   #copyright

Limerick

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: European Geography

   Limerick
   Luimneach
               Coat of arms of Limerick
     Urbs Antiqua Fuit Studiisque Asperrima Belli
   "An ancient city well versed in the arts of war"
   Location

   Location of Limerick
   Map highlighting Limerick

                         WGS-84 ( GPS) Coordinates:
                           52.6652° N 8.6238° W

                 Irish Grid Reference
   R574572
   Statistics
       Province:     Munster
        County:      County Limerick
         Area:       20.79 km²
   Population (2006) 52,560
   Website: www.limerickcity.ie

   Limerick ( Irish: Luimneach: Lom na nEach - the bare place - i.e. open
   ground - of the horses) is a city and the county seat of County
   Limerick in the province of Munster, in the midwest of the Republic of
   Ireland. The city lies on the River Shannon, with three main crossing
   points near the city centre.

   The population of Limerick including the immediate suburbs and environs
   is 93,321 (based on the 2002 census carried out by the CSO), which
   would rank it as the third biggest city in the Republic of Ireland;
   however, the official population of the city itself according to the
   city boundary laws is 52,560, according to the most recent census of
   2006. This figure has remained virtually unchanged for 25 years, and
   places it as the fourth largest city in the Republic of Ireland after
   Dublin, Cork and Galway, and the fifth largest urban area on the island
   of Ireland (after Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Derry).

   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.

History

   The city dates from at least the Viking settlement in 812, but study
   suggests the presence of earlier settlements in the area. 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 broken only by the so-called Celtic Tiger in
   the 1990s. 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 1850's and 1860's developed
   Limerick as a regional centre of communications.

Governance

   Limerick City Council 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 (formerly termed Aldermen) with an
   appointed (full time) CEO as City Manager. The councillors annually
   elect a Mayor to chair the council and represent the City. As of 2006
   the current Mayor is Councillor Joe Leddin; previous Mayors include TDs
   Donagh O'Malley, Stephen Coughlan, Michael Lipper, Jim Kemmy and Jan
   O'Sullivan.

   Despite the rapid growth of the city environs, the city borders have
   not been changed since the 1960's. A large proportion of what is
   considered as the population of Limerick City now live in suburbs built
   after the 1960's and are thus in the Limerick County Council
   administrative area. These include much of Caherdavin, Dooradoyle,
   Castletroy — including the University, Gouldavoher, and Raheen. There
   are ever-increasing political demands from City Councillors for a
   redrawing of the boundary , which is generally deemed antiquated and
   inaccurate for modern-day Limerick.

   For national Dáil elections Limerick city is included in the Limerick
   East constituency which elects five members on a proportional
   representation system. For European parliament elections Limerick is
   included in the South Ireland constituency which elects three
   representatives.

   Between April 15 1919, and April 27, 1919 the city had a period of
   socialist self-rule, which was called the Limerick Soviet (which was
   parodied several times by the satirical RTE Radio 1 program Scrap
   Saturday).

Architecture

   Ireland's tallest church spire may be found at St John's Cathedral.
   Enlarge
   Ireland's tallest church spire may be found at St John's Cathedral.

   Riverpoint Skyscraper
   Enlarge
   Riverpoint Skyscraper

   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, P.C Hardwick (1822-1892). 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.

   One 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.

Transport

Buses

   A Limerick bus
   Enlarge
   A Limerick bus

   Local public transport is provided by Bus Éireann, Ireland's national
   bus operator. City Service Routes are as follows (frequencies shown in
   brackets, in minutes):
     * 301 City Centre to Shannon Banks or Westbury (301A) (30mins)
     * 302 City Centre to Caherdavin (302A Caherdavin-to-University) (20)
     * 303 Carew Park to Ballynanty (30)
     * 304 City Centre to Raheen (Services via Greenfields operate as
       304A) (10)
     * 305 Lynwood to Coonagh Roundabout (30–60)
     * 306 Craeval Park to O'Malley Park (30)
     * 308 City Centre to University (Services via Pennywell operate as
       308A) (15)
     * 309 Pineview to St. Mary's Park (60)
     * 312 City Centre to Ballycummin (60).

