172-663: Limerick ( / ˈ l ɪ m ər ɪ k / LIM -ər-ik ; Irish : Luimneach [ˈl̪ˠɪmʲ(ə)nʲəx] ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick . It is in the province of Munster and is in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region . With a population of 102,287 at the 2022 census , Limerick is the third-most populous urban area in Ireland , and the fourth-most populous city on
344-476: A guerilla campaign against the Vikings from the mountains of Munster. They attacked Viking forts and patrols and survived with whatever food and weapons they found. Their attacks were successful in weakening the Vikings, but casualties began to mount and according to writings by Brian's scribe, just 15 men remained. However, at this point Mathgamain, inspired by the courage of his younger brother, decided to attack
516-547: A unique dialect of Irish developed before falling out of use in the early 20th century. With a writing system , Ogham , dating back to at least the 4th century AD, which was gradually replaced by Latin script since the 5th century AD, Irish has one of the oldest vernacular literatures in Western Europe . On the island, the language has three major dialects: Connacht , Munster and Ulster Irish . All three have distinctions in their speech and orthography . There
688-717: A bargaining chip during government formation in Northern Ireland, prompting protests from organisations and groups such as An Dream Dearg . Irish became an official language of the EU on 1 January 2007, meaning that MEPs with Irish fluency can now speak the language in the European Parliament and at committees, although in the case of the latter they have to give prior notice to a simultaneous interpreter in order to ensure that what they say can be interpreted into other languages. While an official language of
860-575: A better future for Ireland and all her citizens." The Strategy was produced on 21 December 2010 and will stay in action until 2030; it aims to target language vitality and revitalization of the Irish language. The 30-page document published by the Government of Ireland details the objectives it plans to work towards in an attempt to preserve and promote both the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. It
1032-478: A cultural and social force. Irish speakers often insisted on using the language in law courts (even when they knew English), and Irish was also common in commercial transactions. The language was heavily implicated in the "devotional revolution" which marked the standardisation of Catholic religious practice and was also widely used in a political context. Down to the time of the Great Famine and even afterwards,
1204-553: A degree course in the NUI federal system to pass the subject of Irish in the Leaving Certificate or GCE / GCSE examinations. Exemptions are made from this requirement for students who were born or completed primary education outside of Ireland, and students diagnosed with dyslexia . NUI Galway is required to appoint people who are competent in the Irish language, as long as they are also competent in all other aspects of
1376-482: A disadvantage it is most likely he would have taken full advantage of it rather than allowing his enemy the time to even the odds. Also, given the length and intensity of the struggle between Máel Sechnaill and Brian, it seems unlikely that the High King would surrender his title without a fight. In any case, it is generally accepted that in 1002 Brian became the new High King of Ireland. Brian, then in his 60s, spent
1548-450: A fleet making a diversionary attack on an enemy in a location far away from where Brian planned to strike with his army. Direct support involved naval forces acting as one arm in a strategic pincer , the army forming the other arm. The conflict began in 982, when Brian was campaigning against the kingdom of Osraige . With Munster undefended, Maél Sechnaill attacked the Dál gCáis, destroying
1720-460: A fully recognised EU language for the first time in the state's history. Before Irish became an official language it was afforded the status of treaty language and only the highest-level documents of the EU were made available in Irish. The Irish language was carried abroad in the modern period by a vast diaspora , chiefly to Great Britain and North America, but also to Australia , New Zealand and Argentina . The first large movements began in
1892-473: A historical walking tour, and boat tours along the River Shannon . The city centre is divided between the traditional areas of "English Town" on the southern end of King's Island, which includes King John's Castle; "Irish Town", which includes the older streets on the south bank; and the current economic centre further south, called " Newtown Pery ". Newtown Pery was built in the late 18th century before
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#17327653522082064-629: A meeting place for the arts; and Limerick Printmakers Studio and Gallery, which provides printmaking facilities, a venue for exhibitions and events and an education programme. The Lime Tree Theatre officially opened at the Mary Immaculate College campus in October 2012. The venue hosts theatre, music, comedy, traditional arts, schools' performances, and conferences. The Belltable on O'Connell Street hosts local playwrights and drama productions. The University Concert Hall located in
2236-485: A mounting block for horses. This stone is now displayed on a pedestal at Clancy Strand. Because of the treaty, Limerick is sometimes known as the Treaty City. This turbulent period earned the city its motto: urbs antiqua fuit studisque asperrima belli (an ancient city well studied in the arts of war). The peaceful times that followed the turmoil of the late 17th century allowed the city to prosper through trade in
2408-577: A number of problems. The provinces of Meath and Connacht were separated by the Shannon River, which served as both a route by which Brian's naval forces could attack the shores of either province and as a barrier to the two rulers providing mutual support for each other. Máel Sechnaill came up with an ingenious solution; two bridges would be erected across the Shannon. These bridges would serve as both obstacles preventing Brian's fleet from traveling up
2580-585: A paper suggested that within a generation, non-Gaeltacht habitual users of Irish might typically be members of an urban, middle class, and highly educated minority. Parliamentary legislation is supposed to be available in both Irish and English but is frequently only available in English. This is notwithstanding that Article 25.4 of the Constitution of Ireland requires that an "official translation" of any law in one official language be provided immediately in
2752-468: A part of the county. During the strike a special strike committee was set up to print their own money, control food prices and publish newspapers. By the mid-20th century, Limerick was characterised by economic stagnation and decline as many traditional industries closed or left the city. However, there were some success stories. In 1942 Shannon Airport (located in County Clare, 20 km west of
2924-575: A pass in Leaving Certificate Irish or English, and receive lessons in Irish during their two years of training. Official documents of the Irish government must be published in both Irish and English or Irish alone (in accordance with the Official Languages Act 2003, enforced by An Coimisinéir Teanga , the Irish language ombudsman). The National University of Ireland requires all students wishing to embark on
3096-572: A pivotal moment in Irish history, and is well known in popular memory. Brian was well regarded by contemporary chroniclers. The Norse-Gaels and Scandinavians also produced works mentioning Brian, including Njal's Saga , the Orkneyinga Saga , and the now-lost Brian's Saga . Brian's war against Máel Mórda and Sigtrygg was to be inextricably connected with his complicated marital relations, in particular his marriage to Gormlaith , Máel Mórda's sister and Sigtrygg's mother, who had been in turn
3268-431: A raid on a Dal gCáis fort by the Vikings of Limerick. The fort was located on the banks of the River Shannon , allowing the Vikings to sail up the river from Limerick to attack it. According to the story, Brian, Mathgamain, and another older brother were on a hill or high ground near the fort tending to a herd of cattle. While they were there, they saw the raid from the mountainside after hearing screams and seeing smoke in
3440-593: A range of writing activities in the city. Limerick natives include Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt, and novelists Kate O'Brien, Michael Curtin, Kevin Barry and Donal Ryan. Poets from Limerick include Michael Hogan, Desmond O'Grady, and John Liddy. The city is the setting for Frank McCourt 's memoir Angela's Ashes and its film adaptation . The Frank McCourt Museum situated in McCourt's former school on Hartsonge Street opened in 2011, and contains artefacts from
3612-514: A region of it himself, with the Cogad Gaedel re Gallaib even asserting he actually achieved this until routed by Mathgamain and Brian in the celebrated Battle of Sulcoit in 968. Initially, Mathgamain had made peace with the Norse of Limerick. However, Brian was eager to avenge the deaths of his family members at the hands of the Vikings, and deserted with a band of his followers and launched
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#17327653522083784-625: A religious context. An Irish translation of the Old Testament by Leinsterman Muircheartach Ó Cíonga , commissioned by Bishop Bedell , was published after 1685 along with a translation of the New Testament. Otherwise, Anglicisation was seen as synonymous with 'civilising' the native Irish. Currently, modern day Irish speakers in the church are pushing for language revival. It has been estimated that there were around 800,000 monoglot Irish speakers in 1800, which dropped to 320,000 by
