Limerick

Understand

thumb | 300px | The Treaty Stone near Thomond Bridge Limerick grew up at the limit of tides and navigation of the River Shannon. In the 9th century the Vikings first raided it then settled, calling it Hlymrekr which probably means low-lying and fertile. As elsewhere in Ireland, they were overthrown by the native Irish in the 10th and 11th centuries, who in turn came under the rule of the Anglo-Normans. In 1205 King John ordered the construction of the castle on the river island in the Shannon, and the English settled in this area of King's Island, with their "Englishtown" protected by massive walls. South across the small River Abbey lay "Irishtown", with the natives firmly put in their place.

Limerick became a prosperous port, so it was worth fighting for. Some of the many conflicts were the proxy war that was part of the medieval England—Scotland wars; a siege as Oliver Cromwell crushed Royalist opposition in Ireland; and the siege which was the last stand of King James II/VII forces against William of Orange, ended by the Treaty of Limerick in 1691. Supposedly this was signed over the "Treaty Stone", which now stands near Thomond Bridge.

The city benefited from local agriculture and by growing trade with North America, with Irishtown rebuilt on a grid pattern as a Georgian city comparable to Dublin, and fine public buildings. It slumped with the Napoleonic wars, with the draining of political power to England, and with the great Irish famine of 1847. Not until the mid-…

Get around

thumb | 300px | Abbey River Footbridge Walking will get you everywhere in the city centre.

Bikes need to be rented weeks in advance. There is only one bike rental shop in town.

See

thumb | 300px | King John's Castle on the River Shannon Widows Alms Houses just south of the castle were built in 1691 to house soldiers' widows. 100 m east of the castle is a home for elderly nuns, embellished by a vivid mural. There are stretches of the old city walls alongside, including a sally port. is lined with confident Georgian architecture. The Daniel O'Connell monument perches at the top of the street. next to Thomond bridge is a rough limestone block used for mounting horses. It was supposedly upon this stone that the Treaty of Limerick was signed on 3 Oct 1691, ending the siege of the city and the war between the Jacobites and William of Orange. The Treaty permitted the defeated Jacobite soldiers to leave for France (which most did), or to enlist in William's army, or to go home. It also ensured protection of the defeated Catholic gentry provided they swore allegiance to King William. But few did so, the Pope proclaimed James as the rightful king, the Catholics were oppressed, and the conflict rumbled on for the next 300 years. is a dam and hydroelectric power station, upstream in County Clare but more easily accessed from Limerick. Built 1924-29 just after independence, it changed not only the lower Shannon, but the entire face of rural Ireland through electrification. A canal lock takes boats through the 30 m drop in river level, and there are fish ladders for the salmon and eels. There are tours of the power station.