Historians blown away by rare Danish cannon found in Limerick

On a very wet Monday in December before Covid 19, James Kearns asked Martin A Timoney, both Sligo-men, about consulting Sligo Museum about a metal object in his possession.

He described it as being cylindrical with lugs and sealed at one end, not unlike the implement that is used for driving paling posts into the ground.

After some minutes James said it was a cannon gun that had come from Limerick about 20 years previously, that it had come up in dredging.

He was not sure if it was from the river or the harbour, and he believed it had something to do with the Siege of Limerick in 1691. James was desirous that a safe home be found for it.

Martin consulted several of his Limerick contacts, Dr Matthew Potter, Curator, Limerick Museum, Old Franciscan Friary, Henry St, and Liam Irwin, former Hon editor of North Munster Antiquarian Journal, the Journal of the Thomond Archaeological and Historical Society, and Dr Brian Scott, known to be well informed on such military matters.

The National Museum of Ireland was informed but declined taking the cannon into their care. Dr Scott progressed the research by contacting Ruth Rhynas Brown.

Dr Potter contacted Mr David O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer of Limerick Civic Trust, and after procedural considerations were satisfied, and as the Trust is in the process of developing a military museum, it was agreed that the Limerick Civic Trust would be its long-term home.

On June 18, 2023, David collected the cannon and brought it to Limerick.

The cannon is 65 cm long, the overall diameter is 25 cm, and the handle is 5 cm wide.

But what is it?

Dr Brian Scott contacted Ruth Rhynas Brown, an international expert on such matters. Ruth worked in the Royal Armouries in Leeds and in the Tower of London as senior curator in the Firearms Department.

Since 1990 she concentrated on researching historical cannon, with particular emphasis on British ordnance between 1600 and 1800.

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She lectures and writes and organised courses on the subject for museum curators, students and nautical archaeologists.

She is the compiler of the Basiliscoe Mercury, a twice monthly online newsletter for the arms and armour community.

With Kay Douglas Smith they have written on weapons and arms for the Medieval Warfare magazine.

On the basis of Martin’s images, Ruth describes the piece as “a Danish cast-iron sea-howitzer, system c. 1787 for the Danish Navy.

It is most likely a 4-pounder, probably cast at one of the Norwegian ironworks which were then under Danish control.

It may have been dropped by a Danish vessel, but the British did a pretty thorough job of looting guns from the Danish Navy after they attacked Copenhagen in 1807; many can still be seen in the collections such as the Royal Armouries and the Royal Artillery, so that it may be a souvenir of that conflict.

The Second Battle of Copenhagen, the Bombardment of Copenhagen, from August 16 to September 7, 1807, was during the Napoleonic Wars.

The distinctive features of these little howitzers are the tail, cast integral with the barrel, with the rounded knob and the raised block for the vent at the rear of the gun.

These types of guns had a short life span; usually howitzers are guns used by land forces but these were designed to be used aboard a ship. However, they were soon replaced by the carronade.

It would be good that we learn exactly just where in Limerick it was found, from which we might learn of its trip from Copenhagen to there, and how it got from Limerick to Sligo 24 years ago.

A copiously illustrated article about the howitzer was published in Sligo Field Club Journal, Vol. 9, 2023.

Initial conservation was undertaken, and it was painted but further conservation work will be done.

It is now on display in Limerick Civic Trust Museum.