3956-547: A result of linguistic imperialism . Today, Irish is still commonly spoken as a first language in Ireland's Gaeltacht regions, in which 2% of Ireland's population lived in 2022. The total number of people (aged 3 and over) in Ireland who declared they could speak Irish in April 2022 was 1,873,997, representing 40% of respondents, but of these, 472,887 said they never spoke it and a further 551,993 said they only spoke it within
4128-399: A visit by Saint Patrick in 434 to baptise an Dál gCais king, Carthann Finn. Saint Munchin , the first bishop of Limerick died in 652, indicating the settlement was a place of some note then. In 812 the Vikings sailed up the Shannon and pillaged the city, burned Mungret Abbey but were forced to flee when the Irish attacked and killed many of their number. The Normans redesigned the city in
4300-545: A wider meaning, including the Gaelic of Scotland and the Isle of Man , as well as of Ireland. When required by the context, these are distinguished as Gaeilge na hAlban , Gaeilge Mhanann and Gaeilge na hÉireann respectively. In English (including Hiberno-English ), the language is usually referred to as Irish , as well as Gaelic and Irish Gaelic . The term Irish Gaelic may be seen when English speakers discuss
4472-603: Is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family . It is a member of the Goidelic language group of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous to the island of Ireland . It was the majority of the population's first language until the 19th century, when English gradually became dominant, particularly in the last decades of the century, in what is sometimes characterised as
4644-452: Is also An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , a standardised written form devised by a parliamentary commission in the 1950s. The traditional Irish alphabet , a variant of the Latin alphabet with 18 letters , has been succeeded by the standard Latin alphabet (albeit with 7–8 letters used primarily in loanwords ). Irish has constitutional status as the national and first official language of
4816-614: Is an 1880 reference, in a Saint John, New Brunswick , newspaper, to a well-known tune. RTÉ lyric fm , a state-run classical music radio station and part of RTÉ , broadcasts nationally from studios in the city centre on Cornmarket Square which opened in 1994. Limerick's local radio station is Live 95FM , broadcasting from 'Radio House', near the waterfront at Steamboat Quay. Spin South West , owned by Communicorp , broadcasts to Counties Kerry , Clare , Limerick , Tipperary and southwest Laois from its studios at Landmark Buildings in
4988-587: Is approximately 25 km from Shannon Airport . Tourist attractions in the city centre include Limerick City Museum , King John's Castle (1210), St Mary's Cathedral (1168), the Hunt Museum , The People's Museum of Limerick , the University of Limerick , Georgian houses and gardens and the Treaty Stone . There are several seasonal tours, including Angela's Ashes walking tour of Limerick City,
5160-474: Is broadcast from Newcastle West . The national broadcaster, RTÉ , has radio and television studios in the city, which are periodically used to broadcast programming from Limerick. Several local newspapers are published in the city, including The Limerick Post and The Limerick Leader and magazines include the Limerick Event Guide , Business Limerick , and Limerick Now . Limerick city
5332-511: Is divided into four separate phases with the intention of improving 9 main areas of action including: The general goal for this strategy was to increase the number of daily speakers from 83,000 to 250,000 by the end of its run. By 2022, the number of such speakers had fallen to 71,968. Before the partition of Ireland in 1921, Irish was recognised as a school subject and as "Celtic" in some third level institutions. Between 1921 and 1972, Northern Ireland had devolved government. During those years
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5504-526: Is dominated by the Thomas Spring Rice memorial (MP for the city 1820–1832) and has a large collection of mature deciduous and evergreen trees. Limerick city centre changed significantly with the construction of several modern high-rise buildings in the early 2000s, in particular as part of the regeneration of the former docks area along the Dock Road. The suburban areas, where the majority of
5676-426: Is however no longer accurate given the larger metropolitan district of the city. As of the 2022 census, the ethnic makeup of the city was 76.53% white total, including 67.47% white Irish and 8.53% other white people, 13.52% not stated, 5.48% Asian, 2.31% other and 2.14% black . The city's religious makeup in 2022 was 61.31% Catholic , 14.11% no religion, 13.91% not stated, and 10.66% other religions. Limerick city
5848-427: Is located by the ocean at an elevation of 14 metres. In 2014, Limerick became Ireland's inaugural National City of Culture , with a variety of artistic and cultural events occurring at locations around the city throughout the year. The Limerick City Gallery of Art on Pery Square is the city's chief venue for contemporary art exhibitions. It is home to a permanent collection of Irish art , which shows works from
6020-507: Is more modern. The Hunt Museum is based in the historic 18th-century former Custom House. The museum was established to house a collection of approximately 2000 works of art and antiquities formed by John and Gertrude Hunt during their lifetimes. The main park in Limerick is the People's Park which was opened in 1877 in memory of Richard Russell, a prominent local businessman. The park
6192-587: Is only in Gaeltacht areas that Irish continues to be spoken as a community vernacular to some extent. According to data compiled by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht , Sport and Media , only 1/4 of households in Gaeltacht areas are fluent in Irish. The author of a detailed analysis of the survey, Donncha Ó hÉallaithe of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology , described
6364-737: Is rain. Limerick has a mild climate, with an average daily maximum in July of 20 °C (68 °F) and an average daily minimum in January of 3 °C (37 °F). The highest temperature recorded was 32.0 °C (89.6 °F) in June 2018, and the lowest −11.4 °C (11.5 °F) in 2010. Limerick is the cloudiest city in the country, averaging only 1,295 sunshine hours annually, 3.5 hours of sunshine every day. There are on average 62 days of no recordable sunshine, 6 days of thunder, 22 days of hail, 32 days of fog and 11 days of snow per year. Shannon Airport
6536-502: Is recorded in Viking sources as Hlymrekr . The city dates from 812; however, history suggests the presence of earlier settlements in the area surrounding King's Island, the island at the historical city centre. Antiquity's map-maker, Ptolemy , produced in 150 AD the earliest map of Ireland, showing a place called Regia at the same site as King's Island. History also records an important battle involving Cormac mac Airt in 221 and
6708-412: Is still spoken daily to some extent as a first language . These regions are known individually and collectively as the Gaeltacht (plural Gaeltachtaí ). While the fluent Irish speakers of these areas, whose numbers have been estimated at 20–30,000, are a minority of the total number of fluent Irish speakers, they represent a higher concentration of Irish speakers than other parts of the country and it
6880-401: Is synonymous with the region and is retained in place names such as Thomondgate , Thomond Bridge and Thomond Park . Limerick in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was sometimes called the most beautiful city in Ireland. The English-born judge Luke Gernon , a resident of Limerick, wrote in 1620 that at his first sight of the city he had been taken by its "lofty buildings of marble, like
7052-539: Is the local authority for the city. Limerick is located on the River Shannon with four main river-crossing points near the city centre. To the south of the city is the Golden Vale , an area of rich pastureland . Historically, much of the city's industry was based on this agricultural hinterland. On 1 June 2014, following the amalgamation of the separate local government areas of the county of Limerick and
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7224-498: Is the third-largest city in the Republic of Ireland (after Dublin and Cork ), with a population of 102,287 in the urban area and 104,952 in the metropolitan district, according to the 2016 CSO census. the 2011 census had reported a large population decline in central city areas due in part to the Limerick regeneration process where in these areas the largest reduction was reported nationally and also to outward migration following
7396-442: Is under the jurisdiction of Limerick City and County Council , which is based at City Hall, Limerick . 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 councillors with an appointed full-time CEO as the city (and county) manager. Local elections are held every five years and
7568-666: The Fíor-Ghaeltacht (true Gaeltacht ), a term originally officially applied to areas where over 50% of the population spoke Irish. There are Gaeltacht regions in the following counties: Gweedore ( Gaoth Dobhair ), County Donegal, is the largest Gaeltacht parish in Ireland. Irish language summer colleges in the Gaeltacht are attended by tens of thousands of teenagers annually. Students live with Gaeltacht families, attend classes, participate in sports, go to céilithe and are obliged to speak Irish. All aspects of Irish culture and tradition are encouraged. The Act
