Limerick, Ireland’s riverside city and historic gem

Limerick is a riverside city, set at the mouth of the River Shannon and near Ireland’s west coast, with easy access to some of Ireland’s most beautiful scenery. The city itself dates back to Viking times around the year 922 and it is now the Republic of Ireland’s third largest city, with a population of around 100,000.

The city center is compact and easy to navigate, with a medieval quarter, a Georgian area, lively market and a thriving cultural program of festivals and events.

Limerick, Ireland’s riverside city and historic gem

“Limerick is a great place to be. It is mid-size, so you get that city feel without it being overwhelming. It’s very community-oriented, which is really nice. The neighbors love to just get to know you. I was not expecting the closeness that comes with being in Ireland. It is also a slower pace of life that what I would have been used to. It’s nice not to have this constant pressure of ‘go go go’.”

Keshini Sivaprakasapillai, Canada,
Medical student at the University of Limerick.

Student life in Limerick

The University of Limerick (UL) is set on its own 130-hectare campus on the River Shannon, around 4.5km from the city center. There are six student residence villages, the digitally advanced Glucksman Library, plus restaurants, cafés and a student’s union to help with everything from academic issues to legal advice.

Every year more than 3,000 international students from around 107 countries study at UL and there’s an international student welcome program to make sure that the move to Ireland goes smoothly…

- Limerick is a great city for students – the third-level student population is around 21,000. It’s also a relatively young city, with the average age of the population being 37. While the city was not as prosperous as other Irish cities in the 20th century, many older areas especially along the river have undergone recent regeneration. The city is one of Ireland’s most affordable, with a lower cost of living than others. For example, average rent prices are just under 50% lower than in those in Dublin.

Student life in Limerick

“The experience of living in Ireland has been as positive as studying there. The accommodations that the university reserves for medical students are comfortable and well maintained. For the most part, medical students are placed with other medical students, which along with the relatively small class size and group work nature of the program, really facilitates getting to know your classmates. I’ve enjoyed meeting many Irish and fellow Canadian students, as well as students from Poland, England, and even Australia.”

Chris Dockx, Canada,
Medical student at the University of Limerick.

City life

There’s plenty of cool stuff to do in Limerick. The impressive fortress of King John’s Castle was built around 1200 – there are real-life demos by characters in costume, or admire the castle from the river while kayaking or paddleboarding. Nearby, Limerick City Museum and St Mary’s Cathedral form the medieval quarter. The Milk Market is a buzz of activity on Saturday mornings with a lively farmers and street food market (with some bric-a-brac) while art-lovers can visit the Hunt Museum.

There’s plenty of shopping too – with favorite high-street fashion brands in the city center and at the Crescent Shopping Centre just outside the city. Check out Brown Thomas for designer pieces or find vintage treasures at Lucky Lane.

Sports, clubs and societies

UL has more than 80 clubs and societies, known as the UL Wolves. Sports range from soccer, hockey and basketball to surfing, rowing and mountain biking. Societies cover everything from astronomy to yoga – there’s even a Tea Appreciation Society.

UL’s Sport Arena has a 50-metre swimming pool, four indoor courts, a gym and fitness classes. There’s also a sprint track, jogging track, eight all-weather sport pitches, an adventure center and a boathouse, plus a 21-meter indoor climbing wall, the highest in Ireland.

Sports, clubs and societies

“I have made life long friendships, have travelled all over Ireland, learned to surf and experience many watersports, and have met some of the most memorable people I have ever encountered. Such an experience would have only been possible at UL.”

Robert Coke, Canada,
Medical student at the University of Limerick.

Weather in the West of Ireland

Ireland has a mild climate and does not have extreme cold in winter or extreme heat during summer. Limerick is inland from the Atlantic coast so somewhat sheltered from coastal storms, although its location in the West means there is considerable rainfall, especially in winter (which of course helps keep the lovely green colors of the countryside).

Always be prepared for rain or lower temperatures, bring warm layers and waterproofs. Temperatures in July, the hottest month, average around 60°F and the maximum would usually be 65°F. The lowest temperatures are in January, averaging around 42°F, with minimums of around 37°F and a maximum of 46°F.

Weather in the West of Ireland

“One thing I had to get used to is doing stuff in the rain because if you can’t do stuff in the rain, you’re never going to leave your house. You’ll get rain but when it is sunny out, it’s one of the best times because it’s beautiful and everyone comes out.”

