Limerick is a city-county on the west coast of Ireland. It is located in a very picturesque region, on the banks of the Shannon River, and in its very center on the island is the extremely photogenic castle of King John, which is already over 800 years old. According to populationmonster, Limerick is one of the largest cities in Ireland.
Limerick is a large city by Irish standards, the third largest in the country (more than 90 thousand people), so the cultural and night life is seething here. It is recommended to visit the Museum of Antique Weapons, as well as look at the traditional performances of Irish dances – “riverdance”.
It was in this city that comic rhymes “limericks” were invented – five lines of absurd content.
How to get to Limerick
Bus Eireann operates a bus service between Limerick and Dublin (fare 13 EUR, travel time 3h 30 min), Tralee (22 EUR, 2 hours), Cork (15.5 EUR, 1 h 45 min), as well as to Ennis, Shannon, Derry, Killarney, Rossler. Buses depart from the bus station and railway station, located near the city center.
Buses to other cities also depart from O’Connell St.
From Limerick railway station, 6 trains depart daily to Dublin (Heuston station, fare 53 EUR, travel time 2 h 30 min), 8 trains to Ennis (11.35 EUR, 40 min). There are also connections to Tralee, Cork, Tipperary, Cahir and Waterford with a change.
The nearest airport is located 26 km northwest of Limerick, in the city of Shannon. From the airport to Limerick can be reached by taxi for 35-45 EUR or by regular bus that goes to the bus and railway station for 8.40 EUR.
Transportation
The best way to get around the city is on foot or by bus. From the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Mary, you can walk to the train station in 15 minutes. Taxi ranks can be found at the Tourist Office, Bus Station, Train Station and Thomas St.
Bicycles can be rented from Pedal pursuits bike hire for EUR 15 per day. McMahons Cycle World, located on Roches St, offers bike rental also for EUR 20 per day and offers free bike delivery and collection from anywhere in Limerick, Galway and to/from Shannon Airport.
The city has a large number of parking lots. Scratch cards for parking can be bought at newsstands and shops for 2 EUR per hour.
The bus company Bus Eireann operates 12 routes in Limerick, the fare is 1.8 EUR one way. Eurobus operates routes from the city center to the University of Limerick and to the village of Annacottie. The fare is 1.8 EUR one way for adults, 0.75 for students and 1 EUR for children.
Money
Currency can be exchanged at banks, specialized exchange offices and hotels. Banks are usually open from 10:00 to 16:00. Cash can be withdrawn from the card at street machines available around the clock.
Shopping in Limerick
Every day a new market opens up on Cornmarket Row. The Milk Market, which comes alive during the weekend, sells clothes, books, antiques, fresh food and farm milk.
Every Saturday there is a food market where you can buy fresh farm products: cheeses, organic fruits and vegetables, bread, fresh juices, and fresh fish. The craft fair is held every last Thursday of the month. The Limerick Christmas Market is usually open from 25 November to 24 December.
City Market (Friday City Market) opens on Fridays. Most clothing stores are located on Cruises Street in the city center.
Kitchen
Many restaurants are located on O’Connell Street, and bars can be found on Denmark Street. Irish restaurants: Green Onion on Rutland St (tel. 061 400 710) and Brûlée’s on the corner of Henry and Mallow Sts (tel. 061 319 931) are open Tuesday through Saturday. The Irish O’Connors Bakery is located on Cruises St (tel. 061 417 422).
In addition to restaurants with traditional Irish cuisine, Limerick has an Asian restaurant Copper and Spice, a Thai restaurant Thai Gourmet and an international restaurant Luigi Malones, where you can try everything from pizza and pasta to fajitas and steaks.
Tours, activities and attractions in Limerick
The city center can be conditionally divided into two parts: the first is characterized by a number of English style, while the second is interesting for Georgian architecture.
King John’s Castle and St Mary’s Cathedral on King’s Island. The walls, towers and defensive fortifications of the castle have survived to this day, which attracts a large number of tourists.
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (St. John’s Cathedral), built of Limerick blue limestone in 1856-1861. designed by the famous English architect Philip Charles Hardwick, with the longest spire in all of Ireland – 94 meters.
The Hunt Museum (website) with a unique collection of treasures is located in the historic customs building, built in the 18th century on the banks of the River Shannon. The museum is a collection of a personal collection of ancient artifacts, art and antiques collected by the Hunt family. It houses about 2,000 exhibits related to Ireland and Ancient Egypt, as well as a sketch of one of Picasso’s paintings, a bronze figure of a horse created by Leonardo da Vinci, an engraving by Paul Gauguin and other equally valuable exhibits.
The city is also home to one of Ireland’s most famous sports arenas, Thomond Park.
City walking tour
A 2-hour walking tour can be booked at the Limerick Tourist Office. One of the tours starts at 2:30 pm at the Tourist Office located on Arthur’s Quay (downtown). The second tour starts at 11:00 and at 14:30 and is organized from Monday to Friday, the meeting point is by agreement. The cost will be 10 EUR. Contact phone: 061 318 106.
Developments
The annual Riverfest Kayak Competition, which takes place every April, and the Cruisle International Poetry Festival in October.