7740-580: The 2016 census , the Metropolitan District of Limerick had a population of 104,952. Luimneach originally referred to the general area along the banks of the Shannon Estuary known as Loch Luimnigh . The earliest settlement in the city, Inis Sibhtonn , was the original name for King's Island during the pre-Viking and Viking eras. This island was also called Inis an Ghaill Duibh , 'The Dark Foreigner's Island'. The name
7912-676: The 2024 local elections , Fine Gael is the largest party on the authority with 13 seats followed by Fianna Fáil with 10, Labour and Sinn Féin with 3 each, and Independent Ireland and the Social Democrats with 2 each, and Aontú and the Green Party with 1 seat each, and independents and other parties the remaining 5 seats. For elections to the Dáil , Limerick City is in the Limerick City constituency. From 2011,
8084-820: The Act of Union and, unusually for an Irish city and unique in Limerick, is laid out on a grid plan . The Limerick Museum (formerly aka the Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum), is located in the Old Franciscan Friary in Henry Street. It contains displays on Limerick's history and manufactures. The Georgian core of the city, with its Georgian architecture in the Newtown Pery, was developed from the mid-18th century. This core includes O'Connell Street (George Street before independence) from
8256-585: The Annals of Inisfallen , Brian had to take the hostages forcefully). Flaithbertaigh again submitted, and also married one of Brian's daughters, Bé Binn. Despite this, Brian continued to be troubled by the rebellious Flaithbertaigh. In the year 1009, Flaithbertaigh blinded and then executed the king of the Cenél Chonaill. Later that year he would also launch raids in the Midlands going as far south as
8428-627: The Cenél nEógain and Cenél Conaill , acknowledged Brian as High King at Athlone in 1002. In the decade that followed, Brian campaigned against the northern Uí Néill, who refused to accept his claims; against Leinster, where resistance was frequent; and against the Norse-Gaelic Kingdom of Dublin . Brian was described in the Annals of Ulster as ardrí Gaidhel Erenn & Gall & Bretan, August iartair tuaiscirt Eorpa uile (High King of
8600-573: The EMEA . Dell remains one of the largest employers in the mid-west with over 1,000 people employed in service and support. Analog Devices has its European manufacturing base in Raheen, 3 km south-west of the city centre. The site employs more than 1,000 people. Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Vistakon (the world's largest manufacturer of contact lenses ) has a large facility in Castletroy in
8772-689: The Gaels of Ireland and the Norse foreigners and the Britons , Augustus of all north-western Europe), the only Irish king to receive that distinction in the annals. Brian's hard-won authority was seriously challenged in 1013 when his ally Máel Sechnaill was attacked by the Cenél nEógain king Flaithbertach Ua Néill , with the Ulstermen as his allies. This was followed by further attacks on Máel Sechnaill by
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#17327653522088944-505: The Hill of Tara in the province of Meath, but the High King requests a month-long truce so that he can mobilise his forces, which Brian grants him. Máel Sechnaill fails to rally the regional rulers who are nominally his subordinates by the time the deadline arrives, and he is forced to surrender his title to Brian. There have been some doubts expressed about this explanation, given Brian's style of engaging in war; if he had found his opponent at
9116-657: The National Technology Park and also employs close to 1,000 people. It is Vistakon's only production facility outside the United States and one of the largest contact-lens manufacturing plants in the world. Cook Medical, the world's largest privately owned Medical Devices company, employs over 800 people in Limerick at the National Technology Park . Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish : Gaeilge ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ l ɪ k / GAY -lik ),
9288-480: The Raheen Industrial Estate . Student radio station, Wired FM, broadcasts on 99.9FM from Mary Immaculate College . Wired FM also has studios at Limerick Institute of Technology. Limerick City Community Radio broadcasts on 99.9FM every Saturday and Sunday. University Hospital Limerick has a radio station on 94.2FM, but this can be heard only in the hospital and surrounding area. West Limerick 102
9460-631: The Republic of Ireland , and is also an official language of Northern Ireland and among the official languages of the European Union . The public body Foras na Gaeilge is responsible for the promotion of the language throughout the island. Irish has no regulatory body but An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , the standard written form, is guided by a parliamentary service and new vocabulary by a voluntary committee with university input. In An Caighdeán Oifigiúil ("The Official [Written] Standard ")
9632-551: The River Boyne . This led to Brian's return to Ulster yet again, this time taking hostages from the Cenél Eoghain back to his home province, finally gaining the proper submission of Flaithbertaigh. Flaithbertaigh would then take part in campaigns against the Cenél Chonaill, the final kingdom yet to submit to Brian, in the year 1011 alongside Brian's sons Murchad and Domnall . However, they were unsuccessful in gaining
9804-567: The University of Limerick is a 1,000 seat venue and provides a large venue for national and international acts to visit the city. Limerick is also the home of street theatre companies, including "The Umbrella Project". There is also the Impact Theatre Company, and Bottomdog Theatre Company. Limerick's literature scene is supported by projects like the Limerick Writers' Centre, which was established in 2008 and runs
9976-411: The University of Limerick , Limerick Institute of Technology , Shannon Airport in County 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. Limerick Chamber of Commerce, a representative body for businesses in
10148-551: The 12th century and added much of the most notable architecture, such as King John's Castle and St Mary's Cathedral . In early medieval times Limerick was at the centre of the Kingdom of Thomond which corresponds to the present day County Clare, the Kingdom also included North Kerry and parts of South Offaly . One of the kingdom's most notable kings was Brian Boru , ancestor of the O'Brien Clan of Dalcassians. The word Thomond
10320-400: The 17th century, largely as a result of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland , which saw many Irish sent to the West Indies . Irish emigration to the United States was well established by the 18th century, and was reinforced in the 1840s by thousands fleeing from the Famine . This flight also affected Britain. Up until that time most emigrants spoke Irish as their first language, though English
10492-604: The 1998 Good Friday Agreement , the language gradually received a degree of formal recognition in Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom, and then, in 2003, by the British government's ratification in respect of the language of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages . In the 2006 St Andrews Agreement the British government promised to enact legislation to promote the language and in 2022 it approved legislation to recognise Irish as an official language alongside English. The bill received royal assent on 6 December 2022. The Irish language has often been used as
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#173276535220810664-403: The 6th century, used the Latin alphabet and is attested primarily in marginalia to Latin manuscripts. During this time, the Irish language absorbed some Latin words, some via Old Welsh , including ecclesiastical terms : examples are easpag (bishop) from episcopus , and Domhnach (Sunday, from dominica ). By the 10th century, Old Irish had evolved into Middle Irish , which
10836-466: The Act all detailing different aspects of the use of Irish in official documentation and communication. Included in these sections are subjects such as Irish language use in official courts, official publications, and placenames. The Act was recently amended in December 2019 in order to strengthen the already preexisting legislation. All changes made took into account data collected from online surveys and written submissions. The Official Languages Scheme
11008-401: The Cecil Street intersection running to the southwest end of the Crescent, and southeast to Pery Street including Glentworth Street and Barrington Street. Other buildings of architectural note in the city are St John's Cathedral , designed by the notable Victorian architect, Philip Charles Hardwick . St Mary's Cathedral, at over 800 years old, is one of the oldest in Ireland. St John's Cathedral
11180-466: The Church in Ireland were together seeking to establish a new form of kingship in Ireland, one that was modelled after the kingships of England and France, in which there were no lesser ranks of regional kings—simply one king who had (or sought to have) power over all others in a unitary state . In any case, whether as high king or emperor, by 1011 all of the regional rulers in Ireland acknowledged Brian's authority. No sooner had Brian achieved this before it
