Is Limerick a nice place to spend a couple of nights?

Henry Ford III

There are a few great pubs within a 10 minute walk from your hotel. Plenty of decent food options too.

zulutango

cat87 wrote: »

I booked the Strand hotel It looks really nice! Going this weekend! Hopefully it will be a nice weekend. Thanks for the tips!

I'm sure you'll have a great time. The hotel is right by the river and has some stunning views from the top floor. Go and have a look. O'Callaghan Strand is where the hotel is located, and it's really nice to take a stroll along there, especially in the evening.

Also, take a stroll down Clancy Strand. It's a very scenic area of the city but there's also a huge amount of history associated with it that a lot of people don't know about. For example, there's a big stone building called the Strand Barracks which are now apartments. It was here that one of the decisive victories of the irish civil war was won in 1922. Further up, there's the Robert Byrne Park. He's the guy whose death led to the establishment of the Limerick Soviet in 1919. Then of course, check out the Treaty Stone at the far end of the Strand. One of the great sieges of Europe was held here between 1690 and 1691.

Go into Jack Monday's coffee house. It's a new café right beside the river and is very pleasant. Cross Thomond Bridge and maybe check out King John's Castle. St. Mary's cathedral is the oldest cathedral in Ireland and is well worth checking out too. It was built by Brian Boru's grandson in 1167, two years before the Norman invasion.

I'm conscious that most of what I'm telling you here is history stuff, but it's pretty interesting and it's Limerick's strong point. The Hunt Museum is a must see if you are in any way interested in art or history too.

As for heading out in the evening you can't go wrong. There's been some good suggestions on this thread already. One thing I'll say is that the weekend coming has been a very quiet one in the city in the last 10 years as most of the young people here head off to the Electric Picnic!

angeldaisy

zulutango wrote: »

The Hunt Museum is a must see if you are in any way interested in art or history too.

The Hunt museum is free to get in on Sundays as well and is well worth a visit

vkid

cat87 wrote: »

I booked the Strand hotel It looks really nice! Going this weekend! Hopefully it will be a nice weekend. Thanks for the tips!

They should look after you there. Nice hotel.

AS mentioned, I would highly recommend the Curraghower bar down the road, from the Strand. Also the Market is really worth doing on a Saturday morning and Killaloe and Bunratty (while in Clare) are only a short drive and lovely spots for lunch imo.

Jofspring

We the people living here might be sick of the place but a lot of people that visit think its a cracking place for a night out. We have a few things to do during the day and if you are here at the right time of the year there is great sports to attend. We have some lovely restaurants, three cinemas, go karting, bowling, decent shopping centre, king johns, university concert hall, a decent local music scene, dolans, thomond park and it's museum, the market quarter with a few pubs and clubs all nice a close together, the market on a Saturday, the belltable.

The only problem I see with limerick tourist wise is if you visit once it's probably enough as you could do most decent things in two days and there isn't much reason to come back that and the town centre is rotting away.

A car is probably a must if you visit limerick as you will probably have to leave the city for day time entertainment and things to do.

Ash.J.Williams

I love limerick

MHalberstram

Jofspring wrote: »

We the people living here might be sick of the place but a lot of people that visit think its a cracking place for a night out. We have a few things to do during the day and if you are here at the right time of the year there is great sports to attend. We have some lovely restaurants, three cinemas, go karting, bowling, decent shopping centre, king johns, university concert hall, a decent local music scene, dolans, thomond park and it's museum, the market quarter with a few pubs and clubs all nice a close together, the market on a Saturday, the belltable.

The only problem I see with limerick tourist wise is if you visit once it's probably enough as you could do most decent things in two days and there isn't much reason to come back that and the town centre is rotting away.

A car is probably a must if you visit limerick as you will probably have to leave the city for day time entertainment and things to do.

This.

