Limerick

Limerick (Luimneach) is a city in County Limerick in the Shannon Region of Ireland, with a population in 2024 of 60,314. It's a miniature Dublin with its Georgian streets, historic sights, and many visitor amenities, and is a good base for visiting its surrounding county plus County Clare and County Tipperary.

Understand
Limerick grew up at the limit of tides and navigation of the River Shannon. In the 9th century the Vikings first raided it then settled, calling it Hlymrekr which probably means low-lying and fertile. As elsewhere in Ireland, they were overthrown by the native Irish in the 10th and 11th centuries, who in turn came under the rule of the Anglo-Normans. In 1205 King John ordered the construction of the castle on the river island in the Shannon, and the English settled in this area of King's Island, with their "Englishtown" protected by massive walls. South across the small River Abbey lay "Irishtown", with the natives firmly put in their place.

Limerick became a prosperous port, so it was worth fighting for. Some of the many conflicts were the proxy war that was part of the medieval England—Scotland wars; a siege as Oliver Cromwell crushed Royalist opposition in Ireland; and the siege which was the last stand of King James II/VII forces against William of Orange, ended by the Treaty of Limerick in 1691. Supposedly this was signed over the "Treaty Stone", which now stands near Thomond Bridge.

The city benefited from local agriculture and by growing trade with North America, with Irishtown rebuilt on a grid pattern as a Georgian city comparable to Dublin, and fine public buildings. It slumped with the Napoleonic wars, with the draining of political power to England, and with the great Irish famine of 1847. Not until mid-20th century did it redevelop, as transatlantic flights began from Shannon and new industry was attracted in to replace bygone trades.

It's spawned many great writers and poets: Michael Hogan (1828-1899) the satirical Bard of Thomond, Jim Kemmy (1936-1997) author of The Limerick Anthology, Frank McCourt (1930-2009) author of Angela's Ashes, 'Tis and Teacher Man. Other famous local people include the actor Richard Harris, TV presenter Terry Wogan, statesmen Éamon de Valera and Michael D Higgins, and physician William Brooke O'Shaughnessy who pioneered IV therapy and the medical use of cannabis. What the place didn't spawn was limerick verse, which evolved in 18th-century England, presumably from a nonsense lyric that referred to the city or county.

This is Limerick is the tourist office, within the castle.

By plane
is near Shannon town, 25 km west of Limerick along N18. It has flights from Europe and the UK, and from New York, Newark and Chicago. All the main car rental firms have offices at the airport.

To town, Bus Eireann 343 runs every 30 min between 8AM and midnight, taking an hour via Bunratty; some may start from Ennis. Bus 51 between Galway, Limerick and Cork also stops at the airport hourly.

Dublin Airport has a wider selection of flights and is served by Flightlink Bus 723 direct to Limerick, 2 hr 30 min.

By train
Hourly trains from Dublin Heuston take two hours. A few are direct but usually you take the train for Cork and change at Limerick Junction (25 km east of Limerick, near Tipperary); change there also from Waterford. See Irish Rail for timetables, fares and online tickets.

Five trains a day run from Galway, taking 2 hours via Athenry, Gort and (more frequently) Ennis.

Two trains a day M-Sa and one on Sunday run from Ballybrophy on the Dublin-Cork line via Roscrea and Nenagh.

By bus
Dublin Coach M7 ("Big Green Bus") runs every 30 min from Dublin Burgh Quay, taking 2 hr 45 min via Heuston railway station, Kildare, Annacotty and UL campus at Castletroy. The last bus departs at midnight. The bus stop in Limerick is Arthur's Quay, M7 doesn't use the bus station. Alternate buses branch here for Bunratty and Ennis, or for Adare, Newcastlewest, Abbeyfeale, Killarney and Tralee. See above for the direct bus from Dublin Airport.

Bus Eireann 51 runs hourly from Cork via Mallow, 2 hours, and continues north to Shannon Airport, Ennis and Galway, 80 min.

Bus 13 runs from Tralee every two hours, and Bus 14 from Killarney and Kerry Airport every two hours, both via Abbeyfeale, Newcastlewest and Adare.

Bus 55 runs every two hours from Waterford, taking 2 hr 30 min via Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Cahir and Tipperary. Bus 72 runs three times a day from Athlone, taking 2 hours via Birr and Nenagh.

Limerick bus station is at Colbert next to the railway station.

By car
From Dublin, N7 is all motorway once you get past Naas, 200 km or 3 hours in all. Other major routes from Limerick are N18 / M18 to Shannon Airport, Ennis and Galway, N20 to Mallow and Cork, N21 to Tralee and Killarney, and N24 to Tipperary and Waterford.

Get around
Walking will get you everywhere in city centre.

Bikes need to be rented weeks in advance. There is only one bike rental shop in town.