11352-540: The Colleges in Oxford ". 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. The Treaty of Limerick ended the Williamite war in Ireland which was fought between supporters of the Catholic King James II (Jacobites) and the Protestant King William of Orange (Williamites). The treaty offered toleration to Catholicism and full legal rights to Catholics that swore an oath of loyalty to William III and Mary II . The Treaty
11524-399: The Connachtmen attacked the ships, massacring the crews. Mael Sechnaill launched a counter-offensive into Munster and in the ensuing battle he defeated the Dál gCáis, killing around six hundred men, including Brian's uncle. There was a period of relative peace between the two afterwards for about nine years, with Brian continuing to campaign elsewhere as he attempted to expand his power in
11696-416: The Dal gCais (or Deis Tuisceart). This branch had recently taken power from the Ui Óengusso branch which had traditionally supplied the kings of the Dal gCais (also known as the Deisi Tuaiscirt). The Uí Toirdhealbhach had extended their influence over Thomond and in 925 the annals note that Ánrothán son of Máel Gorm assumed the kingship of Corco Mruad . In 934 Reabachán mac Mothla died and was named as "King of
11868-421: The Dock Road is a venue specialising in live music, established in 1998. Baker Place was a nightclub that held mainly local underground nights until its closure in 2011. In 2020, it was announced that the Dromkeen-based Shiloh Trust was seeking planning permission to convert the former premises of Baker Place into a bible school. A limerick is a type of humorous verse of five lines with an AABBA rhyme scheme :
12040-558: The Dál gCais" in the Annals (the earliest usage of this term). The same year of his death, his son Dub Gilla was killed by Brian's uncle Conghalach and Brian's grandfather Lorcáin is said to have succeeded to the kingship. He enjoyed a short reign before being succeeded by his own son Cinnéidigh who was the first King of Dál gCais to lead an army outside his own territory and lead an expedition as far north as Athlone . By his death in 951, he had been acknowledged as " King of Tuadmumu" . His brother, Mathgamain , built on these achievements and
12212-404: The European Union , only co-decision regulations were available until 2022, due to a five-year derogation, requested by the Irish Government when negotiating the language's new official status. The Irish government had committed itself to train the necessary number of translators and interpreters and to bear the related costs. This derogation ultimately came to an end on 1 January 2022, making Irish
12384-672: The European conflicts of the French Revolution and Napoleonic eras, and following the Act of Union 1800 , and the impact of the Great Irish Famine of 1848 caused much of the 19th century to be a more troubled period. The Limerick boycott was an economic boycott waged against the small Jewish community for over two years in the first decade of the 20th century. It was accompanied by a number of assaults, stone-throwing and intimidation, which caused many Jews to leave
12556-856: The Foynes Flying Boat Museum, approximately 35 km (22 miles/30 minutes) from Limerick City along the scenic coastal N69 route from Limerick to Tralee, are also attractions. Bunratty Castle in County Clare is another local attraction, and is situated 15.4 km north of the city. Limerick is in 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 , Northwest County Kerry and south County Offaly , with its focal point centred on Limerick and its environs within an 8-kilometre (5 mi) radius. The city's economic development has been driven in part by
12728-533: The Germanic Norsemen of Dublin under their Norse king Sigtrygg Silkbeard and the Leinstermen led by Máel Mórda mac Murchada . Brian campaigned against these enemies in 1013. In 1014, his armies confronted the armies of Leinster and Dublin. In the resulting Battle of Clontarf Brian was killed; nonetheless, his army was victorious against the Leinstermen and Norsemen. The battle is widely lauded as
12900-487: The High King as he was now open to attack from both north and south. In 996, Brian finally managed to control the province of Leinster , which may have been what led Máel Sechnaill to reach a compromise with him in the following year. The two kings met at Bleanphottogue, on the banks of Lough Ree in County Fermanagh , where the agreement was made. By recognising Brian's authority over Leth Moga , that is,
13072-549: The Irish language policy followed by Irish governments as a "complete and absolute disaster". The Irish Times , referring to his analysis published in the Irish language newspaper Foinse , quoted him as follows: "It is an absolute indictment of successive Irish Governments that at the foundation of the Irish State there were 250,000 fluent Irish speakers living in Irish-speaking or semi Irish-speaking areas, but
13244-502: The Municipal District, with approximately 4,000 living and working in the area. In late 2006, it was proposed that Ireland's first Polish bank could open in the area during 2007. Limerick has a large stock of local authority housing. Before the amalgamation of Limerick City and County Council, 41% of all housing within the old Limerick City Council boundary was local authority , which was the highest in Ireland. This figure
13416-701: The Northern Uí Néill and the Ulaid, in which the king of the Cenél Eoghain and of the Uí Neill was killed and most of the Ulaid royal bloodline was wiped out, with the Uí Néill gaining victory. This then led to a bloody war of succession within and between the clans of the Ulaid, and together with further attacks from the Uí Néill, which led to the kingdom's being severely weakened. Brian accepted
13588-564: The Republic of Ireland ), new appointees to the Civil Service of the Republic of Ireland , including postal workers , tax collectors , agricultural inspectors, Garda Síochána (police), etc., were required to have some proficiency in Irish. By law, a Garda who was addressed in Irish had to respond in Irish as well. In 1974, in part through the actions of protest organisations like the Language Freedom Movement ,
13760-403: The Shannon and a means by which the armies of the provinces of Meath and Connacht could cross over into each other's kingdoms. The Annals state that, in the year 1002, Máel Sechnaill surrendered his title to Brian, although they do not say anything about how or why this came about. The Cogadh Gaedhil re Gallaibh provides a story in which Brian challenges High King Máel Sechnaill to a battle at
13932-649: The Southern Half, which included the Provinces of Munster and Leinster (and the Hiberno-Norse cities within them), Máel Sechnaill was simply accepting the reality that confronted him and retained control over Leth Cuinn , that is, the Northern Half, which consisted of the Provinces of Meath, Connacht , and Ulster . Precisely because he had submitted to Brian's authority, the king of Leinster
14104-455: The Ulaid, and seemingly wanted to punish them for submitting to Brian, to which the Northern Uí Néill were vehemently opposed. He attacked the kingdom, killing several kings and princes of the Ulaid. He also took several hostages. This caused Brian to return in 1006 and again in 1007 to deal with Flaithbertach. On the latter occasion, he removed the hostages of the Ulaid from Flaithbertach's custody and took them into his own custody (according to
14276-524: The Vikings with Brian and drive them from Limerick and Munster once and for all. They gathered an army of kings from all over Munster, including their former enemy Maél Muad. They ambushed and routed the Norse at the Battle of Sulcoit. They followed up their victory by looting and burning Limerick . They killed every man of fighting age and enslaved the rest of the population. This was the first of three battles which highlighted Brian's career. This victory
14448-552: The achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain , and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain . Brian first made himself king of Munster , then subjugated Leinster , eventually becoming High King of Ireland . He was the founder of the O'Brien dynasty , and is widely regarded as one of the most successful and unifying monarchs in medieval Ireland. With a population of under 500,000 people, Ireland had over 150 kings, with greater or lesser domains. The Uí Néill king Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill , abandoned by his northern kinsmen of
14620-746: The beginning of the following academic year. For a number of years there has been vigorous debate in political, academic and other circles about the failure of most students in English-medium schools to achieve competence in Irish, even after fourteen years of teaching as one of the three main subjects. The concomitant decline in the number of traditional native speakers has also been a cause of great concern. In 2007, filmmaker Manchán Magan found few Irish speakers in Dublin , and faced incredulity when trying to get by speaking only Irish in Dublin. He
14792-664: The book. Limerick has also been the setting or location for the dramas The Real Thing (2002), Cowboys & Angels (2003) and Lost & Found (2015), among other films. The Irish Chamber Orchestra and the Irish World Music Centre are both based in the University of Limerick . The university has a thousand-seat state-of-the-art concert hall that hosts visiting performers. The city's music scene has produced bands such as The Cranberries , guitarist Noel Hogan 's MonoBand, and The Hitchers . Electronic musician Richard D. James, more commonly known as Aphex Twin ,
