Limerick city lies on the River Shannon and is the third biggest city in Ireland.
The historic core of the city is located on King’s Island, bounded by the Shannon and Abbey Rivers.
The city dates from 812 as a Viking settlement, but it is thought there were earlier settlements in the area.
Ptolemy, a legendary figure in Alexandria, Egypt produced the earliest map of Ireland, showing a place called “Regia” on the same site as King’s Island in 150 AD.
Following the Norman invasion in the 12th century, they redesigned the city and added notable buildings, such as King John’s Castle and St Mary’s Cathedral.
During the civil wars of the 17th century, the city was besieged by Oliver Cromwell in 1651 and twice more in the 1690s.
The Treaty of Limerick in October 1691 ended the Williamite-Jacobite war in Ireland. The Jacobites were supporters of the Catholic King James II, while the Williamites supported the Protestant King William of Orange.
In addition to the historic buildings mentioned above, the Hunt Museum and the Treaty Stone are other treasures in the city. A number of interesting walking tours are seasonal, as well as boat tours along the River Shannon.
Limerick is the setting for Frank McCourt’s memoir Angela’s Ashes and the film adaptation.
The acclaimed University of Limerick has a thousand-seat state-of-the-art concert hall that hosts visiting performers and various concerts.
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