The city of Limerick lies on the River Shannon in the south west of Ireland and possesses many historical sites. The city is less touristy than other Irish destinations such as Dublin or County Kerry, making it an ideal relaxing holiday location. The only word of warning regarding Limerick is its unpredictable weather, often it is wetter here than anywhere else in the Emerald Isle.
Made famous by Frank McCourt’s book, ‘Angela’s Ashes’, the city is divided into three main districts. ‘English Town’ lies in the north and is home to King John’s Castle and St Mary’s Cathedral, which are well worth a visit. Ireland’s tallest church spire is in St John’s Cathedral in ‘Irish Town’ surrounded by old twisting streets where visitors and locals alike amble along. The city’s commercial district is busy and modern and is known as ‘Newtown Pery’.
Try and uncover the true origin of the distinctive rhyming verse when you visit the city while enjoying a coffee or a bite to eat at any one of the new trendy cafés that have sprung up around Limerick recently. Perhaps you can come up with a catchy Irish limerick in the evening over a pint of Guinness in any one of the popular city center pubs – just remember the golden rule in Ireland when you get a good pint of Guinness: order another one!
Highlights
King John’s Castle: dating back to 1210, the English King John built this masterpiece of medieval architecture. Magnificent views are on offer from the top of the towers.
Franciscan Abbey: located just outside Limerick the remains of this abbey still bear two great marble arches, fantastic windows and a statue of St Francis, making it well worth the short journey.
St Mary’s Cathedral: the original site of the cathedral was once a palace occupied by one of the kings of Munster, Donal Mor O’Brien, who donated it to the church. A huge stone slab still remains inside and is said to be the lid of the king’s coffin.
Limerick City Gallery of Art: the gallery has a permanent display of work by Jack B Yeats as well as art from the 18th, 19th and 20th century.
Irish Palatine Heritage Centre: little known are the links between Ireland and Germany but this center displays the history of the Palatine families who settled in Ireland, from Germany, in the early 18th century.