Bed and Breakfasts in Limerick City, County Limeri
Town and Country Homes Association represent over 1000 quality approved Bed and Breakfast accommodations in every county in Ireland including Limerick City, County Limerick. Our B&B's offer comfort and value for money and you can be guaranteed of a warm welcome and kind hospitality when staying in Town and Country Homes Bed and Breakfast accommodation in Limerick, County Limerick. Whether you wish to stay in town or in the country, we have a bed and breakfast to suit you in Limerick.
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Limerick (pronounced Luimneach in Irish) is a city and the county seat of County Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of Ireland. The city lies on the River Shannon, with three main crossing points near the city centre and has a 2006 population of 91,000 inhabitants within the Limerick urban area and is one of the constituent cities of the Cork-Limerick-Galway corridor with a population of 1 million people.
A Limerick Sunset
History
King John's Castle sits on the southern bank of the River Shannon. Alongside is Thomond Bridge.Luimneach originally referred to the general area along the banks of the Shannon Estuary, which was known as Loch Luimnigh. The earliest settlement in the city Inis Sibhtonn was the original name in the annals for King's Island during the pre-Viking and Viking eras. This island was also called Inis an Ghaill Duibh. The city itself dates from at least the Viking settlement in 812. The Normans redesigned the city in the 12th century and added much of the most notable architecture, such as King John's Castle and St Mary's Cathedral. During the civil wars of the 17th century, the city played a pivotal role, besieged by Oliver Cromwell in 1651 and twice by the Williamites in the 1690s. Limerick grew rich through trade in the late 18th century, but the Act of Union in 1800, and the famine caused a crippling economic decline. The Celtic Tiger economy in the 1990's brought prosperity to Limerick. The Waterford and Limerick Railway linked the city to the Dublin-Cork main line in 1848 and to Waterford in 1853. The opening of a number of secondary railways in the 1850s and 1860s developed Limerick as a regional centre of communications. Book a B&B in Limerick online for the best rates and availability!
Geography
The River Shannon. (In the centre of the picture is King John's Castle).Limerick is at the centre of the Midwest region which contributes €8.224 billion (2002) towards Irish GDP. It is situated 195 km west of Dublin and is equidistant at 105 km from the cities of Cork to the south and Galway to the north.
Demographics
The population of Limerick city and the immediate urban area (environs/suburbs) is 90,778 (based on the 2006 census carried out by the CSO), of which 52,560 live within the city limits and 38,218 live in the city's immediate environs in both County Limerick and County Clare. As with most other large cities in the country, Limerick has attracted a noticeable immigrant community over the past decade. The Polish community is the second largest outside of Dublin, with an estimated 10,000 living and working in the city. Ireland's first ever Polish bank opened in 2007. In addition the African community have set up a small number of churches, which are now part of the cultural makeup of the city. Limerick is the fourth most populous city in the Republic of Ireland after Dublin, Cork and Galway (though its urban area population is greater than Galway's) and the city including suburbs is the fifth largest urban area on the island of Ireland (after Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Derry Respectively).
Government
Limerick City Council, formerly Limerick Corporation, has responsibility for certain local services such as sanitation, planning and development, libraries, collection of motor taxation, local roads and social housing. The City Council comprises elected ward councillors with an appointed (full time) CEO as City Manager. Local elections are held every five years and the councillors annually elect a Mayor to chair the council and represent the City. As of 2007 the current Mayor is Councillor Ger Fahy. Some former, well-known Mayors include TDs Donagh O'Malley, Stephen Coughlan, Michael Lipper, Jim Kemmy and Jan O'Sullivan.
The boundaries of the city were extended on March 1, 2008, when the Limerick City Boundary Alteration Order 2008 came into effect. This followed demands from city councillors for a redrawing of the boundary, which was deemed antiquated and inaccurate for modern-day Limerick. The order added an area of approximately 1,020 hectares from County Limerick, increasing the city's area by almost 50% and increasing the population by an estimated 7,000 persons. The added area comprises the townlands of Clonmacken, Caherdavin, Knock, Shanabooley, Ballygrennan, Clonconane, Clondrinagh, Coonagh East and Coonagh West. The previous boundary, encompassing 2,086 hectares, was delineated in 1950. A large proportion of what is considered as the population of Limerick City now live in suburbs built after the 1960s which remain in the Limerick County Council administrative area. These include Dooradoyle, Castletroy — including the University, Gouldavoher, and Raheen. For national Dáil elections Limerick City is included in the Limerick East constituency which elects five members on a Proportional Representation (PR) system. For European parliament elections Limerick is included in the South Ireland constituency which elects three representatives. Two of Limerick East's TDs are members of the current Irish Government. Willie O'Dea is the Minister for Defence and Peter Power is the Minster of State for Overseas Aid. Both are members of the Fianna Fail party. Book a Limerick Bed and Breakfast for best rates and availability online!
Economy
Limerick is at the heart of the region dubbed "the Midwest". Also known as the "Shannon Region", this is primarily an economic and social concept. The region encompasses County Limerick, County Clare, North County Tipperary and Northwest County Kerry, with its focal point centred on Limerick and its environs within an eight kilometre (5 mile) radius. The area is possibly the main economic region outside of Dublin and Cork. Its economic success has been driven in part by the University of Limerick, Shannon Airport in Co. Clare and Shannon Development (an economic development agency), whose precursor was SFADCO (Shannon Free Airport Development Company), an economic agency that provided tax incentives to companies locating in the area surrounding Shannon Airport. As of 2006 Shannon Development are mostly concerned with disposing of valuable industrial park properties.
