![Map of limerick](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Map_of_limerick.png)
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
situated within
County Limerick
"Remember Limerick"
, image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Munster
, subdivision ...
. It is in the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Munster
Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...
and is located in the
Mid-West
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
which comprises part of the
Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 census,
[ Limerick is the third-most populous urban area in the state, and the fourth-most populous city on the ]island of Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
at the 2011 census. The city lies on the River Shannon
The River Shannon ( ga, Abhainn na Sionainne, ', '), at in length, is the longest river in the British Isles. It drains the Shannon River Basin, which has an area of , – approximately one fifth of the area of the island of Ireland.
The Shan ...
, with the historic core of the city located on King's Island, which is bounded by the Shannon and Abbey
An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns.
The conce ...
Rivers. Limerick is also located at the head of the Shannon Estuary
The Shannon Estuary ( gle, Inbhear na Sionainne) is a large estuary where the River Shannon flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The estuary has Limerick City at its head and its seaward limits are marked by Loop Head to the north and Kerry Head to th ...
, where the river widens before it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Limerick City and County Council
Limerick City and County Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach agus Contae Luimnigh) is the authority responsible for Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local government in the Limerick, City of Limerick and County Limerick in Republic of ...
is the local authority
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
for the city.
Geography and political subdivisions
At the 2016 census, the Metropolitan District of Limerick had a population of 104,952. On 1 June 2014 following the merger of Limerick City and County Council, a new Metropolitan District of Limerick was formed within the united council, which extended the city area. The Metropolitan District includes the city urban area and extends outwards towards Patrickswell
Patrickswell, historically known as Toberpatrick (), is a small town in County Limerick, Ireland. It is primarily a commuter village for people working in Limerick, particularly the nearby industrial suburb of Raheen. The population was 847 at ...
in the west and Castleconnell
Castleconnell (, historically ''Caisleán Uí Chonaing'') is a village in County Limerick on the banks of the River Shannon. It is from Limerick city and near the boundaries of counties Clare and Tipperary.
History
The ruins of the ' Castle ...
in the east. The City Metropolitan Area however excludes city suburbs located within County Clare
County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,817 ...
.
Limerick is located on the River Shannon with four main river-crossing points near the city centre. To the south of the city is the Golden Vale
The Golden Vale ()
is an area of rolling pastureland in the civil province of Munster, southwestern Ireland. Covering parts of three counties, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork, it is the best land in Ireland for dairy farming.
Historically it ...
, an area of rich pastureland
Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep, or swine ...
. Historically, much of the city's industry was based on this agricultural hinterland.
History
Ancient and medieval history
originally referred to the general area along the banks of the Shannon Estuary
The Shannon Estuary ( gle, Inbhear na Sionainne) is a large estuary where the River Shannon flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The estuary has Limerick City at its head and its seaward limits are marked by Loop Head to the north and Kerry Head to th ...
known as . The earliest settlement in the city, , was the original name for King's Island during the pre-Viking and Viking eras. This island was also called , 'The Dark Foreigner's Island'. The name is recorded in Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
sources as .
The city dates from 812; however, history suggests the presence of earlier settlements in the area surrounding King's Island, the island at the historical city centre. Antiquity's map-maker, Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...
, produced in 150 AD the earliest map of Ireland, showing a place called at the same site as King's Island. History also records an important battle involving Cormac mac Airt
Cormac mac Airt, also known as Cormac ua Cuinn (grandson of Conn) or Cormac Ulfada (long beard), was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He is probably the most famous of the ancient High Kings ...
in 221 and a visit by Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...
in 434 to baptise an king, Carthann the Fair. Saint Munchin, the first bishop of Limerick died in 652, indicating the settlement was a place of some note then. In 812 the Vikings sailed up the Shannon and pillaged the city, burned the monastery of Mungret but were forced to flee when the Irish attacked and killed many of their number. The Normans redesigned the city in the 12th century and added much of the most notable architecture, such as King John's Castle and St Mary's Cathedral.
In early medieval times Limerick was at the centre of the Kingdom of Thomond
Thomond (Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nenag ...
which corresponds to the present day County Clare, the Kingdom also included North Kerry and parts of South Offaly. One of the kingdom's most notable kings was Brian Boru
Brian Boru ( mga, Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig; modern ga, Brian Bóramha; 23 April 1014) was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High King of Ireland, High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill and probably ended Viking invasion/domi ...
, ancestor of the O'Brien Clan of Dalcassians. The word Thomond is synonymous with the region and is retained in place names such as Thomondgate, Thomond Bridge
Thomond ( Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nen ...
and Thomond Park
Thomond Park is a stadium in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and has Munster Rugby, Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. Limerick FC played home games in Thomond Park fr ...
.
Late Renaissance/Early modern history
Limerick in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was sometimes called the most beautiful city in Ireland. The English-born judge Luke Gernon
People
*Luke (given name), a masculine given name (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Luke (surname) (including a list of people and characters with the name)
*Luke the Evangelist, author of the Gospel of Luke. Also known as ...
, a resident of Limerick, wrote in 1620 that at his first sight of the city he had been taken by its "lofty buildings of marble, like the Colleges in Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
".
During the civil wars of the 17th century the city played a pivotal role, besieged by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
in 1651 and twice by the Williamites in the 1690s. The Treaty of Limerick
}), signed on 3 October 1691, ended the 1689 to 1691 Williamite War in Ireland, a conflict related to the 1688 to 1697 Nine Years' War. It consisted of two separate agreements, one with military terms of surrender, signed by commanders of a Frenc ...
ended the Williamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland (1688–1691; ga, Cogadh an Dá Rí, "war of the two kings"), was a conflict between Jacobite supporters of deposed monarch James II and Williamite supporters of his successor, William III. It is also called th ...
which was fought between supporters of the Catholic King James II
James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...
(Jacobites) and the Protestant King William of Orange (Williamites). The treaty offered toleration to Catholicism and full legal rights to Catholics that swore an oath of loyalty to William III William III or William the Third may refer to:
Kings
* William III of Sicily (c. 1186–c. 1198)
* William III of England and Ireland or William III of Orange or William II of Scotland (1650–1702)
* William III of the Netherlands and Luxembourg ...
and Mary II
Mary II (30 April 166228 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, co-reigning with her husband, William III & II, from 1689 until her death in 1694.
Mary was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York, and his first wife ...
. The Treaty was of national significance as it ensured closer British and Protestant dominance over Ireland. The articles of the Treaty protecting Catholic rights were not passed by the Protestant Irish Parliament which rather updated the Penal Laws against Catholics which had major implications for Irish history
The first evidence of human presence in Ireland dates to around 33,000 years ago, with further findings dating the presence of homo sapiens to around 10,500 to 7,000 BC. The receding of the ice after the Younger Dryas cold phase of the Quaterna ...
. Reputedly the Treaty was signed on the Treaty Stone, an irregular block of limestone which once served as a mounting block for horses. This stone is now displayed on a pedestal at Clancy Strand. Because of the treaty, Limerick is sometimes known as the Treaty City. This turbulent period earned the city its motto: (an ancient city well studied in the arts of war).
The peaceful times that followed the turmoil of the late 17th century allowed the city to prosper through trade in the late 18th century. During this time Limerick Port established itself as one of Ireland's major commercial ports exporting agricultural produce from one of Ireland's most fertile areas, the Golden Vale
The Golden Vale ()
is an area of rolling pastureland in the civil province of Munster, southwestern Ireland. Covering parts of three counties, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork, it is the best land in Ireland for dairy farming.
Historically it ...
, to Britain and America. This increase in trade and wealth, particularly amongst the city's merchant classes saw a rapid expansion of the city as Georgian Limerick began to take shape. This gave the city its present-day look including the extensive terraced streets of Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
townhouses which remain in the city centre today. The Waterford and Limerick Railway
The Waterford, Limerick and Western Railway (WL&WR), formerly the Waterford and Limerick Railway up to 1896, was at the time it was amalgamated with the Great Southern and Western Railway in 1901 the fourth largest railway in Ireland, with a mai ...
linked the city to the Dublin–Cork railway line
The Dublin–Cork Main Line is the main InterCity railway route in Ireland between Dublin Heuston and Cork Kent. In 2018, 3.46 million passengers travelled on the line, a 10% increase from 2017 figures.
