Inside Ireland: County Limerick

Urban markets and five-star manors, mountain-biking and world-class rugby – they all find a home in Limerick, the perfect blend of city and country.

Limerick City Aerial

Things to do

Thomond Park
Few counties in Ireland rival sporting diversity of Limerick. Soccer, rugby or GAA, you’ll find it all here. However, one destination that should be high up on your list of priorities is Thomond Park. Home to the world-famous Munster rugby club, if you’re lucky enough to match-up your travel dates with a game, you’ll witness first-hand why Munster fans are so widely celebrated for the passionate support they offer their team.

Travelling during the off-season? No problem! Thomond Park’s impressive museum will give you a fascinating insight into what Munster rugby is all about. Containing all manner of memorabilia, the additional option of taking a stadium tour will take you even closer to the action. Providing you with a first-hand experience of Thomond Park, usually reserved for the players alone, you can feel like a professional rugby star for a few hours. From taking your seat in the home dressing-room to walking down the tunnel, the site upon which Munster famously beat the All Blacks in 1978 is a place of great significance in Irish sporting history.

Frank McCourt Museum
Although he was born in Brooklyn, anyone who has read or seen the film adaptation of Angela’s Ashes knows Limerick is where Frank McCourt called home throughout his childhood. ‘Leamy’s School’, the building in which Frank and his brothers received their early education, is now a museum that charts his life throughout these turbulent years. A beautifully maintained Tudor-style building in Limerick city, what you’ll find inside is a remarkable recreation of a 1930s classroom the like of which McCourt himself would’ve attended. Bringing a more personal dimension to the Pulitzer Prize-winning author’s life, two rooms in the building have been specifically designed to match McCourt’s own childhood home on Roden Lane. Capturing a sense of the occasionally bleak reality that informed Angela’s Ashes, the Frank McCourt Museum is an impressive acknowledgement of the author’s young years in the city of Limerick and well worth a visit during your stay.

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Adare Manor and garden

Adare Manor
One of Ireland’s most renowned hotels, the five-star Adare Manor is certainly worth visiting. Built on an 840-acre estate in the north of the county along the River Maigue, this storied castle hotel recently underwent renovations that seamlessly blend its centuries-old origins with a contemporary flair. A truly remarkable place to stay, even if you just want to pay a visit to Adare Manor you won’t be short of things to keep you busy.

In picturesque rural surroundings, you can enjoy the luxurious Afternoon Tea on offer. With a tasty selection of sweet treats, warm scones and daintily cut sandwiches, it promises an extensive selection of specially blended teas from around the world for your delight. Boasting a swimming pool, leisure centre and spa, there are also a host of outdoor activities on offer: falconry, horse-riding, cycling, archery, to name a few. Of course, you can’t talk about Adare Manor without mentioning its golf course. In the running to host the 2026 Ryder Cup, a tremendous amount of work has gone into delivering a course of global standards and, if you get a chance to play a round, you won’t forget it in a hurry.

King John's Castle Limerick City at sunset

Places to see

Limerick was founded well over a millennium ago, so there is plenty of history to take in. Offering a curious insight into this wealth of history, Hunt Museum exhibits the artefacts of a lifetime. Housing rare objects of interests from Roman, Greek and Egyptian history, the museum also carries a host of fascinating items from Ireland’s pre-historic past. Not wishing to limit the range of its interests, such items are complimented by artistic works from the likes of Picasso, Renoir, Yeats and Henry Moore. Limerick’s own Gallery of Art is another stopping-point.

For those seeking more outdoorsy adventure, the county of Limerick is awash with natural beauty. The man-made Coolwater Garden in the south of the county is a stunningly designed garden containing out-of-place Alpine flowers. That it is overlooked on one side by Skule Hill and Rockstown Castle on the other only serves to heighten the secluded beauty of this place. Seeking something a little wilder, Lough Gur, offers a view of the Limerick countryside that few destinations in Ireland could rival. Likewise, a walk through Ballyhoura Woods with its extensive trail options guarantees a sublime experience.

Food & drink

Restaurants
In a city boasting quite a number of tempting restaurants, Coqbull stands out. Specialising in chicken and burgers might sound straight forward enough, but what they manage to deliver will have you planning out a second visit before you pay the bill. Complementing the delicious food on offer with a wide selection of ‘coqtails’ and locally-sourced craft beers, its central location leaves you with no excuse to miss this restaurant. If you’re looking for something more upmarket, the East Room restaurant at Plassey House is quite special. One of Limerick’s most celebrated restaurants, it’s setting within Plassey House affords diners the added benefit of experiencing some stunning surroundings. Fitted out with artworks from Irish painters such as Jack B. Yeats and Evie Hone, a night’s dining here is an experience in itself.

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Dolan’s Pub
If you’re looking for a lively night, Dolan’s in Limerick city always has something going on. Bar, restaurant and a venue for live performers, touring acts making their way across the county tend to find themselves by this wonderful pub down by Limerick’s docklands. With a strong tradition for serving up wonderful Irish music on a regular basis, Dolan’s own description of what they do best sums up what you can find here: “We pride ourselves on our great pint, delicious food and Irish music & dancing sessions.” Not to be missed!

Shannon river scenery in Limerick city

The Milk Market
An integral part of Limerick dating back to the nineteenth century, the Milk Market is a food market located on Mungret Street. At its best and busiest on a Saturday, you’ll find traders selling a variety of different goods, from Caribbean bacon in a bag to vintage clothing, exquisitely designed plants to artisan chocolates. This wonderful set-up has shops catering to everything else in between too.

We operate daily flights to Dublin and Shannon from Europe, the UK and North America. Limerick is easily accessible by hire car or public transport links at Dublin and Shannon Airport.

Read next: The seven most Instagrammable spots in Dublin.

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