County Limerick (Irish: Contae Luimnigh ) is a municipality in Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster, and is also a part of the Mid-West region.It is named after the city of Limerick. Limerick City and County Council is the local authority for the county. The county’s population at the 2011 census, 191,809 of which 95,894 live in the city of Limerick, the county seat.[1]

Geography and political subdivisions

Limerick borders four other County Kerry in the west, in the north Clare, Tipperary to the east and Cork in the south. It is the fifth largest of the six Munster counties in size, and the second largest by population. The River Shannon flows through the city of Limerick in the Atlantic Ocean on the northern part of the county. Below the town, the waterway known as the Shannon estuary. Because the estuary is shallow, the county’s main port several kilometers west of the city, in Foynes. Limerick City is the county seat and is Ireland’s third largest city. It also serves as a regional center for the greater Midwest region. Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale and Kilmallock are other important cities in the county.

Baronies

There are fourteen historical baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for many administrative purposes. Their official status is illustrated by the placenta Orders made since 2003, where the official Irish name baronies listed under “administrative units”.

  • Clan (County Limerick) – Clann Liam
  • Lower Connello – Conallaigh Lower
  • Connello Øvre – Conallaigh Superior
  • Coonagh – Coonagh
  • Coshlea – Cois Laoi
  • Coshma – Coshma
  • Glenquin – Glen en Choim
  • Kenry – Caonraí
  • Kilmallock – Kilmallock
  • North fri- – North Liberties
  • Owneybeg – Green Small
  • Pubblebrien – Pubblebrien
  • Snid – Seanaid
  • Smallcounty – En hand Press