About
The line is one of the longest in ...
in 1848 and to Waterford
"Waterford remains the untaken city"
, mapsize = 220px
, pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe
, pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe
, pushpin_relief = 1
, coordinates ...
in 1853. The opening of a number of secondary railways in the subsequent decades developed Limerick as a regional centre of communications. However, the economic downturn in the European conflicts of the French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
and Napoleonic eras, and following the Act of Union 1800
The Acts of Union 1800 (sometimes incorrectly referred to as a single 'Act of Union 1801') were parallel acts of the Parliament of Great Britain and the Parliament of Ireland which united the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Irela ...
, and the impact of the Great Irish Famine
The Great Famine ( ga, an Gorta Mór ), also known within Ireland as the Great Hunger or simply the Famine and outside Ireland as the Irish Potato Famine, was a period of starvation and disease in Ireland from 1845 to 1852 that constituted a ...
of 1848 caused much of the 19th century to be a more troubled period.
20th-century history
The Limerick boycott
The Limerick boycott, also known as the Limerick pogrom, was an economic boycott waged against the small Jewish community in Limerick, Ireland, between 1904 and 1906. It was accompanied by assaults, stone throwing and intimidation, which caused m ...
was an economic boycott waged against the small Jewish community for over two years in the first decade of the 20th century. It was accompanied by a number of assaults, stone throwing and intimidation, which caused many Jews to leave the city. It was instigated in 1904 by a Redemptorist priest, Father John Creagh
John Creagh (Thomondgate, Limerick, Ireland; 1870 – Wellington, New Zealand; 1947) was an Irish Redemptorist priest. Creagh is best known for, firstly, delivering antisemitic speeches in 1904 responsible for inciting riots against the smal ...
.
During the Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...
, the Limerick Soviet
The Limerick Soviet ( ga, Sóibhéid Luimnigh) was one of a number of self-declared Irish soviets that were formed around Ireland circa 1919. The Limerick Soviet existed for a two-week period from 15 to 27 April 1919. At the beginning of the Iri ...
was a self-declared soviet that existed from 15 to 27 April 1919. A general strike was organised by the Limerick Trades and Labour Council, as a protest against the British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
's declaration of a "Special Military Area" under the Defence of the Realm Act, which covered most of Limerick city and a part of the county. During the strike a special strike committee was set up to print their own money, control food prices
Food prices refer to the average price level for food across countries, regions and on a global scale. Food prices have an impact on producers and consumers of food.
Price levels depend on the food production process, including food marketing an ...
and publish newspapers.
By the mid-20th century, Limerick was characterised by economic stagnation and decline as many traditional industries closed or left the city. However, there were some success stories. In 1942 Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport ( ga, Aerfort na Sionainne) is an international airport located in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. It is adjacent to the Shannon Estuary and lies halfway between Ennis and Limerick. The airport is the third busiest ai ...
(located in County Clare, 20 km west of the city) opened for the first time offering transatlantic flights. In 1959, Shannon Airport enabled the opening of the Shannon Free Zone
The Shannon Free Zone is a , international business park adjacent to Shannon Airport, County Clare, in Ireland. It is 18 km from Ennis and 20 km from Limerick. It was established in 1959, as the world's first "modern" free-trade zone ...
which attracted a large number of multinational companies to the region. A long campaign for a third level educational institute to be located in the city finally bore fruit with the establishment of NIHE Limerick in 1969 which eventually became the University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...
in 1989.
Government and politics
Local government
Limerick city is under the jurisdiction of Limerick City and County Council
Limerick City and County Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach agus Contae Luimnigh) is the authority responsible for Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local government in the Limerick, City of Limerick and County Limerick in Republic of ...
. The council has responsibility for local services such as sanitation, planning and development, libraries, collection of motor taxation, local roads and social housing in the city. The council comprises elected councillors
A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries.
Canada
Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...
with an appointed full-time CEO as the city (and county) manager. Local elections are held every five years and the councillors annually elect a Cathaoirleach or chairperson to chair the council. The 21 councillors from the 3 local electoral area
A local electoral area (LEA; ga, Toghlimistéir Áitiúil) is an electoral area for elections to local authorities in Ireland. All elections use the single transferable vote. The Republic of Ireland is divided into 166 LEAs, with an average po ...
s in the City Metropolitan Area also elect a mayor to represent the city. The Mayoral position is largely ceremonial and has much reduced responsibility following the merger of the Limerick local authorities. As of mid-2021, the mayor was Councillor Daniel Butler. Former well-known mayors include TDs Donogh O'Malley
Donogh Brendan O'Malley (18 January 1921 – 10 March 1968) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and rugby union player who served as Minister for Education from 1966 to 1968, Minister for Health from 1965 to 1966 and Parliamentary Secretary t ...
, Stephen Coughlan
Stephen Coughlan (26 December 1910 – 20 December 1994) was an Irish Labour Party politician who served for sixteen years as Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick East constituency. During the 1930s and 40s he was a member of the Irish Republica ...
, Michael Lipper, Jim Kemmy
James Kemmy (14 September 1936 – 25 September 1997) was an Irish socialist politician from Limerick, who started his political career in the Labour Party. He later left Labour, was elected as an Independent Teachta Dála (TD), and founded the ...
and Jan O'Sullivan
Jan O'Sullivan (; born 6 December 1950) is a former Irish Labour Party politician who served as Minister for Education and Skills from 2014 to 2016 and as a Minister of State from 2011 to 2014. She served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limeri ...
.
Throughout most of the city's history, from 1197 when it gained its first charter, Limerick City had its own local government authority, Limerick Corporation later known as Limerick City Council
Limerick City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Luimnigh) was the authority responsible for local government in the city of Limerick in Ireland. The council had 17 elected members. The head of the council had the title of Mayor. Limerick City ...
. The council was one of the oldest in Ireland and was only exceeded in age by Dublin City Council
Dublin City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath) is the authority responsible for local government in the city of Dublin in Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. Until 2001, the council wa ...
. In October 2012 the Government of Ireland published ''Putting People First- Action Programme for Effective Local Government'' which set out government policy for reforms across all the main areas of local government in Ireland. Among the recommendations was the merging of Limerick City Council with Limerick County Council
Limerick County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Luimnigh) was the authority responsible for local government in County Limerick, Ireland. As a county council, it was governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council had 28 elected members. ...
. The changes came into effect on 1 June 2014 following the implementation of the Local Government Reform Act 2014
The Local Government Reform Act 2014 (No. 1) is an act of the Oireachtas which provided for a major restructuring of local government in Ireland with effect from the 2014 local elections. It merged some first-tier county and city councils, ...
.
By the 1960s onwards the city had outgrown its boundary considerably; the city boundary was only altered slightly and never reflected the overall urban area of the city. A limited boundary extension on the city's north side in 2008 enlarged the city boundary by 1,020 hectares increasing the city's area by almost 50% and raising the population by an estimated 7,000. The previous boundary, encompassing 2,086 hectares, was delineated in 1950. Newer suburban districts such as Dooradoyle
Dooradoyle ( Irish: ''Tuar an Daill'') is a large suburb of Limerick, Ireland. It is one of Limerick's newer suburbs, and is home to the campus of University Hospital Limerick and the Crescent Shopping Centre.
Etymology
The name Dooradoyle ( g ...
, Castletroy
Castletroy (, meaning O'Troy's Landing or O'Troy's Callow) is a suburb of Limerick, Ireland. The town was named after Castle Troy also known as The Black Castle, which is located on the southern bank of the River Shannon, roughly 2km East of th ...
– including the University
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
, Gouldavoher, and Raheen were continually administered to by Limerick County Council
Limerick County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Luimnigh) was the authority responsible for local government in County Limerick, Ireland. As a county council, it was governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council had 28 elected members. ...
until the merger of the two authorities in June 2014. This local government structure in Limerick caused a number of inefficiencies, most notably in the area of planning. A number of suburbs such as Westbury and Parteen
Parteen () is a village in County Clare, Ireland. It is situated in the townland of the same name that is part of the civil parish of St Patrick's. It is also part of an Ecclesiastical parish of "Parteen-Meelick" in the Roman Catholic Diocese o ...
to the north of the city are governed by Clare County Council
Clare County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae an Chláir) is the authority responsible for local government in County Clare, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and ...
