Ireland will welcome you at any time of the year but June may be the ideal time to visit. Days are long, the sun sets after 10pm, the tourist season is just starting and the weather - statistically - is at its best. You can expect mild temperatures (18 to 20C), sunshine and occasional showers. Limerick is the gateway to Ireland's scenic west. An ancient city, with a charter predating that of London, Limerick epitomises Ireland's industrial and cultural renaissance. An economy that has grown at an average of 7% per annum for over 5 years, driven in large part by the IT sector, has resulted in a reinvigorated social and cultural scene that has, nonetheless, lost none of its traditional spontaneity and charm. You have to look very hard to find traces of 'Angela's Ashes'. The many attractions of Limerick and its hinterland will be in full swing in June. The city itself boasts galleries, theatre, excellent restaurants and a world class museum housed in the restored Custom House. King John's Castle bestrides the Shannon at one of its many bridges while St Mary's Cathedral is a small scale gothic masterpiece dating from the 12th century. Above all, Limerick is a haven for Irish traditional music and you can find a lively 'session' on any night of the week. Limerick is the heart of the Shannon region. A short drive takes you to the wonders of the Burren, the cliffs of Moher or the beauty of Galway Bay. An additional short boat trip reaches the Aran Islands, last outpost of Europe and a stronghold of the Irish (Gaelic) language. To the east is the Shannon river and its hills and lakes; to the south lies Kerry and the legendary beauty of Dingle and Killarney. There are organised tours or your can drive yourself along winding country roads. The University of Limerick has played a major part in Ireland and Limerick's rebirth. Set on a magnificent parkland campus, beside the Shannon, the University is the centrepiece of the National Technological Park. The conference venue is the university Foundation Building which houses research groups, faculty offices, lecture theatres, display areas and a 1,000 seat concert hall. On campus accomodation can be provided in the modern Kilmurray village, where each house has its own lounge, kitchen and bathrooms. For sports fans the university provides excellent facilities for swimming, tennis, squash, weights, running and quiet riverside jogging. Other essential services are also on hand, including banks, shops and, of course, a pub. Limerick
is proud to host RE99 and we wish you Céad Míle Fáilte - one
hundred thousand welcomes! The best way to reach the University of Limerick is to fly to the Shannon airport, located 20km north of Limerick City.
The special event code which Aer Lingus has assigned to the conference is RE99 SE845. Delegates who quote this code will be booked at the best possible fare for the event. The Aer Lingus web site has a contact address and telephone numbers for their Aer Lingus office as well as their representative offices world-wide.
Bus,
Taxi and Car Hire services are available from the airport. Other possibilities include
For your information, taxis are available from the Train Station and City Centre to the University and cost on average £4 - £5. Moreover,
regular buses between
the campus and Limerick city centre are available. A ticket costs 70
pence.
Accommodation in Limerick Close to the conference location, we recommend the following options:
Bloomfield, Rivers, Castletroy, Limerick (20 mins. walk) Castletroy Lodge and Castletroy Inn, Dublin road (15
to 20 mins. walk) Campus accommodation
(10 mins walk)
Within the city centre, we recommend the
following addresses JURYS INN *** Lower Mallow
Street Limerick (15mins. drive)
SARSFIELD BRIDGE INN (R) Sarsfield Bridge Limerick (15 mins. drive)
Social
entertainment in Limerick
Besides the conference-related social events, we suggest you discover Ireland's main social attractions, its restaurants, pubs and landscapes. Here, as local residents, we suggest various local pubs and restaurants in the Limerick area. A list of Ireland-related links are also listed below. Pubs
Nestor's (O'Connell
Street, Limerick, #58): Rock&Roll on Wednesdays
Dolan's (Dock
Road, Limerick, A2): Trad. Irish
Music every night
Nancy Blake's
(Denmark Street, Limerick, #26): Trad. Irish
Music on Tuesdays
The Pub (Little
Catherine Street, Limerick, #60)
The Brazen Head
(O'Connell Street, Limerick, #55): Rock&Roll
on Sunday lunchtimes
The Parkway Bar
(Parkway, Castletroy, C2)
The Hurlers
(Dublin Road, Castletroy)
The Black Swan
(Annacotty, 5 mins. drive): Trad. Irish Music on Fridays
Guerin's Public
House (Castleconnell, 10 mins. drive): Trad. Irish Music on Wednesdays
Our local expert provides his evaluation of local best pints. Restaurants
Green
Onion (Ellen Street, Limerick, #57)
Moll
Darbys (George's Quay, Limerick, #50)
Mustang
Sally's (O'Connell Street, Limerick, #55):
TexMex
The Jasmine
(O'Connell Street, Limerick, #58):
Chinese
The Mogul
Emperor (Henry Street, Limerick, #39):
Mongolian
Dolan's
(Dock Road, Limerick, A2):
European
Worral's
Inn (Castleconnell, 10mins. drive) : European
Durty
Nelly's (Bunratty, 15mins. drive): European
Matt
the Tresher (Birdhill, 20 mins. drive): very enjoyable seafood
platter
Goosers
Eating House (in Ballina, 30 mins. drive) : definately the
best place for fish and oysters
Below you will find some Irish-related links and maps
Maps, from Campus to Country
|