Towns and Villages

  • Abbeyfeale – (Abbeyfeale)
  • Adare – (ATH Dara)
  • Apart – (Atháin)
  • Anglesboro – (Gleann na gCreabhar)
  • Annacotty – (ATH en Choite)
  • Ardagh – (Árdach)
  • Ardpatrick – (ARD Pádraig)
  • Ashford – (Ashford)
  • Askeaton – (Askeaton)
  • Athea – (ATH en Mountain)
  • Athlacca – (Athlacca)
  • Ballingaddy – (Baile en Thief)
  • Ballingarry – (Ballingarry)
  • Ballinvreena – (Baile in Bhrianaigh)
  • Ballyagran – (Ballyagran)
  • Ballybricken – (Baile Bricin)
  • Ballylanders – (Baile en Londraigh)
  • Ballyhahill – (Baile DHA Thuile)
  • Ballyneety – (Baile en Whitestown)
  • Ballyorgan – (Ballyorgan)
  • Ballysheedy – Baile Shioda
  • Ballysteen – (Home Stiabhana)
  • Banogue – (An Bhànóg)
  • Barna – (Bearna)
  • Barrigone – (Bairrgeoin)
  • Boher – (An Bothar)
  • Bohermore – (An Bothar Mhor)
  • Broadford – (Mouth en Dublin)
  • Bruff – (Bruff)
  • Bruree – (BRU RI)
  • Bulgaden – (Bulgaidín)
  • Caherconlish – (City of Lis)
  • Caherline – (Leinster City)
  • Cappagh – (An Cheapach)
  • Cappamore – (An Cheapach Mhor)
  • Carrigkerry – (Carrigkerry)
  • Castleconnell – (Caislean Uí Chonaill)
  • Castlemahon – (MAI Tantallon Castle) ‘(eller Mahoonagh – Tantallon Mayo)
  • Castle – (Baile en Castle)
  • Castletroy – (Port en Castletroy)
  • Clarina – (Clarina)
  • Clouncagh – (Cluain Cath)
  • Colmanswell – (Cluain Token)
  • Coolcappagh – (Coolcappagh)
  • Crecora – (Fragrant Championship)
  • Creeves – (tree)
  • Croagh – (An Chruach)
  • Croom – (bending)
  • Doon – (DUN Bleisce)
  • Dooradoyle – (Prediction en Blind)
  • Dromcolliher – (Drom Collachair)
  • Dromin – (An Droimín)
  • Dromtrasna – (An Drom Tarsna)
  • Dromkeen – (Drom Chaoin)
  • Effin – (Eimhin)
  • Elton – (Eiltiún)
  • Fedamore – (Feadamair)
  • Feenagh – (Fenagh)
  • Feohanagh – (Feothanach)
  • Foynes – (Fank)
  • Galbally – (Gallbhaile)
  • Garryspillane – (Garryvoe Spealáin)
  • Glenbrohane – (Glen Bhruacháin)
  • Glenroe – (An Gleann Rua)
  • Glin – (Gleann Chorbraí)
  • Granagh – (Greanach)
  • Grange – (Grange)
  • Herbertstown – (Baile Hiobaird)
  • Hospitals – (An tOspidéal)
  • Kilbeheny – (Kilbehenny)
  • Kilcolman – (Cill Chólmáin)
  • Kilcornan – (Cill Churnáin)
  • Kildimo – (Kildimo)
  • Kilfinane – (Cill Fhionáin)
  • Kilfinny – (Cill na Fíonaí)
  • Killeedy – (Cill IDE)
  • Kilmallock – (Kilmallock)
  • Kilmeedy – (Cell m’Íde)
  • Kilteely – (Kiltealy)
  • Knockadea – (Cnoc DE)
  • Knockaderry – (Cnoc a Doire)
  • Knockainey – (Cnoc aine)
  • Knocklong – (Knocklong)
  • Limerick – (Luimneach)
  • Lisnagry – (Lios na speechless)
  • Lough Gur – (Loch Un)
  • Loughill – (Leamhchoill)
  • Manister – (Abbey)
  • Martins – (Home Martin)
  • Meanus – (Meanus)
  • Monagea – (Moin Na NBE)
  • Monaleen – (moin in “LIN)
  • Montpelier – (Montpelier)
  • Mountcollins – (Collins Hill)
  • Mungret – (Mungairit)
  • Murroe – (Maigh Rua)
  • Newbridge – (Newbridge)
  • Newcastle West – (Newcastle West)
  • Nicker – (An Choinicéir)
  • Old Mill – (The tSeanmhuillean)
  • Old Pallas – (An tSeanphailís)
  • Oola – (Ulla)
  • Pallas – (Pallasgreen)
  • Pallaskenry – (Pallaskenry)
  • Patricks – (Patrickswell)
  • Raheen – (Raheen)
  • Raheenagh – (Raheenagh)
  • Rathkeale – (Ráth slender)
  • Rockhill – (Rock Hill)
  • Shanagolden – (Seanghualainn)
  • Strand – (An TRA)
  • Templeglantine – (Team en glens)
  • Tournafulla – (Tuar na Fola)

physical geography

One possible meaning for the county’s name in Irish ( Luimneach ) is “flat surface”; this statement is correct, because the soil is composed mostly of a fertile limestone plain. In addition, the county surrounded by mountains: the Slieve Felimsto northeast, Galtees) in the south-east, the Ballyhoura Mountains in the south, and Mullaghareirk mountains in southwest and west. The highest point in the county is located in the southeastern corner of Galtymore (919 m), which differs from Limerick County Tipperary. The county is not just an ordinary, its topography consists of hills and ridges. The eastern part of the county is part of the Golden Vale, who is well known for dairy products and consists of rolling low hills. This gives way to very flat land around the center of the county, with the exception of Knockfierna at 288 meters high. Towards the west, the Mullaghareirk Berg ( Mullach a Radhairc in Irish, means “Mountain of view”) pressure across the county offers sweeping views east across the county and west to County Kerry.

Volcanic rock found in several areas of the county, at Carrigogunnell on Knockfierna, and mainly Pallas / Kilteely in the east, which has been described as the most compact and for its size one of the most varied and complete carboniferous volcanic districts in either the United Kingdom and Ireland .

Tributaries of the Shannon River Basin is located in the county include rivers Mulkear, Loobagh, Maigue, Camogue, Morningstar, Deel and Feale.