.
Following the merger of the two authorities in 2014 a new Metropolitan District of Limerick City was set up that included the city urban area and also settlements close to the city such as Patrickswell
Patrickswell, historically known as Toberpatrick (), is a small town in County Limerick, Ireland. It is primarily a commuter village for people working in Limerick, particularly the nearby industrial suburb of Raheen. The population was 847 at ...
and Castleconnell
Castleconnell (, historically ''Caisleán Uí Chonaing'') is a village in County Limerick on the banks of the River Shannon. It is from Limerick city and near the boundaries of counties Clare and Tipperary.
History
The ruins of the ' Castle ...
. The Metropolitan district returns 21 councillors to Limerick City and County Council which in total has 40 councillors returned from across Limerick City and County. The Limerick City Metropolitan District is divided into 3 local electoral areas: Limerick City East, Limerick City North and Limerick City South which elect eight, six and seven councillors respectively.
Following the 2019 local elections, Fine Gael
Fine Gael (, ; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative and Christian-democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil ...
was the largest party on the united authority with 13 seats followed by Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christian- ...
with 12, Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
with 3, Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...
and the Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party ( ga, Comhaontas Glas, , Green Alliance) is a green political party that operates in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. As other like-minded Green parties, it has eco-socialist/green left and more moderate factions. ...
with 2 each, the Social Democrats
Social democracy is a political, social, and economic philosophy within socialism that supports political and economic democracy. As a policy regime, it is described by academics as advocating economic and social interventions to promote so ...
with 1 seat, and Independents and other parties the remaining 6 seats.
National politics
For elections to the Dáil, Limerick City is in the Limerick City
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 c ...
constituency. From 2011, the constituency boundaries changed in accordance with the proposals of the Constituency Commission
The Constituency Commission ( ga, An Coimisiún um Thoghlaigh) is an independent commission in Ireland which advises on redrawing of constituency boundaries of Dáil constituencies for the election of members to Dáil Éireann (the lower house ...
and the subsequent Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009
The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009 (No. 4) is a law of Ireland which amended electoral law, including revisions to Dáil constituencies and European Parliament constituencies in light of the 2006 census. The new European Parliament constituenci ...
. This changed the electoral boundaries from Limerick East
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. With a populati ...
and Limerick West to Limerick City
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 c ...
and Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
. Limerick city encompasses the city, the suburban areas of Castletroy
Castletroy (, meaning O'Troy's Landing or O'Troy's Callow) is a suburb of Limerick, Ireland. The town was named after Castle Troy also known as The Black Castle, which is located on the southern bank of the River Shannon, roughly 2km East of th ...
and as far east as Murroe
Murroe (), officially spelled Moroe, is a village in County Limerick, Ireland.
Environs
Murroe is located in the north-eastern part of County Limerick, approximately 15 km from Limerick City and close to the County Tipperary border. ...
. It also includes part of North County Tipperary
County Tipperary ( ga, Contae Thiobraid Árann) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary, and was established in the early 13th century, shortly after th ...
. The Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
county constituency takes in most of the rest of the county. For European parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
elections, Limerick is in the South
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
constituency.
Climate
Limerick's climate is classified as temperate oceanic (Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Cfb''). Met Éireann maintains a climatological weather station at Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport ( ga, Aerfort na Sionainne) is an international airport located in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. It is adjacent to the Shannon Estuary and lies halfway between Ennis and Limerick. The airport is the third busiest ai ...
, 20 kilometres west of the city in County Clare
County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,817 ...
. Shannon Airport records an average of 977 millimetres of precipitation annually, most of which is rain. Limerick has a mild climate, with the average daily maximum in July of and the average daily minimum in January of . The highest temperature recorded was in June 2018, and the lowest in 2010. Limerick is the cloudiest city in the country, averaging only 1,295 sunshine hours annually, 3.5 hours of sunshine every day. There are on average 62 days of no recordable sunshine, 6 days of thunder, 22 days of hail and 11 days of snow per year. Shannon Airport is located by the ocean at an elevation of 14 metres, so snow is less common at the station than in the city itself.
Culture
In 2014, Limerick became Ireland's inaugural ''National City of Culture'', with a variety of artistic and cultural events occurring at locations around the city throughout the year.
Art
The Limerick City Gallery of Art
Limerick City Gallery of Art (LCGA; ga, Gailearaí Ealaíon Chathair Luimní) is an art museum in the city of Limerick, Ireland. It is run by Limerick City Council and is located in Pery Square, in the Newtown Pery area of the city.
The galle ...
on Pery Square
Pery Square ( ga, Cearnóg an Pheirigh) is a Georgian Terrace located in the Newtown Pery area of Limerick city, Ireland. The terrace was constructed as a speculative development by the Pery Square Tontine Company between 1835 and 1838. The sq ...
is the city's chief venue for contemporary art
Contemporary art is the art of today, produced in the second half of the 20th century or in the 21st century. Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic com ...
exhibitions. It is home to a permanent collection of Irish art
The history of Irish art starts around 3200 BC with Neolithic stone carvings at the Newgrange megalithic tomb, part of the Brú na Bóinne complex which still stands today, County Meath. In early- Bronze Age Ireland there is evidence of Beaker cu ...
, which shows works from the early 18th to 20th century. The gallery houses the National Collection of Contemporary Drawing founded by the artist Samuel Walsh in 1987. Limerick's major contemporary art event is EVA International
EVA International (previously known as Limerick Exhibition of Visual Art and e v + a) is a large-scale contemporary art exhibition that takes place every two years in the city of Limerick, Republic of Ireland. It is known as Ireland's biennial, ...
, Ireland's Biennial of Contemporary Art. EVA International, centered mainly in the Limerick City Gallery of Art, is curated by varying guest curators and includes contemporary artworks by both international and Irish artists.
Other Limerick arts groups include Contact Studios, which provides individual studio spaces for visual artists; Ormston House
Ormston House is a contemporary art gallery and cultural resource centre, in Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-We ...
, a contemporary art gallery; and Limerick Printmakers Studio and Gallery, which provides printmaking facilities, a venue for exhibitions and events and an education programme.
Theatre
The Lime Tree Theatre officially opened at the Mary Immaculate College
Mary Immaculate College (Coláiste Mhuire gan Smál), also known as MIC and Mary I, is a College of Education and Liberal Arts. Founded in 1898, the university level College of Education and the Liberal Arts is academically linked with the Univ ...
campus in October 2012. The venue hosts theatre, music, comedy, traditional arts, schools' performances and conferences.
The Belltable Arts Centre
Belltable (formerly the Belltable Arts Centre) is a multi-disciplinary arts venue located at 69 O'Connell Street, Limerick, O'Connell Street, Limerick, Ireland. The facility houses a 220-seat theatre/cinema, art gallery, box office, stage, meeti ...
on O'Connell Street
O'Connell Street () is a street in the centre of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, running north from the River Liffey. It connects the O'Connell Bridge to the south with Parnell Street to the north and is roughly split into two sections ...
hosts local playwrights and drama productions. The University Concert Hall located in the University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...
is a 1,000 seat venue and provides a large venue for national and international acts to visit the city. Limerick is also the home of street theatre companies, including "The Umbrella Project".
There is also the Impact Theatre Company.
Literature
Limerick's literature scene is supported by projects like the Limerick Writers' Centre, which was established in 2008 and runs a range of writing activities in the city. Limerick natives include Pulitzer Prize winning author, Frank McCourt; novelists Kate O'Brien, Michael Curtin, Kevin Barry and Donal Ryan. Poets from Limerick include Michael Hogan, Desmond O'Grady, and John Liddy.
The city is the setting for Frank McCourt
Francis McCourt (August 19, 1930July 19, 2009) was an Irish-American teacher and writer. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his book ''Angela's Ashes'', a tragicomic memoir of the misery and squalor of his childhood.
Early life and education
Frank McC ...
's memoir ''Angela's Ashes
''Angela's Ashes: A Memoir'' is a 1996 memoir by the Irish-American author Frank McCourt, with various anecdotes and stories of his childhood. The book details his very early childhood in Brooklyn, New York, US but focuses primarily on his life ...
'' and the film adaptation
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...
