20th Century Bruree
Mannix Joyce

A local man Mannix Joyce was a good friend of Eamon DeValera’s. Who was Mannix Joyce you ask? Mannix Joyce or Mainchin Seoighe, as he was known as in the locality, was a local Irish historian and a most gifted writer. Mainchin was known particularly for his publications on the history of County Limerick.

He worked in Limerick County Council, where he remained all his life, as an Information Officer. He was a productive contributor to the Limerick Leader newspaper; his first article appeared in 1944 and his column continued unbroken until 2002. Mannix Joyce died on 3rd July 2006. He is buried in Ballynoe Churchyard. Below is a list of his wonderful work:

• Maríodh Sean South, 1964
• Cois Maighe na gCaor, 1965
• Dromin Athlacca (1978)
• A Local History of Bruree,
• The Story of Kilmallock (1987)
• A Portrait of Limerick (1982)
• County Limerick People and Places (1993)
• The Joyce Brothers of Glenosheen
• The Irish Quotation Book
• Staker Wallis: His Life and Times and Death (1994)

The heritage room in the museum is now named the Mannix Joyce Room, in his honour.