IT was a real Treaty to be in Limerick – and I cannot wait to go back.
Despite Limerick being only a short trip from Dublin, I had never considered making the journey down before.
But after my recent visit to stay there, I have completely changed my mind and will definitely be returning!
As I quickly learned, Limerick really does have so much to offer – vibrant nightlife and so many historic tourist attractions. And getting to stay in a junior suite at a luxurious hotel really was the cherry on top!
Myself and my boyfriend Daoin decided to bus it down. . . although we had no other choice considering neither of us drive, which is standard for two Dubs in their late 20s.
We hopped on the Big Green Bus (route 300) at the Red Cow Luas stop.
Unfortunately we hit a bump in the road early on and what was supposed to be a two-and-a-half-hour drive, turned into three hours as our bus broke down on the motorway – typical!
After standing on the side of the road for 20 minutes, another Big Green Bus arrived to save the day and we arrived at Arthur’s Quay in Limerick at around 2pm.
The hotel was a handy ten-minute walk from the bus stop – the stunning Limerick Strand – located in the heart of the city.
The four-star hotel overlooks the River Shannon and is within walking distance of the city’s popular landmarks, including Thomond Park, Limerick Milk Market and King John’s Castle, to name a few.
Check-in wasn’t until 4pm, so we dropped off our bags and headed back into the city to find some grub.
We just wanted a quick bite to eat before our excursion, so we walked into the first place we saw, which was The Golden Grill.
From the outside it looked like just any another chipper but the food was honestly delicious.
I got chicken goujons and chips while Daoin horsed down a battered burger and curry chips.
FEELING THE FOLK
Limerick is so close to Co Clare, so we headed off to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park – the most complete and authentic castle in Ireland, which is around 20 minutes away on the bus.
Surrounding the castle, Bunratty Folk Park recreates 19th-century Irish village life.
This I would tell Irish and tourists to go to, as we really did feel the history of Ireland come to life.
We walked around the village with brightly coloured shops, thatched roof farmhouses and a working farm and listened to the traditional Irish music.
They truly have thought of everything with buildings such as the doctor’s house, pawnbrokers, pub, drapery, printworks, grocery, hardware shop, pottery and a post office.
We got to take a tour around the iconic castle and saw how the lords and ladies lived as we walked around the many rooms filled with 15th and 16th century furnishings, art and tapestries.
Anything above the lowest level of the castle is hundreds of years old and only accessible only by very narrow, steep, windy steps.
JELLY LEGS
I’m afraid of heights so I didn’t think I’d be able to make it to the top of the castle, but after some forcing from my boyfriend, I made it – and the breathtaking views were 100 per cent worth the jelly legs.
After the adrenaline rush, we went for a few scoops in the nearby cosy pub – Durty Nelly’s.
We finally arrived back at the Limerick Strand Hotel to check-in and got upgraded to the very fancy junior suite.
It’s no wonder that it has the reputation of being one of the finest hotels in Limerick. I had never, EVER, stayed somewhere so luxurious – I was utterly blown away by the room.
The lavish pad had a huge comfy double bed, two couches and a gorgeous bathroom, which was kitted out with Rituals products – oh la la!
My favourite feature of the room was the enclosed balcony with panoramic views of the city skyline, stretching from King John’s Castle onwards whatever the weather. It was the perfect room for a romantic weekend.
For us, we wanted to experience the nightlife so we went downstairs to the River Bar and Restaurant and both got the Irish sourced 8oz Hereford steak, which was cooked to perfection – medium rare of course!
DINNER DELIGHTS
We sat at the bar after demolishing our dinner and enjoyed a few glasses of bubbly. The bar really impressed me as it was extremely lively and very aesthetically pleasing. And the staff couldn’t be more helpful.
Since it was Saturday night, we decided to go on a mini pub crawl in the city and we were amazed at how great the nightlife really is – we even preferred it to Cork and Galway.
We went to Limerick’s oldest pub first – JJ Bowles. The hidden gem had an open fire (bonus points) and an outdoor terrace that overlooked the river and King John’s castle.
We then headed to Katie Dalys, then to Nancy Blakes and finished the night off in Tom Collins. The atmosphere in all of the bars was great and I’d definitely return.
SUNDAY FUNDAY
Although we were a little worse for wear the morning after, we managed to pull ourselves up out of bed for the breakfast buffet.
The hotel offers a tempting range of pastries, smoothies, porridge and bread alongside the hot breakfast station, which has everything needed for the perfect full Irish.
We made full use of the hotel’s facilities after brekkie as we popped down to the Energize Health Club to swim in the 20m indoor heated pool and relax in the sauna and jacuzzi.
After a quick nap back in our room, we went back down to the hotel’s restaurant for Sunday lunch, which costs €32.95 each.
We were greeted with a complimentary glass of bubbly as we sat down for the four-course buffet menu.
The main course was the star of the show here. I tasted the award-winning slow cooked rib of Irish beef and I can see why it’s a firm favourite with guests.
HOMEWARD BOUND
And after a truly magnificent experience Daoin and I were tearfully checked out of the hotel.
We managed to sneak a few last pints in at The Old Quarter and Mother Macs before getting the bus back to reality.
For anyone who fancies taking a trip over to lovely Limerick this March, the Limerick Strand Hotel is currently offering a 30 percent discount which is available until the end of the month.
LOVELY LIMERICK
GET THERE: 2h 25m drive or the Big Green Bus runs every half hour from around 6am until 12am daily and costs €27 for a return ticket.
STAY THERE: The Strand Hotel Limerick, with rooms starting from €144 per night.
DO THERE: Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. General adult pass is €15. Go on a pub crawl including Limerick’s oldest pub JJ Bowles.
EAT THERE: The River Bar and Restaurant. The 4 course Sunday lunch buffet costs €32.95 per adult.
