Limerick - Interesting Facts

May 29, 2016
More by this Author

Limerick – Interesting Facts

Limerick City & County are situated in the mid West of Ireland in the province of Munster and home to some 200,000 people. It has a very favourable age profile with 50% of this population under 35 years of age.

The main urban areas include Limerick City, Newcastle West, Rathkeale, Askeaton, Adare, Abbeyfeale, Bruff, Hospital, Kilmallock and Kilfinane.

County Limerick experienced substantial emigration from the 1830s onwards while large scale emigration commenced in the 1840s. The Great Famine of 1845-49 (1 million deaths in Ireland) was less severe in Limerick resulting in more emigration than death.

You should know that:

Limerick has excellent connectivity with Shannon International airport only 20 minutes away, with daily flights to the UK, US, and Europe.
Over 14,500 people working in more than 100 overseas companies.
Commercial property prices 30% less than rival cities and residential property costs are between 30% and 50% cheaper than competitor cities.
Three 3^rd level education institutions in Limerick with a student population of 21,500.
Limerick is home to Ireland’s top two secondary schools.
Limerick’s disposable income (€21,116) is the second highest in Ireland, behind only Dublin.
The unemployment rate has been continually declining in the Mid West region and was recorded at 8.5% in Q2 2016, slightly lower than the national average of 8.6% for the same period.
Most affordable place to buy a home out of 367 cities worldwide.
Limerick City is one of the top 10 cities in which to invest in Western Europe.

Limerick is home to Ireland’s first science and technology park the National Technology Park, which opened in 1984. Its success inspired the establishment of numerous incubators and technology parks throughout Europe.
Troy International Film Studios, which is currently under development in Limerick, is soon to be Ireland’s newest and largest film production hub.
During the First World War, the Limerick based Cleeves Factory won an international competition ran by the British Government to supply canned food the British Army during the war.
The School of Art and Design Limerick is one of the top 50 fashion colleges in the world.
Limerick’s grid street system, which was developed by Davis Ducart for the Newtown Pery area of the city in the late 18th Century, inspired the development of New York’s famous grid system.

Limerick is home to Foynes which is Ireland’s largest bulk port which can cater for vessels up to 60,000 DWT.
The Limerick Clothing Factory was once the largest army clothing factory in the world.
In the 1840s, Limerick had the largest brush-making factory in Europe, owned by the Hastings family and situated on Charlotte’s Quay.
The Limerick Chronicle, founded by John Ferrar in 1768, is the oldest continuously operating newspaper in the world.
When the Ardnacrusha Hydro-Electric Power Station opened in 1929, it was the largest in the world.
Over 50% of Limerick’s population is under 35 years of age.
Irish Coffee is internationally famous and a favourite after dinner drink throughout the world. It was invented at Foynes in County Limerick.