   Buses also run to towns and villages in the county and to Shannon
   Airport. Intercity and international buses leave from the Bus Éireann
   bus station adjoining the City's train station. These include hourly
   services to Dublin, Cork and Galway and others cities, as well as a
   daily service to London via ferry services from Rosslare Europort.

Rail

   Iarnród Éireann's Colbert Station is the terminus for frequent services
   to Dublin and Cork (serving many intermediate stations), a frequent
   all-day commuter service to Ennis, as well as a three-times daily
   service to Waterford and stations in County Tipperary. Services to and
   from Nenagh on the Ballybrophy line will be expanded to include
   commuter service from 2007. There are also plans to reopen the Western
   Railway Corridor to Galway and Sligo, closed in the 1970's. In February
   2006 it was announced that regular services between Limerick and Galway
   will be restored in 2007 . There are also plans to reopen Sixmilebridge
   station shortly after. Many rail services include a changeover at
   Limerick Junction. The Railway Procurement Agency has suggested that a
   tram system should be built in the city .

Flight

   Shannon International Airport, 20 km west of the city in County Clare,
   has scheduled flights to many European and North American destinations.
   Airlines using the airport include Ryanair, Aer Lingus and American
   Airlines. There is currently no rail link to this airport. The Coonagh
   airfield, a few kilometers north of Caherdavin, provides access for
   small private aircraft. Cork Airport is also a option, although it is
   roughly a two-hour drive from the city.

Education

   Limerick is an important centre of higher education in Ireland after
   Dublin and Cork, having its own university and several colleges.

   The University of Limerick (UL), which is situated about 5 km east of
   the city centre in the suburb of Castletroy, is an internationally
   renowned centre for engineering, information technology, materials
   science, sports science, humanities, social sciences, and music. The
   Irish World Music Centre specialises in traditional music and dance,
   and UL is host to the Irish Chamber Orchestra. It has a student
   population of over 12,000.

   Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), based about 3 km north-west of
   the city centre, is an important centre for business, engineering,
   information technology, Humanities and science education. It also has a
   broad range of art and design courses, offered at Limerick School of
   Art and Design – its Clare Street campus (near the city centre). It has
   a student population of C. 6,500 students

   Mary Immaculate College, Limerick (technically a part of the University
   of Limerick), is an education and arts college situated just south-west
   of the city centre. Thomond College of Education, Limerick was a
   successful teacher training college (for secondary level) and was
   integrated into the university in 1991.

   Primary and secondary education in the city is organised similarly to
   the rest of Ireland.

Tourism

   Limerick City is one of the countrys main tourist destinations, the
   city is only a 15 minute drive from Shannon International 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.

   When in Limerick, there's plenty to keep visitors occupied including
   King John's Castle (1212), St. Mary's Cathedral, Limerick (1168), Hunt
   Museum, Tours ( Angela's Ashes walking tour of Limerick City, Hop
   on-Hop off Sightseeing tour of Limerick City, The historical walking
   tour of Limerick and Boat tours along the River Shannon *Not all tours
   are operational year round*), Georgian house and gardens, Treaty Stone,
   and more in the city centre. University of Limerick is worthy of a
   visit at term time being a cultural hub in the suburb of Castletroy.
   Also a visit to Bunratty Castle and folk park, Adare village and the
   Foynes Flying Boat Museum (all on the outskirts of the city) are must
   see attractions.

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
   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, currently producing 30,000-60,000 units per
   day for export to the EMEA, and are one of the largest employers in the
   midwest region . This contributes 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 also have a large facility in
   Castletroy - one of the largest contact lens manufacturing plants in
   the world, located in the National Technology Park.

