Limerick

Introduction

Limerick is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick, within the province of Munster. It sits in the Mid-West, which forms part of the Southern Region. The city was founded by Scandinavian settlers in 812, during the Viking Age, so its origins reach back to the Viking era.

Before you go

Limerick grew up at the limit of tides and navigation on the River Shannon, and its story runs from Viking settlement through Anglo-Norman rule to a long era as a prosperous port worth fighting over. Knowing a little of that history pays off when you walk the old ground: King John ordered the castle built on the river island in the Shannon, and the walled "Englishtown" on King's Island faced "Irishtown" across the small River Abbey, later rebuilt on a grid pattern as a Georgian city. The city's literary roll-call includes Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes, and the satirical Bard of Thomond, Michael Hogan. Note that limerick verse itself did not originate here — it evolved in 18th-century England.

The city centre is safe and cosy, even at nights and weekends, though you should still take the standard precautions: watch out for traffic, safeguard your valuables and avoid the occasional drunk. The tourist office, This is Limerick, is within the castle. The police station (Gardai) is on Henry Street in the city centre; in emergencies dial 112 or 999.

Getting there

Most visitors reach Limerick by air through Shannon Airport, about 25 km west of the city along the N18, with flights from Europe, the UK, and New York, Newark and Chicago. Bus Éireann 343 runs to town every 30 minutes between morning and midnight, taking about an hour via Bunratty, and Bus 51 between Galway, Limerick and Cork also stops at the airport hourly. Dublin Airport offers a wider choice of flights and is linked directly to Limerick by Flightlink Bus 723, a journey of roughly two and a half hours.

By rail, hourly trains from Dublin Heuston take about two hours; a few run direct, but more often you change at Limerick Junction, where connections from Waterford also arrive. Five trains a day come from Galway via Athenry, Gort and Ennis, and a couple of daily services link Ballybrophy on the Dublin–Cork line via Roscrea and Nenagh. Trains arrive at Limerick Colbert station on Parnell Street, a terminus with step-free access to all platforms, and the bus station sits next to it. Dublin Coach's M7 bus runs every 30 minutes from Dublin's Burgh Quay via Heuston station, Kildare, Annacotty and the UL campus at Castletroy, though it stops at Arthur's Quay rather than the bus station. Bus Éireann 51 comes hourly from Cork in about two hours and continues north to Shannon Airport, Ennis and Galway, while services from Tralee, Killarney and Kerry Airport, from Waterford, and from Athlone all call at Limerick. By car, the N7 from Dublin is motorway past Naas, roughly a three-hour drive, and the N18/M18, N20, N21 and N24 fan out to Shannon and Galway, Cork, Tralee and Killarney, and Tipperary and Waterford respectively.

Getting around

Limerick's historic core sits on King's Island, and the centre is compact enough that walking will get you everywhere you need for a day of sightseeing. There is no metro or tram, so your choices come down to walking, cycling, buses and taxis. Cycling is possible but not convenient on a whim: bikes need to be rented weeks in advance, as there is only one bike rental shop in town, so arrange it before you travel rather than expecting to pick one up on arrival.

Bus Éireann runs frequent buses, and all routes pass through the city centre, which makes the network easy to use even if you don't know the city. Bus 301 links Raheen and University Hospital Limerick in the southwest with Westbury in the north; Bus 302 loops west from Henry Street via University Maternity Hospital, Thomond Park, Limerick Institute of Technology and Caherdavin back to Sarsfield Street; Bus 303 runs from Pineview in the northwest to O'Malley Park in the southeast; Bus 304 connects Raheen and Ballycummin with Castletroy and the University of Limerick, with Bus 304A running from Raheen via University Hospital; Bus 305 runs from St Mary's Park to Lynwood Park; Bus 306 from Ballynanty to Edward Street; and Bus 313 from Arthur's Quay to Ardnacrusha. The TFI website has a map of the network. Paying with a TFI Leap Card is cheaper than cash, and 24-hour, 7-day and monthly tickets are available on the card. Taxis carry a yellow bar with their licence number and "taxi" or "Tacsaí"; if the light is on, the taxi is free, and you should ignore unofficial ones. Fares are nationally regulated and taxis must use the meter, accept cards and cash without a card surcharge, though booking rather than hailing costs extra and apps may add a further charge. You may be able to negotiate a rate for a tour of the sights, such as out to the Foynes Flying Boat Museum.

Where to stay

Food & drink

Limerick eats well at every level. For budget meals, The Grove on Cecil Street serves vegetarian food, Enzo's on William Street does fast food to eat in or take away, and Melody on Foxes Bow offers budget food in a pleasant setting. Volcano Wings on High Street is good-quality fast food, while Luigi's on Parnell Street, opposite the railway station, is a good sit-in fish and chips cafe handy for the bus and rail stations, and Donkey Fords on John's Street is a traditional fish and chip takeaway.

Mid-range choices cluster around the river and the city centre. The Locke Bar on George's Quay is a riverside gastro pub that often has live music, with Rossi's next door for good Italian and European cuisine. Katie Daly's Heritage Pub and Kitchen on Castle Street, beside the castle, serves a traditional menu in a great atmosphere, and The Curragower on Clancy's Strand pairs traditional cuisine with views over the Shannon. Cornstore on Thomas Street is a steak and seafood chain restaurant, with Bella Italia opposite for reliable Italian, and La Piccola Italia on O'Connell Street earns great reviews for traditional Italian fare. Texas Steakout on O'Connell Street covers steaks, burgers and Texmex, Jasmine Palace is a busy Chinese buffet, and Milano on Harvey's Quay is a pizza chain with vegan and gluten-free choices.