By bus
Bus Éireann operate frequent buses in Limerick. All routes run via city centre:
 * Bus 301 from Raheen and University Hospital Limerick in the southwest to Westbury in the north, every 30 min daily.
 * Bus 302 loops west from Henry Street in city centre via University Maternity Hospital, Thomond Park, Limerick Institute of Technology, Caherdavin and back to Sarsfield Street in the centre, every 20-30 min daily.
 * Bus 303 runs from Pineview in the northwest to O'Malley Park in the southeast, every 20-30 min daily.
 * Bus 304 runs from Raheen and Ballycummin in the southwest to Castletroy and the University of Limerick in the east, every 30 min daily. Bus 304A is similar, from Raheen via University Hospital.
 * Bus 305 runs from St Mary's Park in the north to Lynwood Park in the east, hourly daily.
 * Bus 306 runs from Ballynanty in the northwest to Edward Street in the south city centre, hourly daily.
 * Bus 313 runs from Arthur's Quay in city centre to Ardnacrusha in the north, 4-5 times Monday to Saturday.

TFI website has a map of the city bus network.

Cash fares within the city are €2.40-2.80 adult and €1.40-1.70 child, while if paying with a TFI Leap Card are €1.68-1.96 adult and €0.98-1.19 child. On TFI Leap Card, 24-hour, 7-day and monthly tickets are also available.

By taxi
Fares are nationally regulated and taxis must use the meter. Until Sep 2024, fares M-Sa 8AM-8PM are €4.20 flagfall then €1.30 per km. In slow traffic or if asked to wait they charge by the minute, 46 cents. At all other times it's €4.80 flagfall then €1.71 per km, waiting 60 cents per min.

See

 * Widows Alms Houses just south of the castle were built in 1691 to house soldiers' widows.
 * 100 m east of the castle is a home for elderly nuns, embellished by a vivid mural. There are stretches of the old city walls alongside, including a sally port.
 * is lined with confident Georgian architecture. The Daniel O'Connell monument perches at the top of the street.
 * next to Thomond bridge is a rough limestone block used for mounting horses. It was supposedly upon this stone that the Treaty of Limerick was signed on 3 Oct 1691, ending the siege of the city and the war between the Jacobites and William of Orange. The Treaty permitted the defeated Jacobite soldiers to leave for France (which most did), or to enlist in William's army, or to go home. It also ensured protection of the defeated Catholic gentry provided they swore allegiance to King William. But few did so, the Pope proclaimed James as the rightful king, the Catholics were oppressed, and the conflict rumbled on for the next 300 years.
 * is a dam and hydroelectric power station, upstream in County Clare but more easily accessed from Limerick. Built 1924-29 just after independence, it changed not only the lower Shannon, but the entire face of rural Ireland through electrification. A canal lock takes boats through the 30 m drop in river level, and there are fish ladders for the salmon and eels. There are tours of the power station.
 * is lined with confident Georgian architecture. The Daniel O'Connell monument perches at the top of the street.
 * next to Thomond bridge is a rough limestone block used for mounting horses. It was supposedly upon this stone that the Treaty of Limerick was signed on 3 Oct 1691, ending the siege of the city and the war between the Jacobites and William of Orange. The Treaty permitted the defeated Jacobite soldiers to leave for France (which most did), or to enlist in William's army, or to go home. It also ensured protection of the defeated Catholic gentry provided they swore allegiance to King William. But few did so, the Pope proclaimed James as the rightful king, the Catholics were oppressed, and the conflict rumbled on for the next 300 years.
 * is a dam and hydroelectric power station, upstream in County Clare but more easily accessed from Limerick. Built 1924-29 just after independence, it changed not only the lower Shannon, but the entire face of rural Ireland through electrification. A canal lock takes boats through the 30 m drop in river level, and there are fish ladders for the salmon and eels. There are tours of the power station.
 * is lined with confident Georgian architecture. The Daniel O'Connell monument perches at the top of the street.
 * next to Thomond bridge is a rough limestone block used for mounting horses. It was supposedly upon this stone that the Treaty of Limerick was signed on 3 Oct 1691, ending the siege of the city and the war between the Jacobites and William of Orange. The Treaty permitted the defeated Jacobite soldiers to leave for France (which most did), or to enlist in William's army, or to go home. It also ensured protection of the defeated Catholic gentry provided they swore allegiance to King William. But few did so, the Pope proclaimed James as the rightful king, the Catholics were oppressed, and the conflict rumbled on for the next 300 years.
 * is a dam and hydroelectric power station, upstream in County Clare but more easily accessed from Limerick. Built 1924-29 just after independence, it changed not only the lower Shannon, but the entire face of rural Ireland through electrification. A canal lock takes boats through the 30 m drop in river level, and there are fish ladders for the salmon and eels. There are tours of the power station.