14964-596: The church. Around the same time, in 978, Brian challenged Máel Muad to battle, and defeated him in the fateful Battle of Belach Lechta . Máel Muad was killed in the battle and afterwards the Eóganachta were no longer viable for the provincial Kingship, which was based upon lineage. Therefore, the Kingship of Munster passed to the Dál gCais, and Brian became king. Afterwards, the last opposition remaining in Munster
15136-577: The city is a growing recipient of foreign direct investment. Dell had its main European Manufacturing Facility at the Raheen Business Park however in January 2009 Dell announced that it would close its Limerick computer manufacturing plant and move the production lines to Poland. The facility was the largest Dell manufacturing plant outside the United States and produced 30,000–60,000 units per day for export to
15308-476: The city its present-day look, including the extensive terraced streets of Georgian townhouses which remain in the city centre today. The Waterford and Limerick Railway linked the city to the Dublin–Cork railway line in 1848 and to Waterford in 1853. The opening of a number of secondary railways in the subsequent decades developed Limerick as a regional centre of communications. However, the economic downturn in
15480-509: The city of Limerick who was loyal to the now-slain Ivar, fled the city by ship down the River Shannon towards the Shannon estuary and took refuge in a monastery on Inis Cathaigh (Scattery Island), accompanied by his sons. However, in an act of revenge for the death of his brother, Brian set aside the sacred traditions and attacked the island with his troops, slaughtered the Vikings and desecrated
15652-484: The city urban area and also settlements close to the city such as Patrickswell and Castleconnell . The Metropolitan district returns 21 councillors to Limerick City and County Council which in total has 40 councillors returned from across Limerick City and County. The Limerick City Metropolitan District is divided into 3 local electoral areas: Limerick City East, Limerick City North and Limerick City South which elect eight, six and seven councillors respectively. Following
15824-577: The city's history, from 1197 when it gained its first charter, Limerick City had its own local government authority, Limerick Corporation later known as Limerick City Council . The council was one of the oldest in Ireland and was only exceeded in age by Dublin City Council . In October 2012 the Government of Ireland published Putting People First- Action Programme for Effective Local Government which set out government policy for reforms across all
15996-503: The city) opened for the first time offering transatlantic flights. In 1959, Shannon Airport enabled the opening of the Shannon Free Zone which attracted a large number of multinational companies to the region. A long campaign for a third-level educational institute to be located in the city finally bore fruit with the establishment of NIHE Limerick in 1969 which eventually became the University of Limerick in 1989. Limerick
16168-465: The city. A limited boundary extension on the city's north side in 2008 enlarged the city boundary by 1,020 hectares increasing the city's area by almost 50% and raising the population by an estimated 7,000. The previous boundary, encompassing 2,086 hectares, was delineated in 1950. Newer suburban districts such as Dooradoyle , Castletroy – including the University , Gouldavoher, and Raheen were continually administered to by Limerick County Council until
16340-803: The city. It was instigated in 1904 by a Redemptorist priest, Father John Creagh . During the Irish War of Independence , the Limerick Soviet was a self-declared soviet that existed from 15 to 27 April 1919. A general strike was organised by the Limerick Trades and Labour Council, as a protest against the British Army 's declaration of a "Special Military Area" under the Defence of the Realm Act, which covered most of Limerick city and
16512-592: The collapse of the local and national economy from 2008 onwards. The population of the Limerick Larger Urban Zone as defined by the EU is 162,413. The ethnic diversity in Limerick's population, which includes a large immigrant community, saw rapid growth during the Celtic Tiger and the following decade. As of the 2016 census the Polish community was one of the largest demographic groups in
16684-546: The constituency boundaries changed in accordance with the proposals of the Constituency Commission and the subsequent Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009 . This changed the electoral boundaries from Limerick East and Limerick West to Limerick City and Limerick . Limerick city encompasses the city, the suburban areas of Castletroy and as far east as Murroe . It also includes part of North County Tipperary . The Limerick county constituency takes in most of
16856-624: The councillors annually elect a Cathaoirleach or chairperson to chair the council. The 21 councillors from the 3 local electoral areas in the City Metropolitan Area also elect a mayor to represent the city. The Mayoral position is largely ceremonial and has much reduced responsibility following the merger of the Limerick local authorities. As of mid-2021, the mayor was Councillor Daniel Butler. Former well-known mayors include TDs Donogh O'Malley , Stephen Coughlan , Michael Lipper , Jim Kemmy and Jan O'Sullivan . Throughout most of
17028-412: The death of Mathgamain, the Dál gCais remained a powerful force. Mathgamain was succeeded as King of Thomond by Brian, who quickly proved to be as fine a commander of armies as his brother was. After attacking and killing the much-weakened Ivar in the year 977, Brian pursued a new target, intending to eradicate the remaining Viking presence in Munster. Upon ascending to the throne, Imar, ruler or governor of
17200-507: The defenders. Brian first had to find a means of getting through or around these defensive choke points and then he had to subdue the fiercely independent regional kings of Ulster. It took Brian ten years of campaigning to achieve his goal, which, considering that he could and did call on all of the military forces of the rest of Ireland, indicates how formidable the kings of Ulster were. Brian received naval support throughout his northern campaigns from Sigtrygg Silkbeard of Dublin. Silkbeard
17372-706: The early 18th to 20th century. The gallery houses the National Collection of Contemporary Drawing founded by the artist Samuel Walsh in 1987. Limerick's major contemporary art event is EVA International , Ireland's Biennial of Contemporary Art. EVA International, centered mainly in the Limerick City Gallery of Art, is curated by varying guest curators and includes contemporary artworks by both international and Irish artists. Other Limerick arts groups include Contact Studios, which provides individual studio spaces for visual artists; Ormston House ,
17544-509: The east and Connacht to the north-west. By doing so, he came into conflict with High King Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill whose power base was the Province of Meath . For the next fifteen years, from 982 to 997, High King Máel Sechnaill repeatedly led armies into Leinster and Munster, while Brian, like his father and brother before him, led his naval forces of around three hundred ships up the Shannon to attack Connacht and Meath on either side of
17716-664: The education system. Linguistic analyses of Irish speakers are therefore based primarily on the number of daily users in Ireland outside the education system, which in 2022 was 20,261 in the Gaeltacht and 51,707 outside it, totalling 71,968. In response to the 2021 census of Northern Ireland , 43,557 individuals stated they spoke Irish on a daily basis, 26,286 spoke it on a weekly basis, 47,153 spoke it less often than weekly, and 9,758 said they could speak Irish, but never spoke it. From 2006 to 2008, over 22,000 Irish Americans reported speaking Irish as their first language at home, with several times that number claiming "some knowledge" of
17888-474: The end of the famine, and under 17,000 by 1911. Irish is recognised by the Constitution of Ireland as the national and first official language of Republic of Ireland (English being the other official language). Despite this, almost all government business and legislative debate is conducted in English. In 1938, the founder of Conradh na Gaeilge (Gaelic League), Douglas Hyde , was inaugurated as
18060-626: The entire province of Munster by capturing the Rock of Cashel , capital of the ancient Eóganachta , the hereditary overlords or High Kings of Munster, but who in dynastic strife and with multiple assassinations had weakened themselves to the point they were now impotent. Earlier attacks from both the Uí Néill and Vikings were also factors. This situation allowed the illegitimate (from the Eóganacht perspective) but militarized Dál Cais to attempt to seize
18232-587: The event is mentioned in the Annals, and the later source the Cogadh describes Brian making a "great slaughter" of his enemies, killing both Donnubán and Aralt, and securing his position within the province. However, he did allow some of the Norse to remain in their settlement, as they were wealthy and now central to trade in the region, particularly the slave trade, and possessed a fleet of great value, which Brian would utilise in his later naval expeditions. Cian ,
18404-560: The first President of Ireland . The record of his delivering his inaugural Declaration of Office in Roscommon Irish is one of only a few recordings of that dialect. In the 2016 census, 10.5% of respondents stated that they spoke Irish, either daily or weekly, while over 70,000 people (4.2%) speak it as a habitual daily means of communication. From the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922 (see History of
