Let Limerick Surprise You 1
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Ireland’s Activity Centre Shannon REGION LimerickLet Surprise you www.limerick.ie www.ShannonRegionTourism.com www.discoverireland.ie/limerick Welcome Welcome to Limerick, a county of surprises. Ireland’s third largest city but also its most friendly and welcoming destination; a cultural hotbed, renowned for its many archaeological and historic wonders but also awarded the coveted title of European City of Sport in 2011; the economic core of Ireland’s Mid-West but widely known for its warmth and home town feel. Whatever way you look at it, Limerick will truly surprise you. Few regions offer the magical blend of City and County quite like Limerick. Famed for the friendliness of its people, whether you are a veteran or a Limerick debutant, you are sure to enjoy yourself! With a whole host of superb accommodation options, family fun festivals, exciting arts and cultural events and award- winning restaurants, shopping, buzzing nightlife, top class activities and attractions, Limerick truly has something for everyone to enjoy! Limerick is synonymous with sport so it doesn’t matter whether you prefer to spectate or participate, one thing you can rely on is that there is some major sporting action for you to enjoy while visiting Limerick City and County. Limerick, Ireland’s Friendliest Let Limerick Surprise You 1 Destination 2 Ireland’s Shannon Region I Limerick Limerick is the birthplace of many famous people including Sir Terry Wogan, Ireland’s captain Paul O'Connell, the late Frank McCourt, Billy Whelan of Riverdance, Hollywood legend Richard Harris, boxer Andy Lee, renowned artist John Shinnors, Limerick’s rowing hero Sean McGowan and chart topping rock band the Cranberries to name but a few. Let Limerick Surprise You 3 TOP Look out for lots of To this guide, helping you top T getips thethroughout best of TIP everything during your visit to Limerick! Contents Page Introduction: Limerick City 4 Limerick County 5 Your 3 Day Itinerary 6 Special Interest Itineraries 8 25 Things To See & Do Limerick City 10 Limerick County 11 Festivals & Events 12 Landmarks & Attractions 14 Adventures & Activities 32 Wine, Dine & Entertainment 46 The Best Places To Stay 49 Visitor Information: Location, Limerick City & County 50 Limerick City Map 52 Limerick County Map 54 Tourist Information Centres 56 Useful Websites & Phone Numbers 57 Ireland’s West Coast 4 Ireland’s Shannon Region I Limerick Follow a nature trail or visit the Arboretum TOP at the beautiful Curraghchase Forest Park, Kilcornan, County Limerick TIP The Charm and Friendliness of Limerick City Limerick is a modern, riverside city with a population of 100,000 people built around a medieval core on King’s Island. Limerick, which has a charter older than that of London, is a vibrant, bustling metropolis that continuously reinvents itself, pleasantly surprising the visitor each time they stay. From the medieval quarter at King’s Island with its castle, cathedral and museum, to the elegant splendour of the Georgian new town, Limerick is brimful of delightful historical and architectural surprises. For those on a weekend break or those planning a longer stay; whether you come for some retail therapy or to appreciate Limerick’s art and cultural scene; to watch a sporting event or to enjoy a concert, there is a wealth of attractions and activities for you to enjoy. Limerick’s citizens are renowned for the passion with which they support all sports, particularly Rugby and the GAA. Limerick City is home to some of the very best stadia and sporting infrastructure in Ireland including Thomond Park Stadium, home to the mighty red army of the Munster team, the Gaelic Grounds, the University of Limerick Arena and the recently developed € So make sure to get in20 on million the sporting Limerick action Greyhound when you Stadium. come to town! Let Limerick Surprise You 5 Rural Majesty & Splendor of Limerick County County Limerick has rolled out the green carpet to welcome you! From the diversity of its breathtaking landscapes and spectacular coastline, to the mystical charms of its ancient past and its picturesque towns and villages full of character, County Limerick is full of colour and charm. Some of Ireland’s most impressive archaeological and historical sites including the 5,000 year old Neolithic settlement at Lough Gur are located in the County. You will also find a unique museum specialising in the history of aviation in Foynes, to the West of the County. County Limerick is a playground for outdoor pursuits! Here you can go angling in plentiful waters, golfing on our world renowned courses, try wake-boarding in Castleconnell, go biking on the longest trail network of its kind at the Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trails in south Co. Limerick or go horse riding in wonderfully scenic surroundings. Don’t feel obliged to take part though – instead come horse