Do

 * What's on? Listen to Live 95 FM on 95.0 MHz, or read Limerick Post or Limerick Leader.
 * The Peoples Park is south of the centre by the Gallery of Art.
 * Gaelic games: the County GAA team play hurling and Gaelic football at Páirc na nGael, capacity 44,000, on Ennis Rd 1 km west of city centre.
 * University Concert Hall has music, cinema, comedy and other events. It's on Castletroy campus 4 km east of city centre.
 * UL Arena is a large sports facility on the University campus east of the city.
 * University Concert Hall has music, cinema, comedy and other events. It's on Castletroy campus 4 km east of city centre.
 * UL Arena is a large sports facility on the University campus east of the city.
 * UL Arena is a large sports facility on the University campus east of the city.

Learn

 * University of Limerick (Ollscoil Luimnigh) is based at Castletroy 3 km east of the city. Established in 1989, it has 16,000 students and 500 academic staff.
 * Technological University of the Shannon (Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta na Sionainne) was established in 2021, with its Midwest campus on Moylish Park in Limerick, and others in Athlone, Thurles, Clonmel and Ennis. It incorporates the former Limerick Institute of Technology.

Buy

 * Cruise's Street, pedestrianised, is the main retail strip.
 * Arthur's Quay is a shopping centre on Patrick St, open M-Sa 7:30AM-10PM, Su 10AM-8PM.
 * Milk Market is a covered market on Cornmarket Row, open F-Su.
 * O'Mahony's is a good book shop at 120 O'Connell Street, open M-Sa 9AM-5:30PM.

Drink

 * Strand Hotel (see Sleep) is on Ennis St just north of Sarsfield Bridge on the way to Thomond Park, so its public bar is thronged with both home and visiting fans before and after a match. Those without tickets can watch the match on the large screen TVs.
 * Treaty City Brewery is at 24 Nicholas St by the castle. They have a tap room and offer tours, €23.
 * Crew Brewing is at 35 Thomas St. The tap room is open M-F 4-11:30PM, Sa 1PM-12:30AM, Su 1-11PM.
 * Thomond Gate is a distillery producing small batches of Irish whiskey. No tours.
 * Strand Hotel (see Sleep) is on Ennis St just north of Sarsfield Bridge on the way to Thomond Park, so its public bar is thronged with both home and visiting fans before and after a match. Those without tickets can watch the match on the large screen TVs.
 * Treaty City Brewery is at 24 Nicholas St by the castle. They have a tap room and offer tours, €23.
 * Crew Brewing is at 35 Thomas St. The tap room is open M-F 4-11:30PM, Sa 1PM-12:30AM, Su 1-11PM.
 * Thomond Gate is a distillery producing small batches of Irish whiskey. No tours.
 * Strand Hotel (see Sleep) is on Ennis St just north of Sarsfield Bridge on the way to Thomond Park, so its public bar is thronged with both home and visiting fans before and after a match. Those without tickets can watch the match on the large screen TVs.
 * Treaty City Brewery is at 24 Nicholas St by the castle. They have a tap room and offer tours, €23.
 * Crew Brewing is at 35 Thomas St. The tap room is open M-F 4-11:30PM, Sa 1PM-12:30AM, Su 1-11PM.
 * Thomond Gate is a distillery producing small batches of Irish whiskey. No tours.
 * Treaty City Brewery is at 24 Nicholas St by the castle. They have a tap room and offer tours, €23.
 * Crew Brewing is at 35 Thomas St. The tap room is open M-F 4-11:30PM, Sa 1PM-12:30AM, Su 1-11PM.
 * Thomond Gate is a distillery producing small batches of Irish whiskey. No tours.

Stay safe
City centre is safe and cosy, even at nights and weekends. Standard advice: beware traffic, safeguard valuables and avoid the occasional drunk.

The police station (Gardai) is on Henry Street in the city centre. Their non-emergency number is +353 61 212 400. In emergencies dial the standard 112 or 999.

Connect
As of April 2024, Limerick has 5G from all Irish carriers. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Go next

 * Drive west past Shannon Airport into County Clare and Ennis and take N68 to Kilrush and Kilkee. This brings you onto the wild Mizzen Head, with the grey Atlantic heaving below.
 * On the road north towards Galway, stop to admire the Cliffs of Moher.
 * Lough Gur, 15 km south of the city along R512, is a remarkable collection of Neolithic sites and artefacts.
 * Along the south bank of Shannon, Adare is an attractive old town, pity about the traffic and the hordes.
 * Nearby Foynes is where the transatlantic flying boats used to berth, and the likes of Sinatra and John Wayne stepped out to the pop of flash-guns; see the museum and step aboard a plane.