Historically Limerick was an agricultural commodity-driven economy, due to its position as the first major port along the River Shannon. The city was one of the main meat processing areas in Ireland, and industry included confectionery and flour production. In line with the changing economic landscape in Ireland, many multinational companies are now based in Limerick. Dell have their main European Manufacturing Facility in Raheen Business Park, and are one of the largest employers in the midwest region. The facility is the largest Dell manufacturing plant outside the United States and currently produces 30,000-60,000 units per day for export to the EMEA - contributing 5.8% of Irish GDP (2002). Analog Devices have their European manufacturing base also in Raheen, 3 km south-west of the city centre. The site employs more than 1,000 people. Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Vistakon (the world's largest manufacturer of contact lenses) also have a large facility in Castletroy in the National Technology Park. It is Vistakon's only production facility outside the United States and one of the largest contact lens manufacturing plants in the world.
Tourism
The Sylvester O'Halloran Bridge in Limerick City is one of the country's main tourist destinations, the city is only a 15 minute drive from Shannon Airport. Currently tourism is growing at a spectacular rate with over 1,000 new beds being opened in the city in 2006 thanks to the opening of 5 new hotels. The city is the first to provide visitors to the city with 'Street Ambassadors', people designated to help others around and make the stay in Limerick more enjoyable. Tourist attractions in the city centre include King John's Castle (1212), St. Mary's Cathedral, Limerick (1168), Hunt Museum, several (seasonal) tours (Angela's Ashes walking tour of Limerick City, The historical walking tour of Limerick and Boat tours along the River Shannon), the University of Limerick, Georgian house and gardens, Treaty Stone, and more. Adare village and the Foynes Flying Boat Museum (all on the outskirts of the city) are also popular attractions. The Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum, also known as Limerick Museum, is to be found next to King John's Castle. It contains displays on Limerick's history and manufactures.
Retail
The service industry is an important employer in the city. The city centre is one of the main shopping areas, with the pedestrianised Cruises Street being one of the main shopping streets and the soon to be finished Bedford Row. New on the agenda is the proposed predestranisation of O'Connell Street up to Roches Street near the Oriental Foodstore and a new look for William St, the heart of Limerick City. Each side of the city has outlying shopping areas. Crescent Shopping Centre is located in Dooradoyle, not far from the city centre. It features over 90 shopping outlets along with various restaurants and the 12 screen Omniplex Cinema. Regular bus services run from the city centre to the Crescent Shopping Centre. The Jetland Shopping Centre, is located in Caherdavin. It opened in 2005. Its main anchor is Dunnes Stores, with many other shops and services available including Golden Discs and Costa Coffee. Instant confirmation available for booking a B&B in Limerick City!
Social
Limerick City has a vibrant nightlife, with numerous nightclubs; Trinity Rooms probably being the best known nationally with acts like the Human League, The Blizzards Femi Kuti and Roger Sanchez having played there in the last year. Pubs such as Nancy Blakes, The Wicked Chicken, Mickey Martins and The Old Quarter give a range of drinking experiences from the warm and cosy to cutting edge. Traditional Irish Music is based around Dolans Warehouse which is firmly established on the national Trad circuit and also hosts many local, national and international folk, indie, jazz and rock acts.
Architecture
Ireland's tallest church spire is at St John's Cathedral in Limerick. The city centre is divided between the traditional areas of "English Town" on the southern end of King's Island, which includes the castle, "Irish Town" which includes the older streets on the south bank, and the current economic centre called "Newtown Pery". Newtown Pery was built in the late 18th century before the Act of Union and, unusually for an Irish city and unique in Limerick itself, this area is laid out on a grid plan. Limerick city centre is changing rapidly, with the construction of several modern high-rise buildings in the early-2000s. The suburban regions, where the majority of the population now live, have grown out from the centre along the main roads to Ennis (North Circular and Ennis Road areas/Caherdavin), Dublin (Castletroy and the University) and Cork (Ballinacurra/Dooradoyle/Raheen). Suburban houses are generally two floor semi-detached homes for single families. These were built from the 1960s onwards in large estates by government projects and commercial developments, although there are many examples of Edwardian and older 1930s suburban homes on the main suburban thoroughfares leading towards the city (North & South Circular, Ballinacurra Road, O'Connell Avenue). Much Georgian architecture was evident in the city from about the 1800s onwards. Although some has since been demolished, much of the Newtown Pery area is built in the Georgian fashion. Other architectural buildings of note in the city are King John's Castle and St Mary's Cathedral in English Town and St John's Cathedral, designed by the notable Victorian architect, Philip Charles Hardwick. St Mary's Cathedral, at over 800 years old, is one of the oldest in Ireland. St John's Cathedral, whilst more modern, has one of the tallest steeples. ne of Ireland's most celebrated museums, the Hunt Museum, is based in the historic 18th-century former Custom House. The museum was established to house an internationally important collection of approximately 2000 works of art and antiquities formed by John and Gertrude Hunt during their lifetimes. On display are the 9th century Antrim Cross, a sketch by Picasso and a bronze sculpture of a horse, said to be from a design by Leonardo da Vinci.
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