Tigerandahalf

Definitely give a drive around the grounds of the University of Limerick. Beautiful place and incredible facilities and buildings. Limerick has improved in last couple of years since Thomas St Bedford row area was pedestrianised. I forget the name of the actual st. Now you have some nice shops, cafes and pubs and the market is nice too. Great value in hotels in Limerick.
Also at UL you may catch the Munster team training.
The only thing that disappoints me about Limerick is the lack of development around the docklands area. The river could be a great asset if boats and cruisers etc could do trips down to the Shannon estuary. Fishing charters could also be done from there.

Hooked

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Definitely give a drive around the grounds of the University of Limerick.
Also at UL you may catch the Munster team training.

This!!! Only drive out to UL - and walk around. One of my favourite places to stroll with the dog. Drive in the front gate, straight up past the roundabout, and left after the bus stop. park up at the MSSI building and start your walk in behind the MSSI and go wander...

As mentioned earlier, clancy strand, the curraghgower bar and jack Monday's for a coffee are all good ideas close to the hotel.

Kilaloe, Curraghchase and even Lahinch at a stretch are all 'fairly' close by.

The Market on a Saturday morning and plenty of restaurants and bars at night.

Some of my favourites are Azur, Freddies bistro and The Red Onion. Or stroll up to the famous 'Donkey' Fords chipper and sit on the hospital wall and marvel at St Johns Cathederal. It really is stunning inside and out.

Thomas Steeet at night has some great bars as well as the Market quarter with the sardine tin that is Nancy Blakes. Not everyone's cup of tea on a sat night, but I used to live in there.

Either way, enjoy your weekend here and be sure and let us know how it went!

Tigerandahalf

Id second Lahinch for a beach walk if you have the time.

seachto7

Lahinch ain't Limerick though. There are plenty of good things around Limerick however.

zulutango

seachto7 wrote: »

Lahinch ain't Limerick though. There are plenty of good things around Limerick however.

It's in the Limerick region though.

seachto7

I think the natives of Lahinch would have something to say about it being in the "Limerick region"

zulutango

seachto7 wrote: »

I think the natives of Lahinch would have something to say about it being in the "Limerick region"

It is though. Or, at least it's in the region of Limerick, if you prefer!

Jofspring

zulutango wrote: »

It is though. Or, at least it's in the region of Limerick, if you prefer!

Its an hours drive from Limerick in the region of Clare.

seachto7

zulutango wrote: »

It is though. Or, at least it's in the region of Limerick, if you prefer!

It's not though. It's in West Clare, not the Limerick region. Shur why not throw Ballybunion and Tralee in while you're at it, or Portumna.

The OP asked "Is Limerick a nice place to spend a couple of nights", and a suggestion is "Yes it is, because you can go to Lahinch in West Clare, which is an hour away"

zulutango

Jofspring wrote: »

Its an hours drive from Limerick in the region of Clare.

Would Killaloe be in the region of Limerick? Of course it is. So is Cratloe, Parteen, Shannon, Nenagh, etc. I'm not saying they're part of county Limerick. Just using the word 'region' in the truest sense. Anything within an hour of Limerick is justifiably in the region of Limerick.

say_who_now?

zulutango wrote: »

Jofspring wrote: »

Its an hours drive from Limerick in the region of Clare.

Would Killaloe be in the region of Limerick? Of course it is. So is Cratloe, Parteen, Shannon, Nenagh, etc. I'm not saying they're part of county Limerick. Just using the word 'region' in the truest sense. Anything within an hour of Limerick is justifiably in the region of Limerick.

Zulu with all due respect, you're stretching the definition of the word "region" WELL beyond it's "truest sense". If you were to use region in it's truest sense, then you would be referring to the Mid-West, as in the Mid-West Regional Hospital.

Most people would've understood the OP to mean Limerick City, not off out in Lahinch where it costs €70 day return by bus for two adults and one child. The same would be said of Nenagh- 25 miles away and €30 day return for two adults and one child.

I've only ever been to the airport in Shannon but I think it was about €11 one way, I didn't go near the town.