. The Frank McCourt Museum situated in Frank's former school on Hartsonge Street opened in 2011 and contains artefacts from the book. Limerick has also been the setting or location for a number of other films, including the dramas ''The Real Thing'' (2002), ''Cowboys & Angels
''Cowboys & Angels'' is an Irish film released on 14 May 2003 at the Cannes Film Market in France. Set in Limerick city, the movie stars Michael Legge as Shane and Allen Leech as Vincent, Shane's gay roommate. The film was directed by David Gle ...
'' (2003) and ''Lost & Found'' (2015).
Music
The Irish Chamber Orchestra
The Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is an Irish classical music ensemble, administratively based at the University of Limerick.
János Fürst founded the ICO in 1963. The ICO consisted only of strings as its regular ensemble for many years, adding wi ...
and the Irish World Music Centre are both based in the University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...
. The university has a thousand-seat state-of-the-art concert hall that hosts visiting performers. The city's music scene has produced bands such as The Cranberries
The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick, Ireland. Originally named the Cranberry Saw Us, the band were formed in 1989 by lead singer Niall Quinn, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan and drummer Fergal Lawler. Quinn was ...
, guitarist Noel Hogan
Noel Anthony Hogan (born 25 December 1971) is an Irish musician and record producer best known as the lead guitarist and co-songwriter of the Irish alt-rock band the Cranberries.
The Cranberries
Hogan formed the Cranberries with his brother Mik ...
's MonoBand, and The Hitchers. Electronic musician Richard D. James, more commonly known as Aphex Twin
Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known as Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born British musician, composer and DJ. He is known for his idiosyncratic work in electronic music, electronic styles such as techno, ambient music, ambient, and jun ...
, was born in Limerick in 1971. The Limerick Art Gallery and the Art College cater for painting, sculpture and performance art.
The Limerick International Band Championship
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 c ...
is an annual competition featuring marching bands
A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who perform while marching, often for entertainment or competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Most marching bands wear a uniform, often ...
from Limerick, the rest of Ireland, and the rest of the world. It is typically held around just after Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick ( ga, Lá Fhéile Pádraig, lit=the Day of the Festival of Patrick), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patr ...
, with the bands parading through the city centre, and attracts large crowds.
Dolan's Warehouse on the Dock Road is a venue specialising in live music, established in 1998. Baker Place was a nightclub that held mainly local underground nights until its closure in 2011. In 2020, it was announced that the Dromkeen-based Shiloh Trust was seeking planning permission to convert the former premises of Baker Place into a bible school.
Other
* Limerick is also home to comedians The Rubberbandits
The Rubberbandits are an Irish comedy hip-hop duo from Limerick city. They consist of Blindboy Boatclub (real name Dave Chambers) and Mr Chrome (sometimes Bobby Chrome; real name Bob McGlynn). During performances and interviews, they conceal t ...
, D'Unbelievables (Pat Shortt
Patrick Shortt (born 12 December 1967) is an Irish actor, comedian, writer and entertainer. His role in the 2007 film ''Garage'' led to him receiving the IFTA for Best Actor.
Career
Shortt toured alongside Jon Kenny as comedy duo D'Unbelievab ...
and Jon Kenny
Jonathan Kenny (born 12 December 1957) is an Irish comedian and actor who lives in Lough Gur and is one half of the famous Irish comic duo d'Unbelievables with Pat Shortt. ) and Karl Spain
Karl Spain (born 20 October 1971) is an Irish comedian from Limerick. He is from the Corbally area of the city and was educated at CBS Sexton Street.
In 2000, Spain won the RTÉ award for Best New Act.
Spain appeared at the Montreal '' Just fo ...
.
* The Crush 87 nightclub (formerly known as Trinity Rooms until its closure in 2010), was relaunched in 2013.
* Riverfest is a summer festival held annually in Limerick since 2004. The 2014 festival was held in May and had a record 80,000 visitors.
* As with several other towns and cities in Ireland, and some elsewhere, there is an annual Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick ( ga, Lá Fhéile Pádraig, lit=the Day of the Festival of Patrick), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patr ...
parade.
* The Daghdha Dance Company is a contemporary dance company that has adopted a renovated church in John's Square, adjacent to St John's Cathedral :''This list is for St. John the Evangelist Cathedrals. For St. John the Baptist Cathedrals, see St. John the Baptist Cathedral (disambiguation)''
St. John's Cathedral, St. John Cathedral, or Cathedral of St. John, or other variations on the name ...
, as a performance space).
* The Fresh Film Festival, which is held each spring, includes films made by young people (7–18 years).
*The Richard Harris International Film Festival
The Richard Harris International Film Festival (RHIFF) is an annual film festival held in Limerick, Ireland, named for the actor Richard Harris (1930–2002), a native of the city. The festival is affiliated with the Irish Film and Television Aca ...
is held every October.
Humorous verse
A Limerick (poetry), limerick is a type of humorous poetry, verse of five lines with an AABBA rhyme scheme: the poem's connection with the city is obscure, but the name is generally taken to be a reference to Limerick city or County Limerick
"Remember Limerick"
, image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Munster
, subdivision ...
, sometimes particularly to the Croom, County Limerick, Maigue Poets, and may derive from an earlier form of nonsense verse parlour game that traditionally included a refrain that included "Will [or won't] you come (up) to Limerick?" The earliest known use of the name "Limerick" for this type poem is an 1880 reference, in a Saint John, New Brunswick, newspaper, to an apparently well-known tune.
Media
Broadcasting
RTÉ lyric fm, a state-run classical music radio station and part of RTÉ, broadcasts nationally from studios in the city centre on Cornmarket Square which opened in 1994. Limerick's local radio station is Live 95FM, broadcasting from 'Radio House', near the waterfront at Steamboat Quay. Spin South West, owned by Communicorp, broadcasts to Counties County Kerry, Kerry, County Clare, Clare, County Limerick, Limerick, County Tipperary, Tipperary and southwest County Laois, Laois from its studios at Landmark Buildings in the Raheen Industrial Estate. Student radio station, Wired FM, broadcasts on 99.9FM from Mary Immaculate College
Mary Immaculate College (Coláiste Mhuire gan Smál), also known as MIC and Mary I, is a College of Education and Liberal Arts. Founded in 1898, the university level College of Education and the Liberal Arts is academically linked with the Univ ...
. Wired FM also has studios in Limerick Institute of Technology. Limerick City Community Radio broadcasts on 99.9FM every Saturday and Sunday. University Hospital Limerick has a radio station on 94.2FM, but this can be heard only in the hospital and surrounding area. West Limerick 102 is broadcast from Newcastle West. The national broadcaster, RTÉ, has radio and television studios in the city, which are periodically used to broadcast programming from Limerick.
Print
Several local newspapers are published in the city, including ''Limerick Post, The Limerick Post'' and ''The Limerick Leader'' and magazines include the ''Limerick Event Guide'', ''Business Limerick'' and ''Limerick Now''.
Places of interest
Limerick city is approximately 25 km from Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport ( ga, Aerfort na Sionainne) is an international airport located in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. It is adjacent to the Shannon Estuary and lies halfway between Ennis and Limerick. The airport is the third busiest ai ...
. Tourist attractions in the city centre include Limerick City Museum, King John's Castle (1210), St Mary's Cathedral (1168), the Hunt Museum, The People's Museum of Limerick, the University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...
, Georgian houses and gardens and the Treaty of Limerick, Treaty Stone. There are several seasonal tours, including Angela's Ashes
''Angela's Ashes: A Memoir'' is a 1996 memoir by the Irish-American author Frank McCourt, with various anecdotes and stories of his childhood. The book details his very early childhood in Brooklyn, New York, US but focuses primarily on his life ...
walking tour of Limerick City, historical walking tour, and boat tours along the River Shannon
The River Shannon ( ga, Abhainn na Sionainne, ', '), at in length, is the longest river in the British Isles. It drains the Shannon River Basin, which has an area of , – approximately one fifth of the area of the island of Ireland.
The Shan ...
.