Keshini Sivaprakasapillai, Canada,
Medical student at the University of Limerick.

Getting to Limerick and around

Shannon International Airport is 24km from Limerick – with direct flights to Europe and the UK as well as to New York, Boston and Philadelphia. The airport also has pre-clearance for customs and immigration for passengers to the USA. Dublin Airport, which has direct flights to most main airports in North America as well as other international destinations, is around 200km which is around 2.25 hours’ drive or 2.5 hours by express bus to Limerick.

Limerick is well connected with train and bus services. It is on the Irish Rail train network, connecting to cities like Dublin, Cork and Galway plus main towns. It is also on the Bus Eireann national bus network and served by many other bus operators with routes to Dublin and other cities.

The UL campus is on the city’s local bus network. It’s around a one-hour walk or 15-min cycle from the center, and the city has a bike-sharing scheme.

Student nightlife

Med students at UL have their own building, so it’s an ideal way to meet classmates and socialize. On campus, Stables Bar is one of the most popular, as well as The Pavilion, near the School of Medicine.

In the city, there are plenty of pubs popular with students, such as old pub JJ Bowles and the Red Hen Bar, or for late-night, there’s Molly’s, The Commercial, and Nancy Blake’s. On a sunny day the crowds head for riverside seats at The Locke Bar gastropub.

You will find plenty of live music, whether it’s a traditional Irish music session in a pub, or a live music gig somewhere like Dolan’s. There are cinemas, and plenty of places to eat out on a student budget too – with lots of takeaways, bistro favorites like Papa’z, burritos at Boojum or cafés like Story Café and Stormy Teacup.

- Limerick is generally safe, but like in any city, you need to take care of valuables and of personal safety especially at night.

Student nightlife

“I have made lifelong friends here in Ireland and we have seen the country ten times over at this stage. Immersing ourselves in the Irish culture has been one of the best aspects of studying here in Ireland and I feel that at the University of Limerick a cultural relationship is fostered and encouraged between the Irish students and students studying abroad as evidenced by UL’s vibrant International Education Division which supports its students in all aspects of studying abroad. ”

Meagan Nolan, Canada,
Medical student at the University of Limerick.

Weekend getaways

Limerick is at the mouth of the River Shannon, Ireland’s longest river, and is also on the Wild Atlantic Way, a 2,500km coastal drive along Ireland’s west coast. Limerick county has lots to see, whether it’s the scenic village of Adare or a looped drive on the Shannon Estuary way, taking in the Foynes Flying Boat Museum. You can also cycle the 40km Limerick Greenway or the Ballyhoura Mountain Bike trails are an hour’s drive away.

Nearby County Clare is home to the unusual rocky landscape of The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. The city of Galway is 100km away, and further north are the counties of Mayo, Sligo and Donegal, for mountains, lakes, coast and islands. You can cruise on the River Shannon or go south for counties Kerry and Cork with rugged coastal scenery, headlands and islands.

Weekend getaways

“It is really easy to get around, whether you have a car or rent a car. I’ve done a bit of exploring. I went down to Dingle, which was beautiful. We drove the Ring of Kerry and the Gap of Dunloe. It was just stunning, I’ve never seen anything like that before. In my first month, a few friends and I did a trip to Dublin. We also went to Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway which was really cool. Even just living in Limerick, Clare is about an hour away and we went surfing.”

Keshini Sivaprakasapillai, Canada,
Medical student at the University of Limerick.

If you choose to study in Limerick, you’ll experience an historic riverside city undergoing modern regeneration, enjoy a super university campus with excellent facilities and get to explore some of the West of Ireland.

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Discover Limerick The Ultimate City Guide

Limerick, Ireland’s riverside city and historic gem

Limerick, Ireland’s riverside city and historic gem

Student life in Limerick

Student life in Limerick

City life

Sports, clubs and societies

Sports, clubs and societies

Weather in the West of Ireland

Weather in the West of Ireland

Getting to Limerick and around

Student nightlife

Student nightlife

Weekend getaways

Weekend getaways

If you choose to study in Limerick, you’ll experience an historic riverside city undergoing modern regeneration, enjoy a super university campus with excellent facilities and get to explore some of the West of Ireland.

Application Instructions

Application Advice