18576-550: The forces of the province of Munster and Mael Sechnaill assembled those of Meath, with the intention of laying siege to the Hiberno-Norse city of Dublin , which was ruled by Máel Mórda's ally and cousin, Sigtrygg Silkbeard . Together Máel Mórda and Sigtrygg determined to meet Brian's army in battle rather than risk a siege . Thus, in 999, the opposing armies fought the Battle of Glenmama . The Irish annals all agree that this
18748-458: The former wife of Máel Sechnaill. Brian made it clear that his ambitions had not been satisfied by the compromise of 997 when, in the year 1000, he led a combined Munster-Leinster-Dublin army in an attack on High King Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill 's home province of Meath. The struggle over who would control all of Ireland was renewed. Máel Sechnaill's most important ally was the king of Connacht , Cathal mac Conchobar mac Taidg , but this presented
18920-526: The island of Ireland . It was founded by Scandinavian settlers in 812, during the Viking Age . The city straddles the River Shannon , with the historic core of the city located on King's Island , which is bounded by the Shannon and Abbey Rivers. Limerick is at the head of the Shannon Estuary , where the river widens before it flows into the Atlantic Ocean . Limerick City and County Council
19092-533: The kingship of Cashel or Munster, although this might be a later interpolation. Brian's mother was Bé Binn inion Urchadh , daughter of Urchadh mac Murchadh (d. 945), king of Maigh Seóla in west Connacht. That they belonged to the Uí Briúin Seóla may explain why he received the name Brian, which was rare among the Dál gCais. Brian's family were descended from the Ui Tairdelbach branch of
19264-716: The language family, is derived from the Old Irish term. Endonyms of the language in the various modern Irish dialects include: Gaeilge [ˈɡeːlʲɟə] in Galway, Gaeilg / Gaeilic / Gaeilig [ˈɡeːlʲəc] in Mayo and Ulster , Gaelainn / Gaoluinn [ˈɡeːl̪ˠən̠ʲ] in West/Cork, Kerry Munster , as well as Gaedhealaing in mid and East Kerry/Cork and Waterford Munster to reflect local pronunciation. Gaeilge also has
19436-410: The language was in use by all classes, Irish being an urban as well as a rural language. This linguistic dynamism was reflected in the efforts of certain public intellectuals to counter the decline of the language. At the end of the 19th century, they launched the Gaelic revival in an attempt to encourage the learning and use of Irish, although few adult learners mastered the language. The vehicle of
19608-476: The language. For most of recorded Irish history , Irish was the dominant language of the Irish people , who took it with them to other regions , such as Scotland and the Isle of Man , where Middle Irish gave rise to Scottish Gaelic and Manx . It was also, for a period, spoken widely across Canada , with an estimated 200,000–250,000 daily Canadian speakers of Irish in 1890. On the island of Newfoundland ,
19780-403: The late 18th century. During this time Limerick Port established itself as one of Ireland's major commercial ports exporting agricultural produce from one of Ireland's most fertile areas, the Golden Vale , to Britain and America. This increase in trade and wealth, particularly amongst the city's merchant classes saw a rapid expansion of the city as Georgian Limerick began to take shape. This gave
19952-486: The local government area of the city of Limerick to form Limerick City and County, a new Metropolitan District of Limerick was formed within the united council, which extended the city area. The Metropolitan District includes the city urban area and extends outwards towards Patrickswell in the west and Castleconnell in the east. The City Metropolitan Area however excludes city suburbs located within County Clare . At
20124-503: The main areas of local government in Ireland. Among the recommendations was the merging of Limerick City Council with Limerick County Council . The changes came into effect on 1 June 2014 following the implementation of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 . By the 1960s onwards the city had outgrown its boundary considerably; the city boundary was only altered slightly and never reflected the overall urban area of
20296-419: The main suburban thoroughfares leading towards the city (North & South Circular, Ballinacurra Road, O'Connell Avenue). Limerick city's nightlife is supported by a number of nightclubs and pubs which offer music. For example, Dolan's Warehouse is a small music venue that hosts local, national, and international folk, indie, jazz, rock, and traditional Irish music acts. In County Limerick, Adare village and
20468-405: The merger of the two authorities in June 2014. This local government structure in Limerick caused a number of inefficiencies, most notably in the area of planning. A number of suburbs such as Westbury and Parteen to the north of the city are governed by Clare County Council . Following the merger of the two authorities in 2014, a new Metropolitan District of Limerick City was set up that included
20640-582: The mid-18th century, English was becoming a language of the Catholic middle class, the Catholic Church and public intellectuals, especially in the east of the country. Increasingly, as the value of English became apparent, parents sanctioned the prohibition of Irish in schools. Increasing interest in emigrating to the United States and Canada was also a driver, as fluency in English allowed
20812-579: The monastery of Armagh would last only so long as Brian remained the High King. Therefore, it was in the interest of Armagh to support Brian with all their wealth and power. Brian is not referred to in the passage from the Book of Armagh as the Ard Rí —that is, High King—but rather he is declared Imperator Scotorum , 'Emperor of the Gaels'. Though it is only speculation, it has been suggested that Brian and
20984-549: The most fertile tracts in Ireland known as the Golden Vale as well as produce from the surrounding counties. The city was one of the main meat processing areas in Ireland, and industries included confectionery and flour production. The city was known for its bacon industry, including the production of Limerick ham – however this went into decline in the mid-20th century. The fishing industry in Limerick, based on Clancy's Strand opposite King John's Castle and at Coonagh nearby, once employed hundreds of men. The boat most commonly used
21156-468: The most important monasteries was Armagh , located in the Province of Ulster. Brian's advisor, Maelsuthain O'Carroll , documented in the Book of Armagh that, in the year 1005, Brian donated 22 ounces of gold to this monastery and declared that Armagh was the religious capital of Ireland, to which all other monasteries should send the funds they collected. This was a clever move, for the supremacy of
21328-804: The name of the language is Gaeilge , from the South Connacht form, spelled Gaedhilge prior the spelling reform of 1948, which was originally the genitive of Gaedhealg , the form used in Classical Gaelic . The modern spelling results from the deletion of the silent ⟨dh⟩ in Gaedhilge . Older spellings include Gaoidhealg [ˈɡeːʝəlˠəɡ] in Classical Gaelic and Goídelc [ˈɡoiðʲelɡ] in Old Irish . Goidelic , used to refer to
21500-469: The new immigrants to get jobs in areas other than farming. An estimated one quarter to one third of US immigrants during the Great Famine were Irish speakers. Irish was not marginal to Ireland's modernisation in the 19th century, as is often assumed. In the first half of the century there were still around three million people for whom Irish was the primary language, and their numbers alone made them
21672-451: The next decade or so of his life subjugating and accepting the submissions of the last of the lesser kingdoms and regions which had not already submitted to him. Those campaigns included two full circuits of the island in 1005 and 1006, demonstrating his determination and energy despite his age. Unlike some who had previously held the title, Brian intended to be High King in more than name. To accomplish that, he needed to impose his will upon
21844-500: The nickname represented Old Irish bóruma "of the cattle tribute", referring to his capacity as a powerful overlord. As the youngest of twelve brothers, Brian was highly unlikely to be heir to his father's throne. When he was young, he was sent to a monastery to study Latin and the history of Ireland. He was taught at the monastery on the island of Innisfallen , near modern Killarney in County Kerry . His teacher or mentor
22016-655: The number now is between 20,000 and 30,000." In the 1920s, when the Irish Free State was founded, Irish was still a vernacular in some western coastal areas. In the 1930s, areas where more than 25% of the population spoke Irish were classified as Gaeltacht . Today, the strongest Gaeltacht areas, numerically and socially, are those of South Connemara , the west of the Dingle Peninsula , and northwest Donegal, where many residents still use Irish as their primary language. These areas are often referred to as
22188-503: The other official language, if not already passed in both official languages. In November 2016, RTÉ reported that over 2.3 million people worldwide were learning Irish through the Duolingo app. Irish president Michael D. Higgins officially honoured several volunteer translators for developing the Irish edition, and said the push for Irish language rights remains an "unfinished project". There are rural areas of Ireland where Irish