The city centre is divided between the traditional areas of "English Town" on the southern end of King's Island, which includes the King John's Castle; "Irish Town", which includes the older streets on the south bank; and the current economic centre further south, called "Newtown Pery, Limerick, Newtown Pery". Newtown Pery was built in the late 18th century before the Act of Union 1800, Act of Union and, unusually for an Irish city and unique in Limerick, is laid out on a grid plan. The Limerick City Museum (formerly aka the Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum), is located in Istabraq Hall, City Hall, Merchant's Quay. It contains displays on Limerick's history and manufactures.
The Georgian core of the city, with its Georgian architecture in the Newtown Pery, was developed from the mid 18th century. This core includes O'Connell Street (George Street before independence) from the Cecil Street intersection running to the south west end of the Crescent, and south-east to Pery Street including Glentworth Street and Barrington Street. Other buildings of architectural note in the city are St John's Cathedral :''This list is for St. John the Evangelist Cathedrals. For St. John the Baptist Cathedrals, see St. John the Baptist Cathedral (disambiguation)''
St. John's Cathedral, St. John Cathedral, or Cathedral of St. John, or other variations on the name ...
, designed by the notable Victorian architect, Philip Charles Hardwick. St Mary's Cathedral, at over 800 years old, is one of the oldest in Ireland. St John's Cathedral, whilst more modern, has Ireland's tallest spire at 94 m (308 ft).
The Hunt Museum is based in the historic 18th-century former Custom House. The museum was established to house a collection of approximately 2000 works of art and antiquities formed by John Hunt (antiquarian), John and Gertrude Hunt during their lifetimes.
The main park in Limerick is the People's Park (Limerick), People's Park which was opened in 1877 in memory of Richard Russell, a prominent local business man. The park is dominated by the Thomas Spring Rice memorial (MP for the city 1820–1832) and has a large collection of mature deciduous and evergreen trees.
Limerick city centre changed significantly with the construction of several modern high-rise buildings in the early 2000s, in particular as part of the regeneration of the former docks area along the Dock Road. The suburban areas, where the majority of the population now live, have grown out from the centre along the main roads to Ennis (North Circular and Ennis Road areas/Caherdavin), Dublin (Castletroy
Castletroy (, meaning O'Troy's Landing or O'Troy's Callow) is a suburb of Limerick, Ireland. The town was named after Castle Troy also known as The Black Castle, which is located on the southern bank of the River Shannon, roughly 2km East of th ...
and the university) and Cork (Ballinacurra/Dooradoyle/Raheen). Suburban houses are generally two-floor semi-detached homes for single families. These were built from the 1950s onwards in large estates by government projects and commercial developments, although there are many examples of Edwardian and older 1930s suburban homes on the main suburban thoroughfares leading towards the city (North & South Circular, Ballinacurra Road, O'Connell Avenue).
Limerick city's nightlife is supported by a number of nightclubs and pubs which offer music. For example, Dolan's Warehouse is a small music venue which hosts local, national and international folk, indie, jazz, rock and traditional Irish music acts.
In County Limerick, Adare village and the Foynes Flying Boat Museum, approximately 35 km (22 miles/30 minutes) from Limerick City along the scenic coastal N69 route from Limerick to Tralee, are also attractions. Bunratty Castle in County Clare is another local attraction, and is situated 15.4 km north of the city. Limerick is known to be the antipodes to the Campbell Island Group, Campbell Islands of New Zealand.
Demographics
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland (after Dublin and Cork (city), Cork) with a population of 94,192 in the urban area[ and 104,952 in the metropolitan district, according to the 2016 Central Statistics Office of Ireland, CSO census.] The past census reported a large population decline in central city areas due in part to the Limerick regeneration process where in these areas the largest reduction was reported nationally and also to outward migration following the collapse of the local and national economy from 2008 onwards. The population of the Limerick Larger Urban Zone as defined by the EU is 162,413. The ethnic diversity in Limerick's population, which includes a large immigrant community, saw rapid growth during the Celtic Tiger and the following decade. The Polish community is one of the largest demographic groups in the Municipal District, with approximately 4,000 living and working in the area. Ireland's first Polish bank opened in 2007.[Limerick may get Polish bank](_blank)
– breakingnews.ie 7 December 2006 The African community has set up a number of churches, which are now part of the cultural makeup of the city.
Limerick has a large stock of Public housing, local authority housing. Prior to the merger of Limerick City and County Council 41% of all housing within the old Limerick City Council boundary was Public housing, local authority, which was the highest in Ireland. This figure is however no longer accurate given the larger metropolitan district of the city.
Economy
Limerick is in the region dubbed "Mid-West Region, Ireland, the Midwest". Also known as the "Shannon Region", this is primarily an economic and social concept. The region encompasses County Limerick
"Remember Limerick"
, image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Munster
, subdivision ...
, County Clare, North County Tipperary
County Tipperary ( ga, Contae Thiobraid Árann) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary, and was established in the early 13th century, shortly after th ...
, Northwest County Kerry and south County Offaly, with its focal point centred on Limerick and its environs within an radius.
The city's economic development has been driven in part by the University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...
, Limerick Institute of Technology, Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport ( ga, Aerfort na Sionainne) is an international airport located in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. It is adjacent to the Shannon Estuary and lies halfway between Ennis and Limerick. The airport is the third busiest ai ...
in County Clare and Shannon Development (an economic development agency), whose precursor was SFADCO (Shannon Free Airport Development Company), an economic agency that provided tax incentives to companies locating in the area surrounding Shannon Airport. Limerick Chamber of Commerce, a representative body for businesses in the region, celebrated its bicentennial/bicentenary in 2015. As of 2015, Limerick had the highest disposable income per person in Ireland outside Dublin.
Historically Limerick was an agricultural commodity-driven economy, due to its position as the first major port along the River Shannon. By the middle of the 18th century, Limerick Port grew to become one of Ireland's principal commercial ports, exporting agricultural produce from the most fertile tracts in Ireland known as the Golden Vale
The Golden Vale ()
is an area of rolling pastureland in the civil province of Munster, southwestern Ireland. Covering parts of three counties, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork, it is the best land in Ireland for dairy farming.
Historically it ...
as well as produce from the surrounding counties. The city was one of the main meat processing areas in Ireland, and industry included confectionery and flour production. The city was known for its bacon industry, including the production of Limerick ham – however this went into decline in the mid-20th century. The fishing industry in Limerick, based on Clancy's Strand opposite King John's Castle and at Coonagh nearby, once employed hundreds of men. The boat most commonly used was the Gandelow which was also used as a small Lighter (barge) to ferry goods to and from larger ships in the port. In the 1920s the construction of a dam at Ardnacrusha severely impacted salmon breeding and that, and the introduction of quotas, had by the 1950s caused salmon fishing to diminish. By 2006, most fishermen had relinquished their drift net licences and the industry can now be said to be dormant.
As with other cities in Ireland, a number of multinational companies are based in Limerick, and the city is a growing recipient of foreign direct investment. Dell Inc., Dell had its main European Manufacturing Facility at the Raheen Business Park however in January 2009 Dell announced that it would close its Limerick computer manufacturing plant and move the production lines to Poland. The facility was the largest Dell manufacturing plant outside the United States and produced 30,000–60,000 units per day for export to the Europe, the Middle East and Africa, EMEA. Dell remains one of the largest employers in the mid-west with over 1,000 people employed in service and support. Analog Devices has its European manufacturing base in Raheen, 3 km south-west of the city centre. The site employs more than 1,000 people. Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Vistakon (the world's largest manufacturer of contact lenses) has a large facility in Castletroy
Castletroy (, meaning O'Troy's Landing or O'Troy's Callow) is a suburb of Limerick, Ireland. The town was named after Castle Troy also known as The Black Castle, which is located on the southern bank of the River Shannon, roughly 2km East of th ...
in the Plassey, County Limerick, National Technology Park and also employs close to 1,000 people. It is Vistakon's only production facility outside the United States and one of the largest contact-lens manufacturing plants in the world. Cook Medical, the world's largest privately owned Medical Devices company, employs over 800 people in Limerick at the Plassey, County Limerick, National Technology Park.
The Post-2008 Irish economic downturn had a profound effect on Limerick. The announcement in 2009 that Dell was to move its manufacturing facility from Limerick to Poland devastated the local economy. 1,900 jobs were lost at Dell and it is believed that for every job that was lost at Dell at least another 4 to 5 were at risk. The closure of the Dell manufacturing facility amounted to 2% of Ireland's national GDP. The downturn in the construction industry also cost many jobs as did the stalled Limerick regeneration programme which promised investment in Limerick's deprived city areas. As of 2012 unemployment had become a major problem across the city with the unemployment rate in the city at 28.6% which was almost twice the national average.
