tenure in Limerick, Sir Charles and Lady Doyle set off for pastures anew. Sir Charles William Doyle died on October 26, 1842 and is buried in the famous Cimetière du Père Lachaise in Paris.

Dr Paul O’Brien lectures at Mary Immaculate College.