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Stay at Jurys Inn, Limerick 3*** rating: Jurys Inn Limerick is set in the heart of the city along the banks of the Shannon and is just a two-minute stroll from the shopping and cultural centre of Limerick. Just 20 minutes drive from Shannon Airport, this is the perfect base to explore some of Ireland's most stunning scenery, including the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren. Jurys Inn Limerick have bright, spacious rooms, which can accommodate up to three adults or two adults and two children. Our fixed rate room pricing offers outstanding value for money.
Address: Lower Mallow Street, Limerick, Ireland.
Tel: (+353 61) 207000.
About Limerick The Vikings founded the seaport of Limerick in 922 AD on an island beside a ford, a strategic point on the River Shannon. Within fifty years it had become so important that the native chieftains saw it as a rich prize and King Mahon of Thomond, together with his brother Brian Boru, displaced the Vikings in 967 and, a century later, their descendants made it their capital. Thereafter a succession of invaders attacked and sometimes controlled the city. The Anglo-Normans, like the Vikings before them, established a colony in the same place in the 12th century, giving it the name of King's Island. The English Prince John ordered the building of castle that stands to this day - King John's Castle- and he gave the town its Royal Charter in 1197. Its charter is older than that of London. The settlers occupied a part of the city called the English Town. The native chieftains controlled an Irish Town beside it and both parties enjoyed long periods of prosperity. The 17th century saw appalling battles and destruction, first in Cromwellian times when the city was besieged for three months and later under King William III when there were more sieges, ending with a treaty in 1691. The treaty, according to tradition, was signed on a great Treaty Stone which stands on a pedestal on the opposite bank of the Shannon from the Castle. The city continued to be something of a fortress until 1760 when the old city walls were dismantled and a splendid new town developed towards the south. King Johns Castle and St. Mary's Cathedral nearby, in the mediaeval quarters, remain at the core of the old city - King's Island - but the expansion that began in the 18th century never really ceased. The new town was planned with broad streets and squares and the superb town houses that line them were built. The 19th century saw major churches and public buildings and in the final decades of the 20th century museums, theatres, shopping centres, restaurants and a brand new university made their appearance.
What to See in Limerick Town
Kings Island remains the hub of the city. King John's Castle has been excavated, restored and opened to reveal the Viking foundations, along with the fabric of the great fortress itself and an exciting audio-visual presentation. Across the road from the castle is the superbly restored 18th century Bishop's Palace. St. Mary's Cathedral still a place of worship with marvellous 15th century oak sculptured misericords stands to the south and, between castle and cathedral, the Limerick City Museum and the modern City Hall. Crossing the Abbey River leads to what once was the Irish Town, passing the classical Customs House, now the home of The Hunt Museum. This houses an internationally important collection of some 2,000 original works. Selected according to the quality of their design, craftsmanship and artistic merit the pieces appear here representing all periods of the past from the Stone Age through to the twentieth century. Among the many important works of art in the collection are the personal seal of Charles I of England, the Mary Queen of Scots Cross, a coin revered since the middle Ages as being one of the '30 pieces of silver' and a bronze horse by Leonardo da Vinci. There are also paintings by Renoir, Picasso and Yeats. Further to the south but still within an easy walk the 18th century streets offer shops, hotels, restaurants and then the stately town houses. The Georgian House, No. 2 Pery Square, has been restored to show what life was like for the wealthy in those days, while its mews building is the home of an exhibition devoted to Frank McCourts novel Angela's Ashes which tells of life at a rather less comfortable level.
Limerick is an established University City with a highly reputed educational establishments including University of Limerick, the Limerick School of Art and Design, the Limerick Institute of Technology and a Teacher Training College. These all contribute to the vibrancy of the City which offers nightlife for both the young and the young at heart, with live music venues offering a range of music choice from traditional Irish music to contemporary. Within an hours drive, seaside, mountains, lakes and rivers, castles and historic towns. Limerick has everything. In nearby Bunratty, you can enjoy a world-famous Mediaeval Castle Banquet or a dinner-evening at the Traditional Irish Music Nights in Bunratty Folk Park. Limerick City offers the best shopping options in the West or Mid-West of Ireland. The City Centre has major department stores and a diverse range of smaller retail outlets from fashion and jewellery stores through to books and crafts. Shopping Centres include the Arthur's Quay shopping centre is in the City Centre; the Cresent Shopping Centre (on the Cork Road) which has recently completed a major expansion and the Parkway Shopping Centre on the Dublin Road. Next to the Parkway is the new Parkway Retail Park which has also recently completed a major expansion.
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