Retail
The Crescent Shopping Centre is the largest shopping centre in Ireland, outside of Dublin, and the largest in the province of Munster. It is located in Dooradoyle
Dooradoyle ( Irish: ''Tuar an Daill'') is a large suburb of Limerick, Ireland. It is one of Limerick's newer suburbs, and is home to the campus of University Hospital Limerick and the Crescent Shopping Centre.
Etymology
The name Dooradoyle ( g ...
about 3 km south of the city centre, and has over 90 shopping outlets along with restaurants and a 12-screen Omniplex Cinema. The city centre also has a large retail district which includes a mix of more traditional type of shops as well as some modern high street stores. Cruises Street, Limerick, Cruises Street is one of the main shopping streets. O'Connell Street
O'Connell Street () is a street in the centre of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, running north from the River Liffey. It connects the O'Connell Bridge to the south with Parnell Street to the north and is roughly split into two sections ...
, William Street, Limerick, William Street, Bedford Row (Limerick), Bedford Row and Thomas Street, Limerick, Thomas Street) are also retail streets within the city. The city centre saw some works on remodelling in the early 21st century, with pedestrianisation works on Bedford Row, Thomas Street and parts of Catherine Street, as well as widening footpaths on William Street. These works have sought to address a reduction of footfall in the city centre (in turn influencing the closure of many city centre retail businesses) which occurred from the recession of 2008 onwards.
Retail parks and shopping centres
During the Celtic Tiger years a number of shopping centres and retail parks opened in suburban areas of Limerick. In addition to the Crescent Shopping Centre, which expanded in the early 2000s, the Jetland Shopping Centre and Childers Road Retail Park opened in the mid-2000s. As of 2017, unfinished retail centres included the Coonagh, Limerick City, Coonagh Cross retail development and the Parkway Valley Shopping Centre on the Dublin Road.
The plans for the Opera Centre, a proposed retail development described as "one of the biggest commercial development sites in the city's history", make up part of the "Limerick 2030" scheme.
The Milk Market
The Milk Market located at Cornmarket Row in the city centre sells locally produced foods and products and is governed by Limerick Market Trustees. In 2010 work was undertaken to redevelop the existing premises to an all-weather, all year round facility as it operated in an outdoor environment. The work involved constructing a large canopy over the existing market premises and was officially re-opened in June 2010. The Milk Market Project won the 2011 Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) 'Peoples Choice Award'.
Energy
In 2013, a renewable energy strategy was launched for the region, and proposed a 20% reduction in CO2-emissions, while ensuring that short-term actions were beneficial to the long-term goal of 100% renewable energy. The strategy was completed by the Danish Aalborg University.
Transport
Air
Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport ( ga, Aerfort na Sionainne) is an international airport located in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. It is adjacent to the Shannon Estuary and lies halfway between Ennis and Limerick. The airport is the third busiest ai ...
is 20 km west of the city in County Clare
County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,817 ...
. It is one of Ireland's main airports and is accessible from Limerick via the N18 road (Ireland), N18 dual carriageway and from other regions via the Limerick Tunnel. It has scheduled flights to European and North American destinations. There is no rail link to the airport. Coonagh airfield, a few kilometres west of Caherdavin, serves small private aircraft. Kerry Airport, Kerry and Cork Airports are around 1 hour 30 minutes and 2 hours drive away, respectively. Kerry Airport is connected via Farranfore railway station from Limerick railway station.
Bus
Local public transport is provided by several companies. Bus Éireann, Ireland's state-owned bus company, operates a number of services subsidised by the National Transport Authority, while a number of provide operators also run commercial bus services in and around Limerick. An updated city bus network was introduced in Limerick City in December 2016, which introduced new routes. In May 2019, Bus Éireann further changed and improved the Limerick City timetable, including increased frequency and later operating times.
Other rural buses run to towns and villages in the county and to Shannon Airport
Shannon Airport ( ga, Aerfort na Sionainne) is an international airport located in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. It is adjacent to the Shannon Estuary and lies halfway between Ennis and Limerick. The airport is the third busiest ai ...
. There are also a number of Intercity and international buses from Bus Éireann's bus station, bus terminal adjoining Limerick railway station, Limerick Colbert railway station. These include hourly services to Dublin, Cork (city), Cork, Ennis and Galway. Bus Éireann have also commenced a Limerick to Galway Express service travelling on the M18 motorway (Ireland), M18 in addition to the regular service. Buses run every 2 hours to Tralee and Killarney. There are also regular daily services to Waterford
"Waterford remains the untaken city"
, mapsize = 220px
, pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe
, pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe
, pushpin_relief = 1
, coordinates ...
and Athlone, and a daily service to London via the ferry from Rosslare Europort.
There are a number of private bus companies in operation providing city and intercity services. Dublin Coach provide the M7 motorway (Ireland), M7 express service which operates every hour from Arthur's Quay which goes to Dublin or Ennis. JJ Kavanagh also provide Dublin to Limerick services from Arthur's Quay. Citylink run a number of services from Limerick to Galway and Cork and operate from Henry Street.
Rail
Iarnród Éireann's Limerick railway station, Limerick Colbert station is the railway hub for the city and the Mid West Region with a number of intercity and commuter rail services. Limerick railway station opened on 28 August 1858, replacing an earlier, temporary station 500 m east, which had operated from 9 May 1848.
The following InterCity (Iarnród Éireann), inter city routes are available from Limerick railway station, Limerick Colbert station :
* Limerick to Dublin Heuston: 16 services daily including 4 direct services. All remaining Dublin – Limerick services require passengers to change to the Dublin-Cork railway line, Dublin to Cork train at either Limerick Junction railway station, Limerick Junction or at Ballybrophy railway station.
* Limerick-Rosslare railway line, Limerick to Waterford: 2 services daily (but none on Sundays). Passengers must change train at Limerick Junction railway station, Limerick Junction to continue to Waterford with stations at Tipperary railway station, Tipperary, Cahir railway station, Cahir, Clonmel railway station, Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir.
* Western Railway Corridor, Limerick to Galway: 5 services daily. This service reopened on 29 March 2010.
* Limerick to Cork: Passengers can travel between Limerick and Cork Kent railway station, Cork via Limerick Junction railway station, Limerick Junction. There is no direct service.
* Limerick to Killarney, Farranfore and Tralee: Passengers can travel between Limerick and Killarney railway station, Killarney, Farranfore railway station, Farranfore and Tralee railway station, Tralee via Limerick Junction railway station, Limerick Junction where trains run via Mallow railway station, Mallow to reach County Kerry.
There are 3 suburban/commuter services in the Limerick Suburban Rail network:
* Limerick – Ennis calling at Sixmilebridge
* Limerick – Nenagh calling at Castleconnell
Castleconnell (, historically ''Caisleán Uí Chonaing'') is a village in County Limerick on the banks of the River Shannon. It is from Limerick city and near the boundaries of counties Clare and Tipperary.
History
The ruins of the ' Castle ...
and Birdhill (with some services continuing to Cloughjordan & Roscrea & connecting to the Dublin-Cork railway line at Ballybrophy railway station, Ballybrophy.) Due to speed restrictions this alternative Dublin – Limerick route can take 60 minutes longer (with a change at Ballybrophy railway station, Ballybrophy) than by Limerick Junction railway station, Limerick Junction albeit a more direct service.
* Limerick – Limerick Junction railway station, Limerick Junction and Thurles railway station, Thurles
There are also a number of disused railway lines including the Limerick to Foynes line which closed to freight in the early 2000s, having lost passenger services in the early 1960s, although the track is still in situ. This is the last remaining part of the North Kerry Line which closed to passenger traffic in the early 1960s and to freight traffic (other than Limerick – Foynes) in the mid-1970s, and has been lifted between Ballingrane (near Rathkeale) and Tralee.