22360-477: The poem's connection with the city is obscure, but the name is generally taken to be a reference to Limerick city or County Limerick , sometimes, particularly to the Maigue Poets , and may derive from an earlier form of nonsense verse parlour game that traditionally included a refrain that included "Will [or won't] you come (up) to Limerick?" The earliest known use of the name "Limerick" for this type of poem
22532-557: The political party holding power in the Stormont Parliament , the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), was hostile to the language. The context of this hostility was the use of the language by nationalists. In broadcasting, there was an exclusion on the reporting of minority cultural issues, and Irish was excluded from radio and television for almost the first fifty years of the previous devolved government. After
22704-491: 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 1950s onwards in large estates by government projects and commercial developments, although there are many examples of Edwardian and older 1930s suburban homes on
22876-464: The provincial kingship. Mathgamain was never fully recognized and was opposed throughout his career in the 960s and 970s by Máel Muad mac Brain , a semi-outsider from the Cashel perspective but still a legitimate Eóganacht claimant from far south Munster. In addition to Máel Muad, the Norse king Ivar of Limerick was a threat and may have been attempting to establish some overlordship in the province or
23048-439: The region, celebrated its bicentennial/bicentenary in 2015. As of 2015, Limerick had the highest disposable income per person in Ireland outside Dublin . Historically Limerick was an agricultural commodity-driven economy, due to its position as the first major port along the River Shannon. By the middle of the 18th century, Limerick Port grew to become one of Ireland's principal commercial ports, exporting agricultural produce from
23220-417: The regional rulers of the only province that did not already recognise his authority, Ulster . The kingdoms of the northern Uí Néill and Ulaid were some of the most powerful in Ireland, and it took Brian considerable time and resources to subdue them. Ulster's geography presented a formidable challenge. There were three main routes by which an invading army could enter the province, and all three favoured
23392-492: The relationship between the three Goidelic languages (Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx). Gaelic is a collective term for the Goidelic languages, and when the context is clear it may be used without qualification to refer to each language individually. When the context is specific but unclear, the term may be qualified, as Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic or Manx Gaelic. Historically the name "Erse" ( / ɜːr s / URS )
23564-432: The requirement for entrance to the public service was changed to proficiency in just one official language. Nevertheless, Irish remains a required subject of study in all schools in the Republic of Ireland that receive public money (see Education in the Republic of Ireland ). Teachers in primary schools must also pass a compulsory examination called Scrúdú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge . As of 2005, Garda Síochána recruits need
23736-472: The rest of the county. For European Parliament elections, Limerick is in the South constituency. Limerick's climate is classified as temperate oceanic ( Köppen Cfb ). Met Éireann maintains a climatological weather observation station at Shannon Airport , 21 kilometres west-northwest of the city in County Clare . Shannon Airport records an average of 977 millimetres of precipitation annually, most of which
23908-647: The revival was the Gaelic League ( Conradh na Gaeilge ), and particular emphasis was placed on the folk tradition, which in Irish is particularly rich. Efforts were also made to develop journalism and a modern literature. Although it has been noted that the Catholic Church played a role in the decline of the Irish language before the Gaelic Revival, the Protestant Church of Ireland also made only minor efforts to encourage use of Irish in
24080-532: The river. He suffered quite a few reverses in this struggle, but appears to have learned from his setbacks. He developed a military strategy that would serve him well throughout his career: the coordinated use of forces on both land and water, including on rivers and along Ireland's coast. Brian's naval forces, which included contingents supplied by the Hiberno-Norse cities that he brought under his control (particularly Waterford ), provided both indirect and direct support for his forces on land. Indirect support involved
24252-426: The sacred tree of Adair, under which many of the chiefs of the Dál gCáis had been crowned, including Brian's father Cénnetig, his brother Mathgamain and Brian himself. In response, Brian led an army into Westmeath where he plundered the land. Brian's fleet did suffer a setback when a squadron of his fleet attacked Connacht , where they killed a prince of Connacht, Muirgius, who was among the defenders. In retaliation,
24424-549: The sky. They rushed down to the town, only to find the Vikings had already left. The settlement was burnt and looted. Brian's mother was killed, as were several of Brian's brothers who were defending the town, along with many of the townspeople. This event horrified Brian and had a lasting impact on him. The River Shannon served as an easy route by which raids could be made against the provinces of Connacht and Meath . Both Brian's father, Cennétig mac Lorcáin, and his older brother Mathgamain had conducted river-borne raids, in which
24596-401: The son of his brother Mathgamain's sworn enemy Máel Muad, later became a loyal ally of Brian and served under him in a number of campaigns. According to some accounts, Cian would later marry one of Brian's daughters, Sadbh (died 1048). Having established unchallenged rule over his home Province of Munster , Brian turned to extending his authority over the neighboring provinces of Leinster to
24768-455: The south and east. Then in 993, Brian, now in control of much of Munster and gaining ground in Leinster, and unable to make significant progress against the High King on land , decided to utilise his naval superiority to attack Mael Sechnaill. His fleet sailed up the Shannon and invaded the Kingdom of Breifne , in what is now counties Leitrim and Cavan . In doing this, he put pressure on
24940-579: The submission of the Cenel Eoghain king in 1005 and later accepted the submission of many of the Ulaid clans at a sacred Ulaid site, Emain Macha. However Flaithbertaigh Ua Néill , the new king of the Northern Uí Néill and of the Cenél Eoghan, although having already submitted to Brian, was apparently unwilling to accept fully the High King's authority, and was quite rebellious. He was known for his continued aggression towards his neighbours despite previously accepting Brian's rule. In 1005, after Brian had departed Ulster, he attempted to exert his overlordship over
25112-402: The submission of the Cenél Chonaill. Brian then personally proceeded to lead a second invasion later that year, this time successfully subjugating and receiving the submission of the Cenél Chonaill. While Flaithbertaigh would continue attacking the Ulaid and Cenél Chonaill in late 1011 and in 1012, for the time he was no longer of any threat to Brian. Throughout his campaigns in the province, it
25284-536: The vacancy to which they are appointed. This requirement is laid down by the University College Galway Act, 1929 (Section 3). In 2016, the university faced controversy when it announced the planned appointment of a president who did not speak Irish. Misneach staged protests against this decision. The following year the university announced that Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh , a fluent Irish speaker, would be its 13th president. He assumed office in January 2018; in June 2024, he announced he would be stepping down as president at
25456-427: The wife of Amlaíb Cuarán , king of Dublin and York , then of Máel Sechnaill, and finally of Brian himself. Brian Boru was one of the twelve sons of Cennétig mac Lorcáin (d. 951), who was King of Dál gCais and king of Tuadmumu ( Thomond ), modern County Clare , then a sub-kingdom in the north of Munster . Cennétig was described as rígdamna Caisil , meaning that he was either heir or candidate ("king material") to
25628-594: The work of such writers as Geoffrey Keating , is said to date from the 17th century, and was the medium of popular literature from that time on. From the 18th century on, the language lost ground in the east of the country. The reasons behind this shift were complex but came down to a number of factors: The change was characterised by diglossia (two languages being used by the same community in different social and economic situations) and transitional bilingualism (monoglot Irish-speaking grandparents with bilingual children and monoglot English-speaking grandchildren). By
25800-484: The young Brian would undoubtedly have participated. This may have been the root of his appreciation for naval forces in his later career. When their father died, the kingship of Tuadmumu passed to Brian's older brother, Mathgamain. Brian and Mathgamain campaigned together throughout Munster. When Mathgamain was killed in 976. Brian replaced him. Subsequently, he became king of the entire kingdom of Munster. In 964, Brian's older brother, Mathgamain , claimed control over
