Visit Limerick

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:33:57 +0000

Things To Do In Limerick

Limerick is located in the west of Ireland, at the meeting of the rivers Shannon and the Abbey. Limerick city has 50,000 inhabitants and is the fourth city in the Republic of Ireland (after Dublin, Cork and Galway). Limerick was a Viking city, the oldest part of town, on the southern tip of King’s Island, is called Englishtown.

Limerick city is a mixture of old and new. Ireland’s economic boom saw many modern buildings erected around the city, yet there are many monuments and old houses to be found.

St. Mary’s Cathedral was built in the 12th century and the Western Gate is still used for the inauguration of bishops, who according to tradition, the new bishop knocks at the ancient door to gain access to the cathedral.

St John’s Cathedral is more recent (19th century), but is a beautiful church built in Victorian style, with the highest spire in Ireland.

The Hunt Museum has an interesting art collection, which was collected by the couple John and Gertrude Hunt. The showpiece is the Antrim Cross (9th century), bronze and enamel. The museum also has a bronze horse designed by Leonardo da Vinci, and a sketch of the hand of Pablo Picasso.

The city is becoming more familiar with foreign tourists as an interesting place to spend a few days. The book Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt about his impoverished childhood in Limerick and the movie to the book was published there have certainly helped. There is even a special Angela’s Ashes tour in Limerick city.

Frank McCourt – Pulitzer Prize-Winner Died 19th July 2009

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:34:27 +0000

Frank McCourt, Irish-American author of Pulitzer Prize-winning “Angela’s Ashes” died Sunday July 19th 2009 at the age of 78. Mr. McCourt, was being treated at a Manhattan hospice and was seriously ill with meningitis having been recently treated for melanoma, a form of Skin Cancer.

A public school teacher for 30 years and a jovial, well renowned New Yorker, Frank McCourt was catapulted to prominence and earned a global audience with the success of his book “Angela’s Ashes”. The novel is now translated into 30 languages and available in 25 countries. The book was later adapted for the big screen in 1999 and starred Emily Watson in the lead role as the mother and Robert Carlyle as the stereotypical Irish father.

“Angela’s Ashes” opening line prepares the reader for the “tale of woe” and also hints at the humour that is to follow;

“Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood,”

Following the success of “Angela’s Ashes“, Frank went on to launch a sequel, “’Tis”, which narrates his life following his return to New York City. The final novel of the trilogy, “Teacher Man”, describes his teaching experiences commencing in 1958.

I will leave you with an exert from “Angela’s Ashes” to reflect upon.

“People everywhere brag and whimper about the woes of their early years, but nothing can compare with the Irish version: the poverty, the shiftless loquacious father; the pious defeated mother moaning by the fire; pompous priests, bullying schoolmasters; the English and all the terrible things they did to us for 800 long years.”

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Things To Do In Limerick

Frank McCourt – Pulitzer Prize-Winner Died 19th July 2009