Limerick (/ˈlɪmrɪk/; Irish: Luimneach [ˈl̪ˠɪmʲ(ə)nʲəx]) is a city in County Limerick, Ireland. It is located in the Mid-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 census, Limerick is the third-most populous urban area in the state, and the fourth-most populous city on the island of Ireland. The city lies on the River Shannon, with the historic core of the city located on King’s Island, which is bounded by the Shannon and Abbey Rivers. Limerick is also located at the head of the Shannon Estuary, where the river widens before it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Limerick City and County Council is the local authority for the city. Below are Dublins top tourist attractions according to real travelers from TripAdvisor.
10. Hunt Museum
4.5/5
The Hunt Museum preserves and exhibits the original artefacts gathered, over a life time, by John and Gertrude Hunt and known as the Hunt Collection. The Museum also displays its own collections, as well as visiting exhibitions of Local, National and International significance with the overall aim of maximizing their cultural and educational potential for the people of Limerick and Ireland. During a visit to The Hunt Museum you can choose to explore the collection by yourself or take one of our regular guided tours. For group bookings, please contact to ensure that a guided tour can be organized. Subject to availability.
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9. Curraghchase Forest Park
4.5/5
Curragh House (Curraghchase explained below) was built in 1657 by Vere Hunt, an officer in Oliver Cromwell’s army and a descendant of the Earl of Oxford, who traced their lineage to Aubrey de Vere I, a tenant-in-chief in England of William the Conqueror in 1086. Hunt was granted the land, which consisted of 380 acres (1.5 km2) originally owned by John Fitzgerald, as one of the Cromwellian plantations.
The estate remained home of the Hunt/De Vere family for over 300 years. The existing house dates from the early nineteenth century, rebuilt by Sir Aubrey (Hunt) de Vere, 2nd Baronet.
The estate was originally called Curragh (meaning ‘marshy plain’ in Irish). When the 2nd Baronet changed his surname by royal licence to de Vere in 1833 to reflect his de Veres of Oxford lineage, he also changed the name of the property from Curragh to Curraghchase. The 2nd Baronet was a noted poet, and his third son, Aubrey Thomas De Vere, is a renowned poet and critic.
The younger Aubrey recalled that the lake at the bottom of the house was rich meadow when he was in his youth. A slender stream divided this meadow. Across the lake a monument to the de Vere family stands on a small hill. Near the house, there is a small cemetery to the de Vere’s family pets.
Tennyson spent some time as a guest at Curraghchase and wrote the poem Lady Clara Vere de Vere to show his close friendship with the family.
The house was accidentally destroyed by fire in December 1941 The grounds at Curraghchase were bought by the State in 1957 and the property is now used as commercial timber. Some of the state forest is used as a public amenity and includes tourist trails, camping and caravan park facilities, which make the area a popular tourist attraction.
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8. Thomond Park Stadium
4.5/5
Find out all about the hallowed turf which has seen so many Munster Rugby victories!! Visit Thomond Park for a full Museum and Stadium tour. Family and Group rates apply.
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7. The Milk Market
The Milk Market is a food market located on Mungret Street, Limerick, Ireland. Despite the name, the market has diversified over the years from its initial purpose and now sells a wide variety of foodstuffs, much of which is produced locally. The market is one of the oldest in Ireland.
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6. Saint Mary’s Cathedral
4.5/5
Saint Mary’s Cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in Limerick and stands in the heart of the medieval city, looking over the majestic River Shannon. Originally the Royal Palace for the Kings of Thomond it was gifted to the church in 1168. It is a living church where worship is offered daily, as it has been for the last 850 years. Please come and visit us at Saint Mary’s Cathedral. You will be most welcome !
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5. Frank McCourt Museum
4.5/5
The Frank McCourt Museum is a museum dedicated to the Pulitzer Prize-winning
author of Angela’s Ashes, Frank McCourt which is based in Frank’s former school in the Georgian Quarter of Limerick City.
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4. University of Limerick
4.6/5
The University of Limerick (Irish: Ollscoil Luimnigh) is a higher education institution in Limerick, Ireland. Founded in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it became a university in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989. It was the first university established since Irish independence in 1922, followed by the establishment of Dublin City University later the same day.
UL’s campus lies along both sides of the River Shannon, on a 137.5-hectare (340-acre) site with 46 hectares (110 acres) on the north bank and 91.5 hectares (226 acres) on the south bank, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the city centre. It has over 11,000 full-time undergraduate students, including over 2,400 international students, and 1,500 part-time students. There are over 800 research postgraduates and 1,300 postgraduate students receiving instruction at the university. Its co-operative education (“co-op”) programme gives all students an eight-month work placement as part of their degree, Ireland’s first such programme.
Following founding president Edward M. Walsh, Roger GH Downer, John O’Connor, and Don Barry, were presidents of UL from 1998 to April 2017. As of 2019, the president is Desmond Fitzgerald, who had been vice-president of research at University College Dublin from 2004 to 2014.
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3. Lough Gur Visitor Centre
4.8/5
Lough Gur Heritage Centre is a community run tourist attraction telling the story of 6,000 years of habitation in the Lough Gur area. From Neolithic house sites to medieval castles Lough Gur has monuments from every era and the heritage centre ensures that visitors get the history/folklore and archaeology of the area from trained guides.The Centre also houses a retail space where take away tea/coffee, minerals, ice-cream and chocolate are available for purchase as are books and merchandise of the area.Summer opening hours are 10 to 5pm Monday to Friday and 12 to 6pm Saturday and Sunday from March to October and every Sunday during winter hours.The centre is staffed by volunteers and all monies raised goes back into community initiatives at Lough Gur.
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2. Terra Nova Fairy Garden
5/5
Terra Nova is one of Ireland’s best known small, privately owned gardens and is a firm favourite with garden visitors of all ages. A half acre that appears so much larger due to the use of weaving pathways, imaginative features and an ingenious use of space, nothing goes to waste here in this lush oasis. A past winner of the prestigious title of “Best Garden in Ireland”, Terra Nova is dynamic, a space that never stands still. Although it is without doubt, a plant lovers garden, it offers so much more. There’s magic here and many can feel it. Some find it uplifting, others find it calming and some have even been moved to tears! This garden has a soul, it can’t be explained, it has to be experienced. A happy garden that will make you smile – come and see and feel it for yourself.
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1. King John’s Castle
5/5
King John’s Castle (Irish: Caisleán Luimnigh) is a 13th-century castle located on King’s Island in Limerick, Ireland, next to the River Shannon. Although the site dates back to 922 when the Vikings lived on the Island, the castle itself was built on the orders of King John in 1200. One of the best preserved Norman castles in Europe, the walls, towers and fortifications remain today and are visitor attractions. The remains of a Viking settlement were uncovered during archaeological excavations at the site in 1900.
The Viking sea-king, Tomrair mac Ailchi, built the first permanent Viking stronghold on Inis Sibhtonn (King’s Island) in 922. He used the base to raid the length of the River Shannon from Lough Derg to Lough Ree, pillaging ecclesiastical settlements. In 937 the Limerick Vikings clashed with those of Dublin on Lough Ree and were defeated. In 943 they were defeated again when the chief of the local Dalcassian clan joined with Ceallachán, king of Munster and the Limerick Vikings were forced to pay tribute to the clans. The power of the Vikings never recovered, and they were reduced to the level of a minor clan, however often playing pivotal parts in the endless power struggles of the next few centuries.
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