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a little more about Limerick
 Based on the available evidence, it would seem that Limerick was first settled by our friends, the 'Hunter Gatherers' as early as 3000 B.C. Christianity was introduced to both Limerick and Ireland in the 5th century A.D. This encouraged the growth of several monasterial sites around Limerick. In the mid-9th century, the Vikings carried out a series of raids on the coast of Ireland and these raids led to the establishment of a colony on the Shannon Estuary which was eventually to grow into the city of Limerick.
Limerick suffered a number of sieges through the 17th century, the most significant of which being the siege of 1690. This led to the signing of the Treaty of Limerick which was represented by a stone, known as the 'Treaty Stone', which was erected in the heart of the city. This treaty was broken in later years and for this reason Limerick was given the name 'The Land of Broken Promises. In 1922, Britain offered Ireland her freedom under the condition that six of the counties in the north of the country remained under British rule. Ireland reluctantly accepted. However, this decision resulted in deep political divisions across the country - those who opposed the decision and those who approved of it. Limerick was similarly affected, and the decision to accept Britain’s offer was so controversial that it resulted in a Civil War which ended around 1924 following the controversial death of the Irish Patriot, Michael Collins. Ireland remained neutral during WW2 and as a result, nothing of much historical significance has occurred since the Civil War, however, various literary works such as 'Dare You Ripple my Pond' by Louie Byrne and 'Angela's Ashes' by Frank McCourt have made Limerick known throughout the world.
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