History

Main article: History of Limerick
From the 4th to the 12th century, the ancient kingdom of Uí Fidgenti was about the same extent with what is now County Limerick, with some of the easternmost part of the domain Eóganacht Aine. After finally lost one of two century-long conflict with neighboring O’Brien Dal gCais, most of the leaders fled to County Kerry and soon thereafter County Cork. Their countries were almost immediately occupied by Fitzgerald and Norman families who permanently prevented their return. Ancestors both Michael Collins and the famous O’Connell of Derrynane was among those princes UI Fidgenti. The Nordic-Irish O’Donovans, descendants of the infamous Donnubán mac Cathail, was the leading family at the time and was responsible for konflikten.Man think people had established themselves in the Lough Gur area in the county as early as 3000 BC while the megalithic remains found at Duntryleague goes back further to 3500 BC. The arrival of the Celts around 400 BC led to the division of the county into petty kingdom or tuatha .

The exact ethnicity of UI Fidgenti lost to history and everything that is known for sure is that they were cousins of the equally shady Uí Liatháin of early British fame. Officially, both said to be related to Eóganachta but a variety of evidence suggests associations to Dáirine and Corcu Loígde, and thus far the infamous Ulaid of ancient Ulster. In any case, it is thought UI Fidgenti still make a significant contribution to the population in the central and western regions of County Limerick. Their capital was Dun Eochair, the great earthworks that still exists and can be found near the modern town of Bruree, on the River Maigue. Catherine Coll, mother tillÉamon de Valera, was born in Bruree and that’s where he was taken by her brother raised.

Christianity came to Limerick in the 5th century, and resulted in the establishment of important monasteries in Limerick, at Ardpatrick, Mungret and Kileedy. From this golden age in Ireland for Learning and Art (5th-9th centuries), one of Ireland’s greatest artefacts, The Ardagh Chalice, a masterpiece of metalwork, which was found in a west Limerick fort in 1868th

The arrival of the Vikings in the 9th century led to the establishment of the city on an island on the River Shannon in 922. death of Domnall Mór Ua Briain, King of Munster in 1194 resulted in the invading Normans taking control of Limerick, and in 1210, the County of Limerick was formally established. Over time, the Normans became “more Irish than the Irish themselves” as they say. The Tudors in England wanted to curb the power of these Gaelicised Norman rulers and centralize all power in their hands, so they established colonies of English in the county. This caused the leading Limerick Normans, The Geraldine, to revolt against English rule in 1569. This sparked a savage war in Munster called the Desmond Rebellions, when the province was wasted, and the confiscation of the great estates in Geraldine.

Patrick Sarsfield Dominant Jacobite general, Limerick weapons.

The county would further ravaged by war in the next century. After the Irish rebellion in 1641, the city of Limerick is in a siege by the Catholic General Garret Barry in 1642. The county is not fought over for most of the Irish League of war, of 1641-1653, which surely behind the front line of the Catholic League of Ireland. But it became a battleground during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649-1653. The invasion by the forces of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s included a twelve month siege of the city by Cromwell’s New Model Army led by Henry Ireton. The city finally surrendered in October 1651. One of Cromwell’s generals, Hardress Waller was granted lands in Kilcornan Castle in County Limerick. During Williamite war in Ireland (1689-1691) the city was to endure another two sieges, one in 1690 and another in 1691st It was during the 1690 siege that the infamous destruction of Williamite weapons on Ballyneety, near the Pallas was conducted by General Patrick Sarsfield. The Catholic Irish, which covers the vast majority of the population, had eagerly supported the Jacobite cause, but the second siege of Limerick resulted in a loss to Williamites. Sarsfield managed to force Williamites to sign the Treaty Limerick, whose condition was satisfactory to the Irish. The Treaty was subsequently dishonored by the English and the city became known as the city of Broken Treaty.

On the 18th and 19th centuries saw a long period of persecution against the Catholic majority, many of which lived in poverty. Despite this repression, but the famous Maigue Poets strove to keep alive their ancient Gaelic poetry in cities like Croom and Bruree. The Great Famine of the 1840s set in motion the mass migration and a large decline in Irish as a spoken language in the county. This began to change around the beginning of the 20th century, changes in law from the British government made it possible for the farmers in the county to buy the land they had previously only had as tenants, paying high rent to absentee landlords.

