Saint Michael's Church, Limerick

Saint Michael's Church, located at the end of Barrington Street and Pery Square in Limerick, is a historic Church of Ireland. Built between 1835 and 1845, it is one of the three principal churches in the Limerick City Parish. The church was consecrated in 1844 and designed by the Pain Brothers, renowned architects responsible for many notable buildings and bridges in Limerick during that era.

Often referred to as "the sinking church," Saint Michael's Church shares this moniker with the Presbyterian Church on Henry Street. The nickname arose because the church appears to have sunk slightly over the years. This phenomenon occurred because it was not constructed on bedrock. Instead, a nearby limestone quarry, which later became part of the People's Park, did not extend sufficiently into the church's foundations, leading to its gradual subsidence.

The church was intended to be the centerpiece of Pery Square, an ambitious urban plan featuring terraced Georgian houses on all four sides of the People's Park. Although this vision was never fully realized, Saint Michael's Church remains a significant landmark in the area.

Saint Michael's Church was built to replace the older Saint George's Church, which stood at the corner of O'Connell Street (formerly George's Street) and Mallow Street. Founded in 1789, Saint George's Church could no longer accommodate the growing number of parishioners as Newtownpery expanded. The new church thus served to meet the needs of the increasing population and continues to be a prominent place of worship in Limerick today.