racing at Limerick Racecourse in Patrickswell, Co. Limerick! It has often been said that perhaps Limerick’s biggest attraction of all is the people themselves who are warm, witty and welcoming! So whether you are visiting city or county, or both, you are sure to enjoy your stay. 6 Ireland’s Shannon Region I Limerick Your 3 Day Itinerary DAY 1: Discover Limerick City Your 24 Hour Limerick Itinerary: Bustling Limerick City, the Country’s third largest city has a pace and dynamism you’ll find almost nowhere else in Ireland. Put simply, Limerick is a place for getting out and about. In the city centre the medieval glories of King’s Island, home to the magnificent King John’s Castle, St. Mary’s Cathedral (the oldest building in Limerick still in daily use),and the nearby Limerick Museum and Hunt Museum sit alongside pedestrian plazas lined with colourful boutiques, upmarket hotels, legendary pubs and nightclubs and award-winning restaurants, cafes and the recently developed, all-weather Milk Market. The Georgian Quarter is also a gem in Limerick’s crown, with the elegant Georgian House and Garden, the newly developed Limerick City Art Gallery, the Frank McCourt Museum and the award winning People’s Park. While Limerick is a sophisticated and cosmopolitan city, it is easy to find yourself drawn into conversation or debate by the warmth in the welcome of the locals. DAY 2: Explore West County Limerick Your 48 Hour Limerick Itinerary: In contrast to the buzz of the City, County Limerick is a place of rural charm and great beauty. Today, take the N69 tour (Limerick’s Coastal Route). Stop off in Kilcornan’s cluster of tourist attractions where you will find Curraghchase Forest Park, Stonehall Visitor Farm, Rigneys Farmhouse and Kilcornan Karting. From there carry on to the medieval town of Askeaton with its 15th Century ruin and the well- preserved Franciscan Friary. Next stop is Foynes, whose flying boat port played an important part in international aviation history. An absorbing museum commemorates the predecessor to Shannon Airport in Co. Clare and the home of the Irish Coffee. From here make your way to Newcastle West with its top visitor attraction Desmond Hall, followed by the town of Rathkeale and it’s beautiful Georgian houses with columned porticoes and ornate fanlights. Finish up your day with a visit to Adare, whose thatched cottages and medieval 7 Let Limerick Surprise You . As in Limerick Ireland’s Prettiest Village” and a churches make it “ flourishing restaurant scene City, the County also has a choices to suit all top quality accommodation wide range of tastes and budgets. TOP Check out our N69 Driving Route guide for full details TIP of this route. DAY 3: Explore East County Limerick Your 72 Hour Limerick Itinerary: On day three of your visit to Limerick, take a trip eastwards to some of Limerick’s most attractive towns including Castleconnell, Glenstal Abbey, Murroe, Medieval Kilmallock Bruree, the birthplace of Eamon De Valera. LoughOther EastGur and , Limerick County gems include the outstandingGrange Stone Circle which is home to the Heritage Centre one of Ireland’s most intriguing archaeologicalin the Golden Vale sites where and the Ballyhoura are the name mountain villages of mountain biking, trekking and outdoor pursuits of the game. 8 Ireland’s Shannon Region I Limerick Special Interest Itineraries Art Lovers Begin your day by calling to the Limerick Tourist Information Office at Arthur’s Quay for a copy of The Art in the Street: Through the Lens guide, which will help you locate a wide range of art and artefacts in both traditional and contemporary styles on Limerick’s city streets. Continue on to the Hunt Museum, where you will find an array of both Irish and International art and antiquities including works by Yeats, Renoir, Picasso, Henry Moore and Leonardo Da Vinci. While in Limerick, make sure to call to the Limerick Printmakers where you can view an inspiring collection of works in their onsite gallery. Take in a visit to the newly developed Limerick City Gallery of Art, set in the Carnegie Building on Pery Square which houses a fine Permanent Collection of 18th, 19th and 20th Century Irish Art in addition to ongoing exciting contemporary exhibitions by Irish and International artists including the renowned EV+A exhibition. Other must see collections include that of the Belltable Arts Centre, Occupy Space on Catherine Street and the University of Limerick Art Collection. Tot’s Tours Step back in time with a visit to King John’s Castle on King’s Island, the Medieval Quarter. Head out over Thomond Bridge toward the magnificent Thomond Park, home of Munster Rugby where budding rugby stars can test their skills on the various interactive games in the Munster Rugby Museum. After lunch in one of the city’s many restaurants or cafes travel out the N69 and follow a nature trail in Curraghchase Forest Park or visit Stonehall Visitor Farm where a huge range of animals can be seen.