Road
Limerick's central location in the mid–west of Ireland means many national primary routes converge on the city. The M7 motorway (Ireland), M7 (Dublin), N18 road (Ireland), N/M18 (Galway, Ennis, Shannon), N20 road (Ireland), N/M20 (Cork), N21 road (Ireland), N21 (Tralee) and N24 road (Ireland), N24 (Waterford) routes all start/terminate in or near the city. Road infrastructure is further supplemented by the southern ring road and Limerick Tunnel bypass of the city and the M20 bypass of Dooradoyle and Raheen to the south of the city. Connections to the other cities were improved with the completion of the M7 motorway (Ireland), M7 motorway in December 2010, and continuing upgrades ongoing to the N/M18 to Shannon, Ennis, Galway and Tuam – the final section opened in September 2017. A motorway is also planned between Cork and Limerick, with a proposed completion date in the mid-2020s.
Waterway transport
Historically, waterway transport has been key to Limerick's development. Vikings established the city as a maritime trading port. The city's position on a major Irish river system, the River Shannon, Shannon, enabled transport to the midlands of Ireland and further north and west. By the 18th century with the opening of canal systems throughout Ireland, Limerick Port established itself as Ireland's premier commercial port on the western side of the country. This was enabled by ease of access from the facilitated by the opening of canals but most importantly to the River Shannon. The opening of the Grand Canal (Ireland), Grand Canal in the 18th century provided further access to Dublin and the east of the country. There are also a number of disused canals in the vicinity of the city including the Park Canal & the Passey – Errina Canal on the old Limerick navigation. Waterway transport on the Shannon was regularly used to transport goods from Limerick to Dublin and vice versa however this mode of transport fell into decline in the 20th century. Originally Limerick port was located near the confluence of the Abbey and Shannon rivers at King's Island. Today the Shannon Foynes Port is located further downstream on the Shannon alongside the Dock Road. This general purpose facility port is operated by the Shannon Foynes Port Company who operate all marine activities in the Shannon estuary.
Education
Limerick is a centre of higher education in the region, and technical and continuation education within the city traces its beginning back to the formation of the Limerick Athenaeum Society in 1852, marking the foundation of the Limerick Institute of Technology. The Society's aims included "the promotion of Literature, Science, Art and Music". Limerick is now home to a number of higher-education institutions including the University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...
, Limerick Institute of Technology (one of the two constituent campuses of the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest) and Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, Mary Immaculate College and has a student population of over 20,000.
The University of Limerick (UL), has a student population of over 13,000, and is about 5 km east of the city centre in the suburb of Castletroy
Castletroy (, meaning O'Troy's Landing or O'Troy's Callow) is a suburb of Limerick, Ireland. The town was named after Castle Troy also known as The Black Castle, which is located on the southern bank of the River Shannon, roughly 2km East of th ...
. It was established as the National Institute for Higher Education (NIHE) in 1972, and in 1989 was the first university to be established since the foundation of the Republic of Ireland, State in 1922. Its academic programs include courses in engineering, information technology, materials science, sports science, humanities, teacher education, social sciences and music. In 2007, the university opened a medical school. The Irish World Music Centre specialises in traditional music and dance, and UL is host to the Irish Chamber Orchestra
The Irish Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is an Irish classical music ensemble, administratively based at the University of Limerick.
János Fürst founded the ICO in 1963. The ICO consisted only of strings as its regular ensemble for many years, adding wi ...
. The campus includes a 50m Olympic-standard swimming complex, the first to be established in Ireland. The campus has one of the longest footbridges in Europe, "The Living Bridge". Thomond College of Education, Limerick was a teacher training college for secondary level and was integrated into the university in 1991.
Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) has a student population of approximately 7,000 and is a centre for undergraduate and postgraduate education in business, engineering, information technology, humanities, science and art education. It is due to merge with Athlone IT to become the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, in 2021/2022. The main campus is located at Moylish Park, about 3 kilometres north-west of the city centre, and the Limerick School of Art and Design is located on campuses at Clare Street and George's Quay. Additional facilities and outreach centres are located at O'Connell Street and in Ennis, County Clare and LIT has two campuses in County Tipperary, LIT Thurles and LIT Clonmel. These were formerly the campuses of the Tipperary Institute which merged with LIT in 2011. LIT was originally established in 1852 as a School of Ornamental Art. In the mid-1970s it was incorporated as the Limerick College of Art, Commerce & Technology (CoACT) and achieved the designation of a Regional Technical College (RTC) in 1993 and finally an Institutes of Technology in Ireland, Institute of Technology in 1997. LIT has connections with several enterprise centres.
Mary Immaculate College is an education and arts college located just south-west of the city centre. The main focus is on the education of primary-level teachers. Mary Immaculate College is a constituent college of the University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...
.
Griffith College Limerick (GCL) is a private college in Limerick. The college was established in 2006 when the Mid West Business Institute was acquired by Griffith College. The college runs full-time and part-time courses in accountancy, business, law, engineering, computing and IT and has a range of part-time courses available.
Primary and secondary education in the city is organised in a similar fashion to the rest of Ireland. The City of Limerick Vocational Education Committee (CLVEC) provides education services for over 10,000 learners in the city at secondary and further education levels. It also runs Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh, an all Irish language secondary school. The other main secondary schools in the city are Castletroy College, Crescent College Comprehensive, Thomond Community College and Villiers Secondary School, Villiers which are all Coeducation, co-educational. Ardscoil Rís, Limerick, Ardscoil Rís, St. Clements Redemptorist College, CBS Sexton Street and St Munchin's College are boys-only schools. Laurel Hill Coláiste, The Presentation, Ard Scoil Mhuire and Scoil Carmel are girls-only schools.
Sport
Rugby Union, Rugby, Gaelic football, hurling and association football are popular sporting pastimes in Limerick. The city and suburbs also has many tennis, athletics, cricket and golf clubs. The city is host to many large sporting events. Examples in the 21st century include the 2008 and 2009 Irish Open Golf Championships, the 2010 Irish Special Olympics, the All-Ireland Corporate Games and the World Baton twirling Championships. Limerick was designated as a European City of Sport for 2011 by the European Capitals of Sport Association (ACES).
The National Elite Swimming Club is based in The University of Limerick Arena. Former World Boxing Champion, Andy Lee (boxer), Andy Lee, who held the World Boxing Organization, WBO middleweight title from 2014 to 2015, trained at St. Francis Boxing Club on Mungret Street in Limerick.
Basketball
Similar to the rest of Ireland, basketball was a popular sport in Limerick during the 1970s and 1980s, with up to four divisions in the men's and women's local leagues. It suffered a decline during the 1990s culminating in the complete demise of local league basketball in the city and surrounding areas. The main clubs in the city were St. Colm's and Marathon with St. Colm's in particular having a long history in the National Leagues. Limerick is currently represented in the Premier League (Ireland), National Leagues by the men's UL Eagles team and the women's UL Aughinish team. They both play their home games at the 2,500 capacity University Arena at the University of Limerick. There are a number of other teams at school and club level, including St. Colm's, Limerick Lakers, Taste of Europe, Limerick Celtic and Limerick Lions.
Cricket
Limerick Cricket Club is a member of the Munster Cricket Union and plays in competitions organised by the Union. The club has in the past provided players for the Ireland national cricket team.
Rowing
Four rowing clubs are located in the city, namely Limerick Boat Club, Shannon Rowing Club, St Michael's Rowing Club, and Athlunkard Boat Club. St Michael's member and Limerick native Sam Lynch won the World Rowing Championships gold medal in the Men's Lightweight Single Sculls in 2001 and 2002.
Gaelic games
Ireland's national sports of hurling and Gaelic football are widely played in the city and its surrounding suburbs. The Limerick county hurling team are the 2022 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, current All-Ireland champions, have won the last three senior hurling championships in a row, and are All-Ireland_Senior_Hurling_Championship_records_and_statistics#General_Performances , of the top four teams in the country historically.
Na Piarsaigh GAA (Limerick), Na Piarsaigh is the only city club 2022_Limerick_Senior_Hurling_Championship , currently playing hurling at senior level. Claughaun GAA, Claughaun (Clochán), Monaleen (Móin a'Lín) and Mungret (Mungairit) compete at intermediate level and Old Christians (Sean-Chríostaithe), Milford (Áth an Mhuilinn), Saint Patrick's (Naomh Pádraig) and Abbey Sarsfields (Sáirséalaigh na Mainistreach) compete at junior level.
