The Most Beautiful Buildings In Limerick Ireland

With one major population centre and lots of rural surrounds, Limerick is full of interesting buildings, from the castle and cathedral in the heart of the city to abandoned centres and pockets of personality found elsewhere in the county. There are certain sights here that are absolutely unmissable for anyone visiting the Shannonside (the Castle and the Milk Market, in particular), while others have their own charming, stone-based building style, and some are even old enough to be almost crumbling. Go big and check out every one of these loveable corners…

Thatched cottages

You’ll find thatched cottages spread throughout Limerick, but (for us at least) the best are found in the gorgeous village of Adare. These quaint little dwellings need to have their roofs replaced on a regular basis to remain weatherproof (yes, it works well for a while!), but with such relentless charm to be found in the flower-packed gardens, petite rural houses and tiny old-school interiors, it’s easy to see why the occupants bother. Occasionally, they even come up for rent. Stroll through the village to find some, perhaps starting with the collection of little cottages near the Adare Manor (below).

1. King John's Castle

Building, Museum

A 13th-century castle that wears the marks of 800 years of history (some of those years were particularly brutal), King John’s Castle overlooks the Shannon River, its flags and turrets somewhat less imposing than they must have seemed centuries ago. It might be more a sprawling complex than the compact, soaring castle of fairytales, but the thick, pock-marked walls mark a long-time defensive position. Even before King John ordered this particular river defence, the same spot was occupied by Vikings as an access point to the area. The recent museum redevelopment tells the story of the castle’s varied occupants and their undertakings over the years.

Nicholas Street, Limerick, Ireland, +353 61360788

King John’s Castle | © William Murphy/ Flickr

2. St Mary's Cathedral

Bridge, Building, Cathedral, Church

Pre-dating even the castle by about half a century, St Mary’s Cathedral has undergone a mish-mash of building adaptations over the course of its lifetime, including the addition of a chunky tower. This historic building, typical of an Irish cathedral, once served as something of a defensive corner itself, in fact, and the sword-sharpening marks around its west door from those days are still visible. The cathedral is a serene yet domineering structure with plenty of interesting little corners to explore within.

Bridge Street, Limerick, Ireland, +353 61310293

3. Adare Manor

Adare Manor is now a newly reopened five-star hotel, the subject of expensive and careful development around its spectacular, nationally renowned golf course. Its history is somewhat more interesting, though. The unusual structure was born out of the problems of its occupants, as a passion project of the Earl of Dunraven in the early 1800s. The Earl was persuaded to develop the house by his worried wife when gout made him unable to continue his previously passionate outdoor activities. He added a different stained glass window for every day of the year, more than 50 chimneys, gargoyles and a lengthy bible verse running along the entire roof. Many of those features remain today.

Adare, County Limerick, Ireland, +353 61605200

The Adare Manor Hotel | © Michael Costa/ Flickr | © Michael Costa/ Flickr

4. The Toll House

Building

An old structure on Limerick’s riverside originally designed to do exactly what it sounds like it should (collect tolls), what makes The Toll House unique is the faux defensive structure attached to the otherwise normal (and tiny) building to give it a sense of grandeur. The house, on the end of a line of terraced structures on the river, and close to the castle, dates back to the 1840s and isn’t open to the public. However, the oddity of its placement and contrast with the surrounding neighbourhood make it well worth a stroll down the Shannon regardless.

5. Adare Desmond Castle

A glance at the Ireland of old is on offer at this riverside, long-ruined castle. Adare Desmond is essentially a shell of the old structure, but there’s enough left to justify tours, and the buildings and their surrounds make for a fantastic slightly off-the-beaten-track exploration. There’s a sacred fairy ring just around the corner, and very little development visible from the sight, giving this a real sense of the Ireland of its 13th century construction.

Limerick Road, Gortaganniff, Adare, County Limerick, Ireland, +353 61396666

Adare Desmond Castle | © Robert Lindsell/ Flickr

6. Ballinagarde House

One for the urban explorers (for whom an excellent Irish resource, incidentally, is here), Ballinagarde House is long abandoned, having been bankrupted by a notoriously arrogant man named Edward Croker. Constructed in 1774, the house is jokingly known locally as ‘I Doubt It Hall’. The name comes from the story of a resident’s deathbed tribute to the house (he rejected the concept of heaven, arguing that the house was better than heaven could be). It’s not regal anymore, it’s just a crumbling, moss-strewn wreck that makes for a great aside from more regular tourist attractions nearby.

Ballinagarde, Bannineety, County Limerick, Ireland

7. The Milk Market

Market, Farmers' Market, Farm Shop, Healthy, Vegetarian

Made up of a small warren of tiny stores and a great open space of less permanent stalls, The Milk Market is a longstanding Limerick shopping hot spot that’s become fashionable, crafty, organic and local-leaning in recent years. The building itself is a square block around a peaked-canopy courtyard where most of the action takes place. A functional but charismatic and memorable spot, this is best visited at the heart of the action over the weekend.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.