For drinking, Nancy Blakes on Upper Denmark Street is popular and crowded with live music most weekends, while The Glen Tavern on Lower Glentworth Street is a traditional Irish boozer with TV sport, a pool table and decent food. The Old Quarter off Denmark Street is a gastro pub with a large outdoor area and good breakfasts, and Flannerys Bar on Upper Denmark Street is a large venue with three bars on two levels. Jerry Flannery's on Catherine Street is great for watching the rugby on TV, Micky Martin's off William Street has a good beer selection with Hoegaarden on tap and a nice outdoor area, and Tom Collins's on Cecil Street is a grand traditional pub for relaxing. Dolan's on Dock Road has Irish traditional live music and good food, The White House on O'Connell Street runs open mike and poetry nights with wine and whiskey as much a thing as the beer, and Charlie Chaplin's off William Street is a good friendly inexpensive bar. Charlie Malone's on Wolfe Tone Street is cozy and friendly, often with Irish live music and an open mike on Tuesdays. The public bar of the Strand Hotel on Ennis Street is thronged with home and visiting fans before and after a match, and those without tickets can watch on the large screen TVs. Treaty City Brewery by the castle has a tap room and offers tours, Crew Brewing on Thomas Street has a tap room, and Thomond Gate distils small batches of Irish whiskey without tours.

What to see and do

Limerick's historic core is compact and walkable. Start at King John's Castle on Nicholas Street, a 13th-century fortress built over a Viking fortification, with much-battered walls enclosing a large courtyard. Just south are the Widows Alms Houses, built in 1691 for soldiers' widows, and a short walk east brings you to Catherine McAuley House, a home for elderly nuns with a vivid mural, alongside stretches of the old city walls including a sally port. St Mary's Cathedral on Bridge Street is an Anglican cathedral founded in 1168 with a 14th-century tower; look for the ceremonial Great West Door, the original limestone-slab altar and the chandeliers, and note that the last High King of Munster, Domnall Mór Ua Briain, is buried in the nave. Nearby, the Hunt Museum in the Customs House holds the personal collection of John and Gertrude Hunt, ranging across Classical, Irish prehistoric and early Christian, and Olmec material, plus rotating exhibitions. St John's Cathedral is a neo-Gothic Roman Catholic cathedral with an impressively tall spire, and O'Connell Street is lined with confident Georgian architecture, with the Daniel O'Connell monument at its top. By Thomond Bridge, the Treaty Stone is a rough limestone block, supposedly where the Treaty of Limerick was signed in 1691.

For art and city life, the Limerick City Gallery of Art in the Carnegie Building on Pery Square shows Irish artists along with large collections of posters and contemporary drawings, and the People's Museum of Limerick just south holds an extensive collection on city life, including exhibits on Frank McCourt. The People's Park sits south of the centre by the gallery. Upstream, Ardnacrusha is a dam and hydroelectric power station, accessed more easily from Limerick, with tours of the power station, a canal lock taking boats through the drop in river level, and fish ladders for salmon and eels. Glenstal Abbey at Murroe is a working Benedictine monastery and school incorporating a Normanesque castle, set in gardens and woodlands where visitors can join the liturgy, visit the church or walk the grounds. For entertainment, the Belltable on O'Connell Street is a performing arts theatre, and the University Concert Hall hosts music, cinema and comedy. Sport is central: Munster Rugby usually play home games at Thomond Park west of the centre, the County GAA team play hurling and Gaelic football at Páirc na nGael on Ennis Road, Treaty United FC play soccer at Markets Field southeast of the centre, and Limerick Races stages flat-racing and National Hunt at Greenmount Park southwest of the city. To find out what's on, listen to Live 95 FM or read the Limerick Post or Limerick Leader.

When to go

Limerick has a mild, temperate oceanic climate that stays cloudy and wet throughout the year, with cool summers and mild winters. Rain is possible on any day, so pack for damp conditions whenever you visit.

• Summer: The warmest stretch of the year, though still cloudy and showery. This is the most comfortable time for walking and sightseeing.
• Winter: Mild but cool, with rain common and snow rare. Days are short and often grey, so plan indoor activities and expect damp conditions.

Three days in Limerick

Day one begins in Limerick's historic core, where the city's two old quarters face each other across the River Shannon. Start in Englishtown, the Anglo-Norman settlement clustered around King John's Castle, and take in the medieval street pattern before crossing to Irishtown, the older Irish quarter, with its own distinct character. The River Abbey area and the Georgian streets nearby reward a slow walk, and readers of Frank McCourt will find Angela's Ashes woven into the fabric of the lanes he wrote about.

• Englishtown and King John's Castle
• Irishtown and the River Abbey
• Georgian streets and the Angela's Ashes connection

Day two turns to the city's wider story, from the Viking Age and Scandinavian roots of the settlement on the Shannon through its medieval and later life. The Hunt Museum's collections, including works associated with Michael Hogan, give shape to that history, and Thomond Park carries the city's sporting identity. Henry Street makes a good base for an afternoon of browsing and a meal in the centre.

• Viking and medieval heritage
• The Hunt Museum and Michael Hogan
• Thomond Park
• Henry Street

Day three looks outward into County Limerick and Munster. The countryside of the Mid West and Southern Region is within easy reach, and Shannon Airport, a gateway between Europe, the UK and New York, sits close by for your onward journey. Keep the pace easy, and let the city's position on the Shannon set the rhythm of your last day.

• County Limerick and Munster
• The Mid West and Southern Region
• Shannon Airport