The University of Limerick is  the main beneficiary of a Limerick artist’s love for her city.  Artist Annemarie Burke has found a unique way to celebrate the 1200 year anniversary of Limerick city this year while also marking this week's unique date of 12/12/12.  Annemarie, an acclaimed landscape artist, has painted 12 different and iconic scenes of Limerick city, showcasing the best of the city and is donating the original paintings to the University of Limerick.  The paintings will be hung in the 18th Century Plassey House on the UL campus, which itself is depicted as one of the 12 scenes of Limerick.

Dr Edward Walsh, UL’s Founding President officially launched the collection entitled ‘A Positive View’ at the University of Limerick on the auspicious date of 12/12/12. The scenes include iconic Limerick buildings including St Mary’s Cathedral, Sarsfield Bridge and King John’s Castle as well as culturally iconic places like Limerick’s Milk Market, Thomand Rugby Ground and The White House bar.

Speaking from the launch ceremony Dr Walsh said “Annemarie Bourke’s twelve paintings capture the essence of Limerick City from the people who live, work and enjoy life here, to the landscape that frames their experiences. These are powerful images of a place with a rich story to tell, and the University is honoured to receive and display these paintings so that they may be appreciated by those who visit, work, and study here.”

Speaking about the decision to donate the paintings to UL Annemarie Bourke said: “I was half way through painting the Limerick Collection when a man from New Zealand visited my gallery, when he saw the painting of “St Mary’s Cathedral he loved it and asked me to “name your price” for the painting and he would pay it. I was very grateful for the offer but a bell went off in my head and I suddenly realised that there is no price on these paintings and that this collection should belong to Limerick and the people of Limerick .  It was then that I thought of the Art Collection in the University and the rest is history.”

There are over 1800 paintings, drawings, sculptures and decorative objects on the UL campus. The National Self Portrait Collection of Ireland and the Watercolour Society of Ireland National Collection are both housed at the University and number over 650 paintings and drawings.