Limerick saw much fighting during the War of 1919-1921 especially in the eastern part of the county. The subsequent Irish Civil War saw bitter fighting between the newly formed Irish Free State soldiers and IRA “Irregulars”, especially in the city (see the Irish Free State offensive).

Local governments and politics

Local government

The municipal area of Limerick are under the jurisdiction of Limerick City and County Council. The Council has responsibility for local services such as sanitation, planning and development, libraries, collection of motor taxation, local roads and social housing in the city. The Council comprises elected parish council with an appointed full-time president who both city and county manager. Until June 2014 the county’s local government in the county was administered by two separate authorities, Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council. In October 2012 the Irish government published putting people First- action for effective municipal stated government policy of reform in all the key areas of local government in Ireland. Among the recommendations was a merger of Limerick City Council with Limerick County Council. The changes came into force on 1 June 2014.[8] Each municipality is ranked as the first level local administrative units NUTS 3 Mid-West region of Eurostat purposes.

Councillors

For the 2014 local elections, the city and county councils together so that the number of council seats was reduced to 40. The existing electoral districts or municipal districts are:

  • Adare Rathkeale – 6 Seats
  • Cappamore-Kilmallock – 7 Seats
  • Limerick City East – 8 Seats
  • Limerick City North – 6 Seats
  • Limerick City West – 7 Seats
  • Newcastle West – 6 Seats

constituencies

The county is part of the South constituency for the application of the EU elections. For elections to Dáil Éireann, the county is part of three constituencies: Limerick City, [9] Shannon [10] and Kerry North-West Limerick. Along choose 10 deputies (TDs) to the Dáil.

Irish

There are 2,322 Irish speakers in County Limerick participating in six Gaelscoil (Irish language primary school) and three Gaelcholáiste (Irish language secondary schools). [11]

Culture

In 2014 became Limerick Ireland’s inaugural National City of Culture, with a wide range of artistic and cultural events that take place in various locations around the city. Limerick City Gallery of Art Pery Square is the city’s premier venue for contemporary art exhibitions. Theatres include Lime Tree Theatre, Mary I; University Concert Hall and Millennium Theatre, LIT everywhere in the city. Others include Friar Gate Kilmallock and Honey Fitz Lough Gur. The city has an active music scene, which has produced bands like The Cranberries. Limerick Art Gallery and the Art College cater for painting, sculpture and performance art of all styles. Limerick is also home to comedians The Rubber Bandits, D’unbelievables (Pat Shortt and Jon Kenny) and Karl Spain. Its most famous son is acting Richard Harris. The city is the setting for Frank McCourt memoir Angela’s Ashes and the film version.A limerick is a type of humorous verse of five lines with a Aabba rhyme schemes: the poem’s connection with the city is unclear, but the name is generally considered to be a reference to the city of Limerick or County Limerick, [33] [34] sometimes especially Maigue poets based in Croom and its surroundings, and may derive from an earlier form of nonsense verse parlor game that traditionally included a chorus that included “will [or not] you come (up) to Limerick? River is an annual summer festival held in Limerick. the festival began in 2004. Other festivals include the Knights of West Fest in Newcastle West, at Fleadh Feale Abbeyfeale and Ballyhoura International Walking Festival. is west of the county famous for its Irish music, song and dance, and is part of the Sliabh Luachra area of traditional Irish music along borders of County Cork, County Kerry and County Limerick]].

Tourist attractions

  • A challenge
  • Adare Manor
  • Castle Oliver
  • Clare Glens
  • Croom Castle
  • Curraghchase Forest Park
  • Foynes Flying Boat Museum
  • Clin-mouth Drive
  • Glenstal Abbey
  • King John slott
  • Lough Gur
  • Grange Stone Circle
  • Hunt Museum ]]

Transport

Rail

Central Station in Limerick called Colbert Station, named after West Limerick man Con Colbert who was executed after the Easter Rising of 1916. Limerick has three operational railway lines passing through it,

  • Limerick-Ballybrophy railway line that leads to North Tipperary stop at Castleconnell, Birdhill, Nenagh Cloughjordan and Roscrea
  • the line through Ennis County Clare continues to Galway as part of the western rail corridor
  • Limerick Junction line is the busiest line, connecting Limerick to Cork – Dublin Heuston line and the Limerick Junction – Clonmel – Waterford line.