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. Each side of the city has outlying shopping
   areas. Just before Raheen is the Crescent Shopping Centre, Caherdavin
   has a new Jetland Shopping Centre, opened in 2005 beside the old
   Jetland centre (featuring a 24-hr Dunnes Stores), and Castletroy has
   the relatively new Castletroy Shopping Centre, with the Parkway
   Shopping Centre situated closer to town at the end of the Childers
   Road. The first two extensive retail parks in the city, the Parkway
   Retail Park (opened 2002) and Childers Road Retail Park (opened 2005),
   are located near this shopping centre. A third retail park, CityEast
   Retail Park opened in late 2005 on the Tipperary Road.

   In April 2007, Coonagh Cross Shopping Centre will be opened. It will be
   the biggest shopping centre in the Mid-West region. A city-centre
   shopping centre of a similar scale (billed in some places as
   prospectively the biggest in Munster) is also planned. The Opera Centre
   would be located parallel to Rutland and Patrick Street, from the
   (Abbey River) quays to Ellen Street. This will be the first major leap
   of faith by external developers in Limerick City Centre as up to now
   the city has been all but passed over leaing the majority of
   development to locals. The proposed redevelopment of the entire
   Arthur's Quay Area, New Docklands twinned with a newly vibrant night
   economy helped in no small way by international tourists using Budget
   Flights from Shannon Airport and centered mainly around the Trinity
   Rooms complex at the Granary Building have given Limerick a new
   confidence, which should ensure that its upward path continues for the
   forseeable future.

Hospitals

     * Mid Western Regional Hospital
     * St John's Hospital
     * Barringtons Hospital
     * Croom Orthopaedic Hospital

Climate

   Limerick has a mild climate, with the average daily maximum in July at
   23°C (73.4°F) and the average daily minimum in January at -4°C
   (24.8°F). The highest temperature recorded in the city was 31.6°C
   (88.88°F), and the lowest was -11.2°C (11.84°F).

   CAPTION: Climate Table

   Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
   Average daily maximum temperature ( °C) 11 11 13 15 18 20 23 23 19 17
   12 11 16.1
   Average daily minimum temperature ( °C) -4 -1 0 3 6 8 11 9 8 5 2 1 3.3
   Mean total rainfall ( mm) 100 70 70 60 60 60 60 80 80 90 90 100 920
   Source: Yahoo! Weather

Crime

   The city's crime problem has been the subject of much adverse
   publicity; media articles often refer to Limerick as "Stab City", due
   to a perceived problem with knife attacks. In 2001, the then Deputy
   State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy told the Irish Medical Organisation
   that Limerick deserved its moniker as 40% of all stabbings in the
   country, in the previous year, had occurred in Limerick. This
   characterisation is dismissed by the city's communications officer,
   Mary Dundon, as 'inaccurate' and 'outdated'. According to official
   statistics from An Garda Síochána, Limerick county had the
   second-highest crime rate for headline offences in 2005, after the
   Dublin Metropolitan Region.

   Recent years have seen serious crimes in Limerick being linked with
   feuds between criminal gangs within certain areas of the city, mainly
   Moyross, Southill and St. Mary's Park. Arguably, this rivalry was
   precipitated by the murder of alleged gang member Eddie Ryan in
   November 2000, in a public house in the Johnsgate area of the city.

   Despite a relative lull in gang violence between 2004 and the first
   half of 2006 in Limerick's housing estates, the problem seems to have
   escalated again in September 2006, with two children suffering
   extensive burns in the torching of their mother's car in early
   September, and a series of apparently retaliatory attacks including a
   drive-by shooting later that month.

Twinned Cities

   Limerick is twinned with Quimper in France and Spokane, Washington in
   the United States. In 2006 it was announced that the city would twin
   with New York City in the U.S..
        * 1980 France — Quimper, Brittany, France
        * 1990 United States — Spokane, Washington, U.S.
        * 2006 Poland — Starogard Gdański, Eastern Pomerania, Poland
        * 2006 United States — New York City, New York, U.S.

   Trivia

        * The winner of the largest EuroMillions prize to date, Dolores
          McNamara, is a native of the Garryowen area of Limerick. Her
          winning ticket was bought at her local newsagent.
        * Vistakon, the world's largest manufacturer of contact lenses, has
          its only production facility outside the United States at the
          National Technology Park in Limerick.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerick"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
