About County Limerick
County Limerick occupies the Golden Vale, some of the richest farmland in Ireland, centred on the city at the tidal limit of the Shannon. Limerick city is one of Ireland's oldest, its Viking and Norman heritage still visible in its medieval core. The county's agricultural wealth made it a prize, and its people developed a reputation for resilience, humour and stubbornness that still holds.
History
The Siege of Limerick in 1691 was one of the most significant moments in Irish history. When the Jacobite forces surrendered, the Treaty of Limerick promised religious freedom for Catholics, a promise almost immediately broken. The Wild Geese, the Irish soldiers who sailed to France after the siege, became a defining symbol of Irish diaspora identity for centuries.
How Limerick families left Ireland
Limerick families emigrated heavily during the Famine through the port of Limerick city. The county's strong land agitation movement in the late 19th century, connected to the Land League, reflected the deep resentment of eviction and emigration that ran through its communities.
Places worth visiting in County Limerick
- King John's Castle, the magnificent 13th century castle at the heart of Limerick city
- Lough Gur, the notable prehistoric landscape, one of the most archaeologically significant in Ireland
- Adare, arguably Ireland's prettiest village, its thatched cottages and medieval ruins perfectly preserved
- The Hunt Museum, one of Ireland's finest collections of art and antiquities, housed in Limerick city
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