County Limerick
With a newfound vibrancy, the excellent Hunt Museum and some wonderful Georgian architecture to its name, Limerick has really come into its own over the last few years. One of Ireland's largest cities, Limerick is set on the River Shannon. Efforts to enhance and make the most of this asset are ongoing, with a variety of developments cropping up all over the city.
The first evidence of settlement in Limerick is found on Kings Island, dating back to the Vikings of the ninth century. From here on the Vikings battled with the native Irish until Brian Boru's forces defeated the Norsemen at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.Throughout the course of the middle ages, the Irish settled to the south of the Abbey River in Irishtown, whilst the English gravitated towards the north in Englishtown.
The English took over the town of Limerick in the late twelfth Century, and in 1197 a charter was granted declaring Limerick a city. King John, who visited in 1210, ordered the construction of a castle and bridge (Thomand Bridge). Residents of the island city turned to trade, but were faced with the obstacle imposed by the tidal river. Exports of agricultural produce eventually brought prosperity to the city in the 15th century. Irishtown thrived on this trade, and Irish traders established strong links with the merchants of Englishtown. When the faction fighting within the surrounding districts threatened to interrupt trade, the city walls were extended to include Irishtown.
By the early twentieth century, however, this prosperity had begun to subside. In 1919 there was a general protest against military rule. Amid the chaos, a strike committee took charge of running the city's essential services. For an entire week, Limerick operated outside any legal structures, going so far as issuing its own banknotes (which became known as limerick Soviets)
Today, Limerick tells an altogether different story, with a wealth of great pubs, clubs and restaurants. There's also lots of new attractions to enjoy.