In addition, a line leading to Foynes but the last revenue service was 2000.

Road & Bus

The M7 is the main road from Limerick to Dublin. The M / N20 connects the county of Cork. The road links the N21 Limerick to Tralee and travels through some of the main county towns Adare, Rathkeale]], Newcastle Westoch Abbeyfeale. The N / M18 road links the county to Ennis and Galway, while the N24 continues south east from Limerick to Waterford traveling through villages like Pallas and Oola. The N69, traveling a secondary road from Limerick city along the Shannon estuary by Clarina, Kildimo, Askeaton and Foynes and Glin continues to Listowel in County Kerry. It is the main road that connects the port of Foynes to Limerick city, but there are plans to upgrade this road to motorway status. The county’s regional / national bus hub is located next to Colbert Station and connects most parts of the city and county.

Air

No commercial airports are located in county Limerick and needs of the region served by Shannon Airport only 25 km away in County Clare which has many flights to Europe and North America. But some in the southern part of the county can also use Kerry Airport and Cork Airport which is also within an hour’s drive. Coonagh Aerodrome is located just outside the city near the border Clare used for light recreational boats. Foynes, a village in the western part of the county, had a unique role in the development of aviation. During the late 1930s and early 1940s, land-based aircraft lacked sufficient flying range for Atlantic crossings. Foynes was the last stop on the eastern shore of the floatplane. As a result, Foynes would become one of the major civilian airports in Europe during World War II. Surveying flights for the flying boat operations were made by Charles Lindbergh in 1933 and a terminal started in 1935. [2] the first transatlantic fermentation flight operated on July 5, 1937 a Pan Am Sikorsky S-42 services from Botwood, Newfoundland and Labrador Bay of Exploits and BOAC short Empire service from Foynes with successful transit of twelve and fifteen and a quarter hours, respectively. Services to New York, Southampton, Montreal, Poole and Lisbon followed the first non-stop New York service works June 22, 1942 25 hours 40 minutes. All this changed after the construction and opening in 1942 by Shannon Airport on flat marshland on the northern shore of the estuary. Foynes Flying-boat station was closed in 1946.

Hav

Originally Limerick port was located near the confluence of the Abbey and Shannon rivers at Kings Island. Today the port is located further downstream at Shannon with Dock Road and is run by Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC) that drives all marine activities in the Shannon Estuary. There is a general port facility. Plans to close the door and move all operations to the depth of the plant further downstream in Foynes has been abandoned. The plans included a major renovation of the dock area. Foynes is the main commercial deep port. SFPC is the second largest port facility in Ireland, handling over 10 million tonnes of cargo annually through the six terminals currently in operation.

Sport

Limerick is widely considered to be the Irish “spiritual” home Rugby Union,[12] , which is very popular in the county, particularly around the city of Limerick, which boasts many of Ireland’s most famous All-Ireland League teams; Garryowen, Shannon, Old Crescent, Young Munster is among the most prominent. Limerick Thomond Park is the home of Munster Rugby team, which enjoys the enthusiastic and often fanatical support throughout the county.

In the county, but it is the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) has the upper hand. Hurling is particularly strong in the east, center and south of Limerick.Limerick GAA play their home games at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick City.They have vunnitAll-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship seven times, the last in 1973. The county has also won 19 Munster Championships last in 2013, and 11 National Hurling Leagues, the last success coming in 1997. Limerick Senior Hurling Championship is also one of the strongest club championship in the country . Historically dominated by two clubs, Ahane and Patrick. Clubs from the county has won the Munster Senior Club Championship six times, but has yet to win an All-Ireland Championship.

