11 Best Sights in The Southwest, Ireland

First built by the Normans in the early 1200s, King John's Castle still bears traces on its north side of a 1691 bombardment. If you climb the drum towers (the oldest section), you'll have a spectacular view of the city and the Shannon. Inside, an audiovisual show illustrates the history of Limerick and Ireland; an archaeology center has three excavated, pre-Norman houses to explore; and interactive exhibitions include scale models of Limerick from its founding in AD 922.

The visitor center is a thatched replica of a Neolithic hut and it has excellent prehistoric exhibits and a small museum that displays Neolithic pieces and replicas of Bronze Age finds in the Lough Gur area (originals are displayed in Dublin’s National Museum). The center gives context to the fascinating historical merit of the ancient settlements in the surrounding area. Of most significance is Grange, a magnificent 4,000-year-old circular enclosure made up of 113 upright stones. It’s the largest prehistoric circle of its kind in Ireland and worth the detour from Limerick City. It's a 3-km (2-mile) walk from the heritage center with free roadside parking and access to the site.

St. Mary's Cathedral is the city's oldest building in daily use. It was founded in 1168 on the site of an elaborate palace, some of which can still be seen today, such as the elaborately carved Romanesque-style door that was once the entrance to original building. Inside, the black-oak carved misericords in the choir stalls are unique to Ireland and are from this period, while the alter in the Lady' Chapel is 13 foot long, and it is the cathedral's original pre-Reformation (from when the church was a Catholic place of worship) masterpiece. Oliver Cromwell's troops had dumped it, but it resurfaced in the 1960s in remarkably good shape. Donal Mór O'Brien, the last king of Munster and the man who constructed the cathedral, is believed to be buried in St Mary's; a stunning carved sculpture of O'Brien prince stands on the grounds.

Other notable features include cannon balls that have remained since the siege of Limerick by the Williamites in 1691, exquisite stained glass windows and a leper's squint - a slot where the sick could hear mass and receive communion. The bells of the cathedral's bells have cast a spellbinding melody across the city for decades. Bear in mind this is a fully functioning church with daily Church of Ireland services throughout the week.      

One of Ireland's oldest and biggest---and arguably best---markets, with a fine collection of artisanal food producers, many direct from the rich pastures in County Limerick's Golden Vale. Cheese, breads, pastries, meat, along with fresh fruit and vegetable traders and sushi and garnish producers, sell their wares beneath a sturdy, all-weather canvas roof with a café upstairs in a mezzanine. Boho vintage clothing retailers and restaurants operate around the perimeter. The market takes place over the weekend, although Saturday morning is the time to see local citizens arrive in droves. For a sweet break, head around the corner to Cruise's Street for a selection of bakeries selling fresh cream cakes, pies, and coffee.    

Foynes was the crossroads between American and European skies in the early, glamorous days of flying. In fact, it was on this very site that an innovative chef called Joe Sheridan created the Irish coffee on a chilly night in 1943 to warm the bones of shivering passengers. The airport would soon move across the river to become Shannon Airport, but in that brief period in the middle of the 20th century, this little village welcomed dignitaries like Eleanor Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, King George of Greece, novelist Ernest Hemingway, and from the golden age of Hollywood, Douglas Fairbanks, Bob Hope, actress Gracie Fields, Bill Rogers, Edward G. Robinson, and Humphrey Bogart. The museum has the only B314 flying boat replica in the world, and it also explores the area's maritime history. There is a café on-site along with an Irish coffee lounge.

Designed by architect Davis Ducart---the man who modeled the city's entire Georgian grid---this handsome limestone building was once the Old Custom House. Located on the banks of the Shannon in the city center, the Hunt Museum has the finest collection of Celtic and medieval treasures outside the National Museum in Dublin. Ancient Irish metalwork, European objets d'art, and a selection of 20th-century European and Irish paintings—including works by Jack B. Yeats—are on view. The museum has regular high-profile exhibitions. Free tours are offered and a café overlooks the river.

If someone in your family has ambitions to play sport professionally, this interactive museum will test your budding athlete’s aspiration with an immersive, linear voyage through the steps in that journey. Focused on rugby (it is Limerick, after all) the museum charts the journey from the grass roots of the game, through training and team participation, and culminates in the greatest rugby moments on the global stage. The building has commanding views of the city, a café, and retail---and is bang in the heart of the city.

If you want to understand Irish history in one small nugget---or rather, a giant limestone block overlooking the Shannon River and King John's Castle---then cross over to the Treaty Stone, close to the Curragower Restaurant. Limerick's nickname (the Treaty City) is derived from this monument, set upon a hefty, stepped plinth, the site where the Williamite-Jacobite War ended in 1691 after the last stand by supporters of King James at the end of the Siege of Limerick. After signing an agreement on the Treaty Stone that the Irish would be treated in a fair and dignified manner after their departure, Ireland's earls took flight to mainland Europe, leaving those remaining at the mercy of the conquerors. It didn't end well. 

Thomond Park is a giant edifice to the city's passion for sport. It dominates the skyline with giant proportions that rise over its low valley backdrop. With a capacity of 26,000 people it attracts all the big rugby matches and high-profile performers like Pink, Ed Sheeran, Elton John, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen. Guests can take a tour to the innards of the stadium---the home of Munster Rugby---to discover significant milestones and the places normally only seen by players, officials, and artists. 

Learn about the local brewing history from the 1700s and flavor process from master brewers in the heart of Limerick's medieval quarter. Treaty distributes Harris Pale Ale (named after Hollywood actor and local man Richard Harris), Thomond Red Ale, and Shannon River IPA to all the major pubs in Limerick City.  

Linked to the city by a river walk, the University of Limerick (UL) is a metropolis of redbrick buildings and wide-open spaces. Home of Ireland's first and only Olympic-sized swimming pool outside of the capital and the largest indoor sports complex, and, in keeping with its home base, it's the only university in the country to get five stars for its impressive sports facilities. The university's on-campus concert hall has attracted a wide range of performers from Johnny Cash  to Van Morrison over the years and its "Living Bridge"---a curving white feat of engineering---is the longest pedestrian bridge in Ireland, and it connects County Limerick to County Clare. Art lovers will appreciate the phenomenal collection of work in the Visual Art Collection in Plassey House.