LIMERICK. A city, civic county, and port, capital of County Limerick, Ireland, on the Shannon, 120 miles west-south vest of Dublin (Map: Ireland. C 4). It occupies both sides of the river, together with King's Island. is divided into the English town, the oldest part of the city connected ttith the extensive suburb of Thomond Gate on the Clare side of the Shannon, and the Irish town, which extends on the south bank of the river into Newtown Pery, the best part of Limerick. The gas-works, water supply, and other public utilities are municipal property. Among the noteworthy buildings are Saint John's Catholic Cathedral and Saint Mary's Anglican Cathedral. Limerick is a military station for in fantry, artillery, and CaVII Icy, with barracks Within the walls of King John's Castle, an im portant and well-preserved old Norman fortress lefentling Thomond Bridge. The Shannon. •ros,ed by several bridges, is navigable for ships of large burden, and is connected with Dublin by the Grand Canal in County, and the Royal Canal near Longford. The river is canalized to the head of Lough Allen. The graving-dork ad mits vessels of 2500 toils, and there is a patent slip for vessels of 500 tons, and a floating dock for vessels of 3000 tolls. The industries include the manufacture of the celebrated Linwriek fish hooks, limn-milling,. bacon-curing, lace-manufac turing, tanning, etc. A large import. trade is carried on to the value of between £S00.000 and i900,000 annually, Limerick ranking fourth among Irish ports. The chief export is oats: im
ports, grain, petroleum, sugar. mid timlwr. The United States is represented a consular agent. The aneient Begin of Ptolemy, Limerick. from its position on the Shannon, was long an object of desire to the Danes. who occupied it in the middle of the ninth century. and held possession till re duced to a contributory eondit ion by Brian Born Mille. in the tenth century. It was early occupied by the English, and in 1210 King John visited it. It was assaulted and partially burned in 1314 by Edward Bruce. It was oc cupied by the Catholic party in 1641. but sur rendered to 'Ireton in 1651. At the Revolution, it was the last stronghold of King James. Hav ing been nnsneeessfully besieged by William after the victory of the Boyne, it was regularly invested in 1691 by Ormeral and after a vigorous and brilliant defense of several weeks, an armistice was proposed, which led to the well known 'Treaty of Limerick.' the alleged viola tion of which has been the subject of frequent and acrimonious bet ween political parties in Ireland. The so-called 'treaty stone' still marks the spot. near Thomond Bridge. at the entrance of the suburb, near Thomend Cate, where this treaty was signed. Population. in IS91, 37,155: in 1901, 39.S73. Consult: Lenillan, Limerick, Its History and Antiquities (2d ed.. Dublin. 15341.