The other sport GAA Gaelic football is more popular in west Limerick, particularly along the Shannon estuary west of Askeaton and along the border Kerry. There are also football strongholds in the southeast part of the county and on the eastern outskirts of the city. Even one of the strongest teams in the country during the early years of the GAA, the game was in the county overshadowed by hurling throughout the 20th century and its last success in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Sam Maguire trophy, was in 1896. But Limerick footballers seen a reversal of fortunes in recent years and contested another Munster Senior Football Championship finals in 2003 and 2004.

Limerick FC plays in the FAI Premier Division, the first tier of Irish football.The club have won the Premier Division twice in 1960 and 1980. They have also won the FAI Cup twice in 1971 and 1982. They currently play iMarkets Field.

The city also has one of Ireland 2:50 meter (55 km) swimming pools, at the University of Limerick Sports Arena, as well as one of Ireland’s best basketball teams, UL Eagles. The team plays in the Irish Premier League.Their home is also on the world class on campus.

Limerick is also the hometown of WBO world middleweight boxing Andy Lee, who defeated Matt Korobov December 13, 2014, Las Vegas. He became the first Irishman to win a world title on American soil since 1934th

Media

Broadcasting

RTÉ Lyric FM, a state-owned classical music radio station and part of RTÉ, broadcasts nationally from studios in Limerick city center. Limerick’s local radio station is Live 95FM, broadcasting from the “Radio House”, near the waterfront at Steamboat Quay. Spin South West, owned by Communicorp, shipments to County Kerry, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Laois southwest from its studios at landmarks in the Raheen Industrial Estate. West Limerick 102 sent from Newcastle West and is a community station for the western part of the county. The national program, RTE radio studios in the city, which is regularly used for broadcasting from Limerick.

Print

The two main newspapers that serve the city and county is the Limerick Leader and free newspaper Limerick Post. Limerick Leader writes three different versions: City, County and West Limerick. Limerick Chronicle is owned by the Leader and is primarily a city paper. Weekly Observer serve the western half of the county, while Vale Star covers the South Limerick and north Cork.

TV

Irish TV, a local television station, covers Limerick stories with their programs Limerick County issues that go out once a week.

Anthem

The song “Limerick you’re a lady” is traditionally associated with the county.It is often heard at sporting fixtures involving the county. [13] Seán South from Garryowen is another popular Limerick song and tells the story of the death of Limerick IRA member Sean South, who was killed during an attack on a Royal Ulster Constabulary barracks in County Fermanagh in 1957.

See also

  • List of abbeys and priories in Ireland (County Limerick)
  • High Sheriff of County Limerick
  • High Sheriff of Limerick City
  • Wild Atlantic Way

References

  1. Jump up ^ Central Bureau of Statistics Census 2011, “Population classified by area”, Table 1 Population in each province, county and city in real and percentage change, 2006 and 2011
  2. Jump up ^ For the 1653 and 1659 figures from the Civil Survey Census of those years, the paper Mr. Hardinge Royal Irish Academy March 14, 1865.
  3. Jump up ^ Census of post 1821 figures.
  4. Jump up ^ http://www.histpop.org
  5. Jump up ^ http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/census
  6. Jump up ^ Lee, JJ (1981). “On the accuracy of pre-famine Irish censuses”. In the Gold Strom, JM; Clarkson, LA Irish population, economy and society: Essays in Honour of the late KH Connell. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press.
  7. Jump up ^ Mokyr, Joel, O Grada, Cormac (November 1984). “New Developments in the Irish population history, 1700-1850”. The Economic History Review. 37 (4) :. 473-488 doi: 10.1111 / j.1468 -0289.1984.tb00344.x.
  8. Jump up ^ “local authorities”. Citizensinformation.ie.
  9. Jump up ^ “Report on Dáil and European Parliament constituencies in 2007” (PDF). Constituency Commission. October 23, 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  10. Jump up ^ “Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009: Schedule”. Irish Statute Book database. Hämtadskrevs 29 September of 2010.
  11. Hoppa upp ^ “Irish Medium Education in Ireland in Pale, 2010-2011” (PDF) (på iriska). gaelscoileanna.ie. 2011. Hämtat 9 januari 2012.
  12. Jump up ^ “Rugby, Limerick”. Virtual.
  13. Hoppa upp^ http://www.limerick.gaa.ie/limericksongs.html