Cratloe even is a fair spin out of Limerick City and if I was only down for a few days in Limerick over a weekend, Cratloe woods wouldn't be too high on my list of places to see, but that's possibly because I couldn't see the forest for the trees!

zulutango

say_who_now? wrote: »

Zulu with all due respect, you're stretching the definition of the word "region" WELL beyond it's "truest sense". If you were to use region in it's truest sense, then you would be referring to the Mid-West, as in the Mid-West Regional Hospital.

Most people would've understood the OP to mean Limerick City, not off out in Lahinch where it costs €70 day return by bus for two adults and one child. The same would be said of Nenagh- 25 miles away and €30 day return for two adults and one child.

I've only ever been to the airport in Shannon but I think it was about €11 one way, I didn't go near the town.

Cratloe even is a fair spin out of Limerick City and if I was only down for a few days in Limerick over a weekend, Cratloe woods wouldn't be too high on my list of places to see, but that's possibly because I couldn't see the forest for the trees!

What about Parteen or Westbury? Are they in the Limerick region? Of course they are, and so is Killaloe, Cratloe, Shannon and Lahinch (if the sea-side is your thing).

If someone was coming to visit me and they were asking if there was any nice beaches or good surfing nearby. I'd say, yes, Lahinch is only up the road. You could be there and back, and have taken it all in easily in a few hours. That pretty much makes it in the region of Limerick.

say_who_now?

zulutango wrote: »

What about Parteen or Westbury? Are they in the Limerick region? Of course they are, and so is Killaloe, Cratloe, Shannon and Lahinch (if the sea-side is your thing).

If someone was coming to visit me and they were asking if there was any nice beaches or good surfing nearby. I'd say, yes, Lahinch is only up the road. You could be there and back, and have taken it all in easily in a few hours. That pretty much makes it in the region of Limerick.

Not being funny Zulu but I have no idea where Parteen or Westbury are so I didn't comment on them, but like I said- Lahinch, €70 day return, and that's just from Limerick City? I'd want to be some keen surfer! Far from "just up the road" either, that's like saying to an American that Belfast is only a stone's throw from Limerick!

If you're coming to visit Limerick, and you're staying in the city, the natural assumption is that you'd want to see what the city has to offer. If you were interested in surfing or the beach, then Limerick City would hardly be on your itinerary!

Limerick Region is Limerick City and the surrounding county. Clare and North/South Tipperary would be understood to be Munster Region or Mid-West Region and none of this "region in its truest sense" nonsense just so you don't have to acknowledge the fact that you may have just tried to rewrite the primary school geography books!

Jofspring

Well Cratloe, Westbury and Parteen are on the actual border of Limerick, to get from the city centre to any of these takes max 5 minutes driving with no traffic, while Lahinch is an hours drive away, there is a big big difference. You can be in Cork or Galway as quick as Lahinch but I wouldn't say Cork and Galway are in the Limerick region.

MHalberstram

say_who_now? wrote: »

Not being funny Zulu but I have no idea where Parteen or Westbury are so I didn't comment on them, but like I said- Lahinch, €70 day return, and that's just from Limerick City? I'd want to be some keen surfer! Far from "just up the road" either, that's like saying to an American that Belfast is only a stone's throw from Limerick!

If you're coming to visit Limerick, and you're staying in the city, the natural assumption is that you'd want to see what the city has to offer. If you were interested in surfing or the beach, then Limerick City would hardly be on your itinerary!

Limerick Region is Limerick City and the surrounding county. Clare and North/South Tipperary would be understood to be Munster Region or Mid-West Region and none of this "region in its truest sense" nonsense just so you don't have to acknowledge the fact that you may have just tried to rewrite the primary school geography books!

I live in Clare, 5 minutes from Limerick (near Parteen and Westbury) According to your assertion I am not in the Limerick region but rather in the Munster region. Funny though, I vote in the Limerick East region.

I'm sorry but you are talking complete and utter $hite.

PS: To an American, Belfast is just a stone's throw away.

Insect Overlord

MHalberstram wrote: »

I'm sorry but you are talking complete and utter $hite.

