O'Connell Brewery-also known as Garryowen Brewery- was perhaps the best known brewery in
Limerick. It was established by John O' Connell in 1780 on a site
opposite St. Joseph's Hospital between Green Hill Road and Mulgrave Street. This legendary brewery gave direct employment to 40 men.
Its main entrance was through a large gate opposite the present
Market's field gate: on each side was a high wall extending to Garryowen and Mulgrave Street. This wall had a number of square windows similar to those which
may be seen in the old mills of the city and in later years it often served as a
grand stand for numbers of young men who from it had a free view of matches in
the Markets Field, the walls of which were then only about half their present
height.There was a large two-storey building just where St. John's Avenue is at present. In the centre of the grounds some distance from the end of St. John's Avenue, was a circular pond which supplied the water required for the brewery.
This famous brewery was a godsend to the farmers of the surrounding district, as it provided them with a ready market for their grain crop, which after it had been treated in the factory provided an excellent food source for cattle.
Some of the finest porter in Ireland-Garryowen porter- was brewed at this site. This famous brewery lasted for over 100 years until sadly it was forced to close in 1881.
Afterwards, the brewery was converted into a factory for the manufacture of blood and bone manure. This factory soon closed and was taken over by a milk company until 1895 when a row of houses called Grattan Villas was built Later, Garryowen Villas(1897),Geraldine Villas(1899) and Fairview Terrace(1905) were built on the site. John O' Connell's son-Johnny-was the leader of the "wild raking Garryowen clan." Their infamous deeds and O' Connell's athletic prowess were immortalized in the famous song "Garryowen in Glory."