The King’s Island Medieval Quarter of Limerick City contains a wealth of built heritage. Nicholas Street, the city’s old main street links most of the sights—Bishop’s Palace, now home to Limerick Civic Trust and open to the public; King John’s Castle and some of the remains of the Walls of Limerick. Also on Nicholas Street are the old Alms Houses and the remains of the City Exchange, which used to be the central hub of commercial activity in Limerick, and now forms one of the boundary walls of Saint Mary’s Cathedral.

Limerick is often referred to as the Treaty City and across the bridge from the castle is the famous Treaty Stone upon which folklore says the 1691 Treaty was signed. King John’s Castle was built between 1200 and 1210 and was repaired and extended many times over the following centuries, most recently in 2013. It remains a most impressive Anglo-Norman Fortification.

Saint Mary’s Cathedral faces towards the new part of Limerick across the Abbey River and the Hunt Museum. While the Cathedral is a beautiful and historic building, it is still used today for its original purpose, as a place of worship and prayer.

From 2012 to 2017, Limerick City Museum was situated in City Hall on Merchant’s Quay. It is now housed in the old Franciscans Friary on Henry Street and has a collection of approximately sixty thousand objects gathered through donations, purchase and long-term loan. The Museum’s mission is to collect, display and preserve items relating to the history of Limerick city and county from the Stone Age to the present day.

Walking tours of both King’s Island and other historic elements of the city are available. Enquire locally.