Limerick won the first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1887 when represented by the city's Commercials club and repeated the feat in 1896. Since then, the game has lived mostly in the shadow of hurling but a resurgence in 2000 saw the county win its first Munster Under-21 title and has since reached three Munster Senior finals. Monaleen (Móin a'Lín) are the only city club to play football at the senior grade. Saint Patrick's (Naomh Pádraig), Claughaun (An Clochán), Mungret St. Paul's (Mungairit Naomh Pól) and Na Piarsaigh GAA (Limerick), Na Piarsaigh are at intermediate level and Milford (Áth an Mhuilinn), Abbey Sarsfields (Sáirséalaigh na Mainstreach) and Ballinacurra Gaels (Gaeil Bhaile na Cora) play at junior level.
A number of secondary school's compete in the Dr. Harty Cup, which is the Munster Colleges Hurling Championship. Limerick CBS has won the cup on 10 occasions, including four in a row from 1964 to 1967 and most recently in 1993. The school also won the Dr. Croke Cup, the All-Ireland Colleges Hurling Championship, on two occasions, in 1964 and 1966. Ardscoil Rís has won the championship on five occasions, in 2010, 2011, 2013,2015 and 2021 and St. Munchin's College won it once, in 1922.
Both the University of Limerick (UL) and Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) have been successful in the Fitzgibbon Cup, the All-Ireland Higher Education Hurling Championship. UL first won the championship in 1989 and have won it four times in all. LIT's two wins came in 2005 and 2007. Both of the colleges met in the final in 2011, with UL scoring an injury-time goal to win.
Limerick's Gaelic Grounds (Páirc na nGael), on the Ennis Road, is the county team's home venue for both sports and has a capacity of 49,000 following reconstruction in 2004. In 1961 it hosted Ireland's biggest crowd for a sporting event outside Croke Park when over 61,000 paid to see the Munster hurling final between Tipperary and Cork.
Golf
There are three golf clubs associated with Limerick city. Limerick Golf Club was founded in 1891 and is located at Ballyclough, due south of the city centre. Castletroy Golf Club was founded in 1937 and is located in the suburb of Castletroy in the southwest of the city. Rathbane Golf Club is based at Rathbane Golf Course, a municipal facility opened in 1998 on the southern outskirts of the city and operated under licence for Limerick City Council. Limerick has won the Irish Senior Cup, the blue riband event of Irish amateur golf, on four occasions and was the first Irish club to win the European Club Championship, in 1980. Castletroy has won the Irish Senior Cup once.
Limerick Golf Club was host to the JP McManus Invitational Pro Am, one of the largest pro-am events of its kind in the world. It has contributed over €95m to local charities since its inception in 1990. The event moved to the larger Adare Golf Club in 2005 as it had outgrown the Ballyclough venue. Adare also played host to the Irish Open (golf), Irish Open in 2007 and 2008.
Rugby
Rugby Union is popular in the city and is widely played at all levels, with Limerick sometimes referred to as the "spiritual home of Irish rugby". Since its inception in 1991 the AIB League, All-Ireland League has been dominated by Limerick City teams, with three clubs winning the competition 13 times between them: Shannon RFC, Shannon (9); Garryowen Football Club, Garryowen (3) and Young Munster (1). Other senior rugby clubs in the city include Old Crescent, Thomond RFC, Thomond, and UL Bohemians. Richmond and St.Marys are city clubs playing in the junior leagues.
The city's secondary schools compete in the Munster Schools Senior Cup, Munster Senior and Munster Schools Junior Cup, Junior Cups and a number of schools have had notable success at both levels. The most successful rugby school in the city is Crescent College who have won the Senior Cup eleven times and the Junior Cup five times. The school is affiliated to Old Crescent RFC. St Munchin's have won the Senior Cup five times since 1968 and the Junior Cup three times. Limerick CBS won the Senior Cup on four occasions in the 1920s and 1930s and the Junior Cup in 1932. Ardscoil Rís, Limerick, Ardscoil Rís has won the Junior Cup twice, in 2003 and 2005 and Castletroy College won both senior and junior competitions in 2008.
All Munster European Heineken Cup matches are played at Thomond Park
Thomond Park is a stadium in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and has Munster Rugby, Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. Limerick FC played home games in Thomond Park fr ...
Stadium, where the Munster Rugby, Munster team held a record of being unbeaten in the Heineken Cup for 26 consecutive games until the 16–9 defeat by Leicester in January 2007. Munster has won the Heineken Cup twice, in 2006 and 2008. The main street O'Connell Street was crowded for the 2006 match. Munster recorded a famous 12 – 0 victory against the New Zealand New Zealand national rugby union team, All Blacks in 1978 at Thomond Park and came close a second time when the teams met again in 2008, losing 18–16. Munster also defeated an Australian touring side at Thomond Park in 2010.
Rugby league is also played in Limerick and the city is represented in the Munster Conference of the Irish Elite League by Treaty City Titans. In 2013, Thomond Park
Thomond Park is a stadium in Limerick in the Irish province of Munster. The stadium is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and has Munster Rugby, Shannon RFC and UL Bohemian RFC as tenants. Limerick FC played home games in Thomond Park fr ...
hosted rugby league matches in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, and an academy was set up to identify players to play for Super League clubs.
Association football
Association football is popular in the city and suburbs, and the city was historically represented in the League of Ireland by Limerick F.C., Limerick FC. The club first joined the league in 1937. There have been a number of variations of the club, and their most successful period was from the 1960s to the 1980s when they won 2 League of Ireland championships and two FAI Cups. The club played at Markets Field until the mid-1980s when they controversially moved to a new venue. Limerick FC returned to the Market's Field in June 2015, following the purchase of the venue by the Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP) from Bord na gCon. However, the club suffered a financial collapse in 2019 and lost its licence.
In place of Limerick FC, a new club called Treaty United F.C. was created. The women's team, Treaty United W.F.C., began playing in the 2020 season of the Women's National League (Ireland), Women's National League. The men's team were not able to begin playing until the 2021 season, joining the League of Ireland First Division.
Horse racing
Limerick Racecourse is located 10 km outside the city at Greenmount, Patrickswell and holds Flat racing, flat and National Hunt racing, National Hunt meetings throughout the year.
The racecourse superseded Greenpark Racecourse, a course inside the city, which closed in 1999 after 130 years of racing.
Photos
File:LimerickCity KingJohnsCastle 2010.jpg, King John's Castle on the River Shannon
File:StJohnsCastleLimerick.jpg, Thomond Bridge and King John's Castle
File:LimerickSunsetPotatoMarket.jpg, Sylvester O'Halloran Bridge
File:LimerickCity Riverpoint.jpg, The quay in Limerick City
File:Treaty-Stone-Limerick-2012.JPG, Treaty Stone on the banks of the River Shannon
File:LimerickCity StMarysCathedral.jpg, St. Mary's Cathedral
File:LimerickCity BishopsQuay.jpg, Limerick on the River Shannon as viewed from Bishop's Quay
File:UniversityOfLimerick_AntonyGormley.jpeg, Sculpture by Antony Gormley in the Central Plaza of the University of Limerick
The University of Limerick (UL) ( ga, Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it beca ...
See also
* List of Limerick people
* List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland
* List of public art in Limerick
Notes
References
* ''The History of Limerick City'' by Sean Spellissy (1998)
* ''The Government and the People of Limerick. The History of Limerick Corporation/City Council 1197–2006'' by Matthew Potter (2006)
* ''First Citizens of the Treaty City. The Mayors and Mayoralty of Limerick 1197–2007'' by Matthew Potter (2007)
* ''The Memoirs of John M. Regan, a Catholic Officer in the RIC and RUC, 1909–48'', Joost Augusteijn, editor, District Inspector, Limerick 1920, .
External links
Limerick City and County Council
Official Limerick City Website
Various online history resources from Limerick City Library
{{Authority control
Limerick (city),
Articles on towns and villages in Ireland possibly missing Irish place names
Cities in the Republic of Ireland
County towns in the Republic of Ireland
Local government areas of the Republic of Ireland
Munster
Port cities and towns in the Republic of Ireland
Populated places on the River Shannon
Viking Age populated places