25972-446: Was a particularly fierce and bloody engagement, although claims that it lasted from morning until midnight, or that the combined Leinster-Dublin force lost 4,000 killed are open to question. In any case, Brian followed up his victory, as he and his brother had in the aftermath of the Battle of Sulcoit thirty-two years before, by capturing and sacking the enemy's city. Sigtrygg fled the city, seeking support from kings in Ulster, but he
26144-431: Was also sometimes used in Scots and then in English to refer to Irish; as well as Scottish Gaelic. Written Irish is first attested in Ogham inscriptions from the 4th century AD, a stage of the language known as Primitive Irish . These writings have been found throughout Ireland and the west coast of Great Britain. Primitive Irish underwent a change into Old Irish through the 5th century. Old Irish, dating from
26316-402: Was an alliance consisting of the rebellious Irish led by Donnubán (Donovan), the man responsible for Mathgamain's death, and the remaining Norse/Viking forces, possibly led by Ivar's last remaining son and designated successor, Aralt (Harold). Brian attacked them at the Battle of Cathair Cuan , which may have been either a single battle or an extended conflict over the period 977–978. In any case,
26488-451: Was born in Limerick in 1971. The Limerick Art Gallery and the Art College cater for painting, sculpture, and performance art. The Limerick International Band Championship is an annual competition featuring marching bands from Limerick, the rest of Ireland, and the rest of the world. It is typically held around just after Saint Patrick's Day , with the bands parading through the city centre, and attracts large crowds. Dolan's Warehouse on
26660-433: Was during this process that Brian pursued an alternative means of consolidating his control, not merely over the province of Ulster, but over Ireland as a whole. In contrast to its structure elsewhere, the Church in Ireland was not centred around dioceses and archdioceses , but rather around monasteries headed by powerful abbots who were members of the royal dynasties of the lands in which their monasteries resided. Among
26832-412: Was eager to enact revenge against the Ulaid for when they refused to assist him after he was forced out of his kingdom of Dublin by Brian following the Battle of Glenmama in 999, forcing Silkbeard to return to Dublin and submit to him. Brian was also greatly helped by the fact that two years before his first campaign in Ulster, in the year 1003, the brutal battle of Craeb Telcha had taken place between
27004-425: Was enacted 1 July 2019 and is an 18-page document that adheres to the guidelines of the Official Languages Act 2003 . The purpose of the Scheme is to provide services through the mediums of Irish and/or English. According to the Department of the Taoiseach, it is meant to "develop a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland's interests abroad, to implement the Government's Programme and to build
27176-574: Was establishing itself as the primary language. Irish speakers had first arrived in Australia in the late 18th century as convicts and soldiers, and many Irish-speaking settlers followed, particularly in the 1860s. New Zealand also received some of this influx. Argentina was the only non-English-speaking country to receive large numbers of Irish emigrants, and there were few Irish speakers among them. Brian Boru Brian Boru ( Middle Irish : Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig ; modern Irish : Brian Bóramha ; c. 941 – 23 April 1014)
27348-426: Was lost again. Máel Mórda mac Murchada of Leinster had only accepted Brian's authority grudgingly, and in 1012 he rose in rebellion. The Cogadh Gaedhil re Gallaibh relates a story in which one of Brian's sons insults Máel Mórda, which leads him to declare his independence from Brian's authority and attack his neighbours. Another possible reason was that the kings of Leinster and Dublin believed Maél Sechnaill
27520-473: Was not decisive and eventually there grew up a brief alliance of sorts between Mathgamain, Máel Muad and others to drive the Norse "soldiers" or "officials" out of Munster and destroy their Limerick fortress in 972. The two Gaelic claimants were soon back to fighting and the fortuitous capture of Mathgamain in 976 by Donnubán mac Cathail allowed him to be effortlessly dispatched or murdered by Máel Muad, who would now rule as king of Cashel for two years. Despite
27692-415: Was of national significance as it ensured closer British and Protestant dominance over Ireland. The articles of the Treaty protecting Catholic rights were not passed by the Protestant Irish Parliament which rather updated the Penal Laws against Catholics which had major implications for Irish history . Reputedly the Treaty was signed on the Treaty Stone, an irregular block of limestone which once served as
27864-421: Was once again Brian's coordinated use of forces on land and at sea that allowed him to triumph; while the rulers of Ulster could bring the advance of Brian's army to a halt , they could not prevent his fleet from attacking the shores of their kingdoms. Once Brian entered the province of Ulster, he systematically defeated each of the regional rulers who defied him, forcing them to recognise him as their overlord. It
28036-405: Was overthrown in 998 and replaced by Máel Mórda mac Murchada . Given the circumstances under which Máel Mórda had been appointed, it is not surprising that he launched an open rebellion against Brian's authority. With Leinster in rebellion, the kingdoms of both Brian and Mael Sechnaill were threatened, and thus they decided to briefly sideline their own conflict to defeat Leinster. Brian assembled
28208-403: Was passed 14 July 2003 with the main purpose of improving the number and quality of public services delivered in Irish by the government and other public bodies. Compliance with the Act is monitored by the An Coimisinéir Teanga (Irish Language Commissioner) which was established in 2004 and any complaints or concerns pertaining to the Act are brought to them. There are 35 sections included in
28380-527: Was spoken throughout Ireland, Isle of Man and parts of Scotland . It is the language of a large corpus of literature, including the Ulster Cycle . From the 12th century, Middle Irish began to evolve into modern Irish in Ireland, into Scottish Gaelic in Scotland, and into the Manx language in the Isle of Man . Early Modern Irish , dating from the 13th century, was the basis of the literary language of both Ireland and Gaelic-speaking Scotland. Modern Irish, sometimes called Late Modern Irish, as attested in
28552-512: Was the Gandelow which was also used as a small Lighter (barge) to ferry goods to and from larger ships in the port. In the 1920s the construction of a dam at Ardnacrusha severely impacted salmon breeding and that, and the introduction of quotas, had by the 1950s caused salmon fishing to diminish. By 2006, most fishermen had relinquished their drift net licences and the industry can now be said to be dormant. As with other cities in Ireland, several multinational companies are based in Limerick, and
28724-415: Was the High King of Ireland from 1002–1014. He ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill , and is likely responsible for ending Viking invasions of Ireland. Brian Boru is mentioned in the Annals of Inisfallen and in Chronicon Scotorum as "Brian mac Cennétig" (Brian, son of Cennétig). The name Brian of Bóruma or Brian Boru was given to him posthumously Brian built on
28896-402: Was the first to capture Cashel and become King of Munster . Brian was born at Kincora, his father's residence or fort in Killaloe , a town in the region of Tuadmumu. Brian's posthumous cognomen "Bóruma" (anglicised as Boru) may have referred to " Béal Bóruma ", a fort north of Killaloe, where the Dál gCais held sway. Another explanation, though possibly a late (re-)interpretation, is that
29068-433: Was the noted monk, Maelsuthain Ua Cearbhaill , an Eóganacht chief who had become the head of the monastery, noted for starting the Annals of Inisfallen . Ua Cearbhaill would later become Brian's anmchara (advisor). However, when Brian was ten years old, he received news that his father had been killed in battle with the Vikings of Limerick , and he was brought home. According to a biography of Brian, he once witnessed
29240-445: Was turned away by the Ulaid, leaving Sigtrygg few options but to return to Dublin and submit to Brian. Once again, Brian opted for reconciliation; he requested that Sigtrygg return and resume his position as ruler of Dublin, giving Sigtrygg the hand of one of his daughters in marriage, just as he had with the Eoganacht king, Cian. It may have been on this occasion that Brian married Sigtrygg's mother and Máel Mórda's sister Gormflaith ,
29412-442: Was unable to accomplish some everyday tasks, as portrayed in his documentary No Béarla . There is, however, a growing body of Irish speakers in urban areas, particularly in Dublin. Many have been educated in schools in which Irish is the language of instruction. Such schools are known as Gaelscoileanna at primary level. These Irish-medium schools report some better outcomes for students than English-medium schools. In 2009,
29584-450: Was weak and that the Kingdom of Meath was vulnerable. This was because Flaithbertaigh Uí Néill , king of the Cenél Eoghain and the northern Uí Néill, was again becoming troublesome for Brian. In 1013, he raided the Midlands , bringing him into direct conflict with Maél Sechnaill who was the king of Meath . The two armies had a stand-off near Kells , but Maél Sechnaill retreated for unknown reasons before any battle could occur. This led to
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