Don't post in this thread again.

zulutango

say_who_now? wrote: »

Not being funny Zulu but I have no idea where Parteen or Westbury are so I didn't comment on them, but like I said- Lahinch, €70 day return, and that's just from Limerick City? I'd want to be some keen surfer! Far from "just up the road" either, that's like saying to an American that Belfast is only a stone's throw from Limerick!

If you're coming to visit Limerick, and you're staying in the city, the natural assumption is that you'd want to see what the city has to offer. If you were interested in surfing or the beach, then Limerick City would hardly be on your itinerary!

Limerick Region is Limerick City and the surrounding county. Clare and North/South Tipperary would be understood to be Munster Region or Mid-West Region and none of this "region in its truest sense" nonsense just so you don't have to acknowledge the fact that you may have just tried to rewrite the primary school geography books!

Ah, for feck sake, are you saying Foynes or Abbeyfeale are more in the region of Limerick City than Killaloe or Shannon? Come off it!! Of course they're not!

The Limerick city region is the area around Limerick city and that includes much of south-east county Clare simply because Limerick City is on the border of counties Clare and Limerick.

zulutango

Jofspring wrote: »

Well Cratloe, Westbury and Parteen are on the actual border of Limerick, to get from the city centre to any of these takes max 5 minutes driving with no traffic, while Lahinch is an hours drive away, there is a big big difference. You can be in Cork or Galway as quick as Lahinch but I wouldn't say Cork and Galway are in the Limerick region.

It depends how you define 'region' of course. I would use it in the true, pragmatic sense rather than the strict and archaic county boundary sense. Granted, Lahinch is stretching it, given that it could take an hour to get there. But many parts of Clare are in the region of Limerick City.

say_who_now?

MHalberstram wrote: »

I live in Clare, 5 minutes from Limerick (near Parteen and Westbury) According to your assertion I am not in the Limerick region but rather in the Munster region. Funny though, I vote in the Limerick East region.

No, the only assertion I made was that I had no idea where Parteen and Westbury were, so I made no comment on them, but thank you for clearing up the fact that they are in Clare County and not in Limerick County, and certainly nowhere near Limerick City. Want to know something even funnier? I live in Limerick City but I still travel up to Portlaoise to vote, but there's no point in explaining constituency boundaries when you fail to grasp the rudimentary logistics of county boundaries.

MHalberstram wrote: »

I'm sorry but you are talking complete and utter $hite.

Sterling contribution to the discussion.

MHalberstram wrote: »

PS: To an American, Belfast is just a stone's throw away.

That was my point.

zulutango

say_who_now? wrote: »

No, the only assertion I made was that I had no idea where Parteen and Westbury were, so I made no comment on them, but thank you for clearing up the fact that they are in Clare County and not in Limerick County, and certainly nowhere near Limerick City. Want to know something even funnier? I live in Limerick City but I still travel up to Portlaoise to vote, but there's no point in explaining constituency boundaries when you fail to grasp the rudimentary logistics of county boundaries.

Westbury, County Clare, is effectively part of Limerick City. It's a mile or less from the city centre. By no stretch of the imagination is it not in the region of Limerick City. Yes, it's part of County Clare, but it's also in the region of Limerick City.

krudler

zulutango wrote: »

It's in the Limerick region though.

thats like saying Galway is in the Limerick region, sure thats just over an hours drive away.

seachto7

Foynes and Abbeyfeale are more in the Limerick city region than Lahinch. I think anywhere that's a short drive from Limerick city could be the "Limerick region". Anything else is in County Limerick, or the Mid West.....

It's all splitting hairs anyhow............

zulutango

krudler wrote: »

thats like saying Galway is in the Limerick region, sure thats just over an hours drive away.

Galway is a significant urban region in its own right so it wouldn't make sense to say that Galway is in the region of Limerick. But you could say that Lahinch is in the Galway region if you like. Many people would base themselves in Galway and take trips to places like Lahinch, etc.