About the Celtic Club

In Melbourne, in the late 1880's, many people without Irish ancestry supported Ireland's aspiration for self-government. As a result, the Club was called the ”Celtic Club” rather than “Irish” for the specific intention of providing a meeting place for those people who supported the Home Rule Movement. As a result, the membership over the years has been representative of practically all Celts — Irish, Welsh, Cornish and Breton, however the majority is Irish or of Irish descent.

As the 20th century progressed, the Club began to assume its current form as a purely social gathering place for “respectable gentlemen”. Ladies only gained associate membership in 1978 and full membership in 1985.



A Building of their Own - In December 1959 the purchase of Monahan's New Union Club Hotel in Queen Street Melbourne for 60,000 pounds, provided the Club with a stable headquarters for the first time. Previous to this the Club had leased or rented 11 different premises within the city. This new excellent location promised business stability.



Whilst the first building on this site was the Royal Oak Hotel (C 1848), its replacement was the West Bourke Club Hotel built in 1876 by Port Phillip pioneer George Evans, and which today is the original building of the Celtic Club. George Evans, a builder, was a crew member of John Pascoe Fawkner’s “Enterprise” ship which entered the Yarra River in August 1835 to begin the settlement of the southern part of the colony of NSW at the site which is now Melbourne.



West Bourke Club Hotel was renamed the New Union Club Hotel in 1949.

In 1993 the Celtic Club expanded their premises with the purchase of the Bird Cameron building next door from the Gas and Fuel Company for $950,000.



The ‘craic’ and good times flowed into the next great period of social change as the last quarter of the twentieth century brought the empowerment of youth, the feminist movement, the technology and education revolution and finally the disintegration of the post WW2 social conservatism. Nevertheless as fashions changed and new attractions and venues emerged membership to the Celtic Club gradually fell. Consequently questions were asked concerning the future of the Club and how to revitalise and present the Club.

Whilst the traditional Irish “craic” continues, a greater variety of cultural heritage programs and performance are now included in the Club’s strategic and business plans. These include language, music, literature, art, drama and theatrical performances, cultural tours, reading circles and film groups, history and genealogy groups, sports and The Celtic Club’s Irish radio program.



Before leaving Queen Street, the Club operated a Cultural Resource Centre with an extensive Library, historical items, artefacts and paintings held by the Celtic Club, a Sound and Film Centre and a Seniors Computer Training Kiosk. The library has a comprehensive collection of over 3,000 books covering all aspects of our Irish and Australian Irish heritage, history and culture and will be an important part of our future home.



The Club also funds an Undergraduate Student History Award which is presented to the winning students of the particular faculties at the University of Melbourne, Latrobe University and Victorian University. Their winning essays are based on our Irish or Australian Irish history.



The Club has also instigated joint programs with popular and prestigious bodies including the State Library, Immigration Museum, National Gallery of Victoria, Public Records Office, Melbourne Writers Festival and Victoria’s Seniors Festival. Such initiative enables us to share with these partners, the presentation of our Australian Irish and Celtic heritage and culture to the broader community and to promote the ideals of the Celtic Club.
The Club also supports the establishment, growth and activities of Irish/Australian clubs and associations throughout the State and liaises with and has a reciprocal membership with provincial city Clubs in Victoria as well as Celtic/Irish Clubs in other States of Australia.

They decided to investigate the possibility of a multi-storey building with the bottom 4 floors to be the property of the Celtic Club rather than renovate existing old building. A Planning permit was sought. This 2 year permit added approximately $5 million to Celtic Club land value.

The Limerick Arms, a prominent three-storey corner hotel at 364-368 Clarendon Street was sold by Colliers’ Guy Wells, Oliver Hay and Tom Isaksson in conjunction with Cropley Commercial’s George Iliopulos on a short settlement.



The Limerick Arms offers a securely leased investment with a quality tenant who has extensive operational experience in a variety of pubs having operated the Limerick for more than seven years. The fact that there is a quality tenant plus the genuine security offered by the lease agreement were key features considered. 

We do not wish to operate the business but merely to draw the rental income that it provides to our bottom line, while exploring opportunities to collaborate with our tenant.



The Limerick Arms Hotel, positioned on 347sqm at the corner of Clarendon and Park Streets in South Melbourne, is a prominent freehold hotel situated on the doorstep of the Melbourne CBD. Public transport is excellent and the venue is also well positioned for a key segment of Melbourne’s Irish Australian community.



The three-level hotel comprises a public bar and sports bar area, large outdoor seating area, main dining room and separate first level function room with outdoor deck area.  The hotel also provides accommodation rooms to the second floor and opportunities for capital improvement.



The prime location of the asset within the heart of the Clarendon Street retail precinct and its close proximity to the iconic South Melbourne Market, Albert Park, Royal Botanic Gardens and bayside suburbs were strong drawcards.