An Economic and Spatial Plan for Limerick Appendices

Limerick 2030 An Economic and Spatial Plan for Limerick
5. City Centre Spatial Analysis
The success of any City Centre is determined by a complex interplay of physical, economic and
social factors. Our analysis draws upon the wider economic analysis set out in the previous section.
The physical appraisal addresses the built environment – buildings, public realm and transport
infrastructure. It considers the city fabric from the point of view of what makes an attractive and
vibrant City Centre – highlighting the strengths and weaknesses and focussing on the opportunities.
Much of the analysis in the City Centre Public Realm Strategy and in the City Centre Strategy (2008)
is sound and may be replicated in this document.
Complementing a thematic analysis we examine individual character areas of the City Centre to
enable a more detailed, local understanding of how different parts of it are functioning.
Spatial Analysis
Historical Development
Limerick exists due to the River Shannon. The City of Limerick is located at the head of the Shannon
Estuary at the point where the counties of Limerick and Clare meet. The City was established
originally as a Viking Settlement in the 9 th Century, at a strategic crossing point on the River and
developed into an important and much fought over military and trading centre.
In 1194 the City fell under the control of the Normans and a large castle was built by King John
adjacent to the River Shannon on Kings Island. The City almost doubled in size in the 13 th Century and
by 1500 the City had developed into two sectors; English Town and Irish Town. English Town was
positioned on Kings Island framed by the River Shannon and its tributary, Abbey River, whilst Irish Town
was positioned on the South Bank of the Abbey River directly opposite. The sectors were connected
by a single bridge giving a distinctive shape which lasted until the middle of the 18 th Century.
During the 200 years from 1500 to 1700, Limerick experienced the implications of the dissolution of the
monasteries in the 1540’s, the remodelling of King John’s Castle 1611, the destruction and rebuilding
of much of fortifications during the civil wars of the 1640’s and later during the Cromwellian Siege of
1651.
During this period the City grew in prominence and new public buildings appeared in English Town
during the 17 th Century. The buildings included the new exchange on Nicholas Street, built in 1674
and a new custom house on Merchants Quay built in 1683. This period also saw the expansion of the
markets in both towns crowned by the building of a new market house in Irish Town in 1673.
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