The initial challenge of the project was working towards making connections with the community using the Old City Walls as a neutral factor to engage. This to date has been carried out using a number of small testing social actions in residential areas. The results of the smaller testing actions demonstrated that something on a larger scale was required to try to achieve the desired outcome.
A Heritage Festival, a community street party was held in August as part of the local social testing actions on Old Clare St, Irishtown. The Festival was organised with the hope of getting the community to come together and break down barriers. Previous social events had not achieved this.
It was an opportunity to get vital feedback from the community on local issues. A neutral more visible space allowing for the potential for a greater mixed attendance, a higher footfall, an opportunity to hear more of the community voices. The testing actions had to evolve and build on previous social events on a greater scale to allow groups in the area to mix.
The larger social testing action offered a chance to help revive and create a link between those living in the area and the history of the area.
Social event
Limerick City and County Council proudly presented the Irishtown Heritage Festival on Sunday August 25th as part of National Heritage Week and the URBACT GreenPlace project.
All were invited to join and take part in a fantastic street party on Old Clare Street. Leaflet drops to residents, posters on the street and advertisements on the radio heralded the Heritage Festival.
A road closure put in place to allow the area to be pedestrianized with a long row of tables and chairs now taking centre stage in the streetscape. Residents were invited to come, bring food, sit and eat with their neighbours. Planters with established trees that doubled as seating were moved into the area to function as seating but also help green the space. Colorful lengths of bunting were hung diagonally across the street.
Limerick Sports Partnership organised street games for the children, archery, hockey, tug of war, an opportunity to play in a car free environment.
Children playing hockey
The Garryowen Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann were a highlight of the festival, playing traditional Irish music. Members of the public were invited to learn the set dance “The Walls of Limerick”. Workshops were held to teach people the dance, culminating in the whole group coming together to dance as one. It was fantastic to see people from so many cultures, demographics drawn out of their houses by the music, sitting together, enjoying the event and then participating in some traditional Irish dancing.
People dancing "The Walls of Limerick"
One of the key actions from the Limerick integrated action plan is to delineate the line of the Old City Wall where it is no longer standing. This was trialed at the Heritage Festival using non-permanent paint. Bringing history to life by simply painting the surface of the street, demonstrating to all where the Old City Walls once proudly stood, protecting the city. Children took turns painting the sections to complete the tribute to the City Walls of limerick.
Painting where the wall used to stand
Residents and public members had an opportunity to view exciting plans for the area, three large AO print landscape drawings were on site to show potential changes to enhance the area. Items including a pagoda to both green the area but also to display the height and width of the wall where it no longer stands. A number of natural play areas and planting sites identified for the area. The removal of tarmacked areas to give garden space back to residents and to allow room for sports. Comments were welcomed from those who attended, using a novel approach for gaining feedback demonstrated by one of our GreenPlace project partners, a clothesline was hung on the street where people could write their thoughts on colourful pieces of card and then peg them on the line for all to see.
Some key feedback from the event centred on a need for more spaces for play. The area is too great a distance from the other city parks and needs its own dedicated play space. That people living in the area would like to see names for streets/places returned to the old historical names from their youth.
People enjoying the festival
Actual results
Overall, we learnt key details of issues on the ground in more detail for our target areas that can be built into the integrated action plan.
That it was difficult to get different communities within Irishtown to mix outside their own individual area, but themes like music, dance help people come together.
Main takeaways
In regards digitization, our testing action demonstrated this is an area lacking in Irishtown, a greater level of communication and information boards are needed to display the history for locals and tourists alike.
A common request from the feedback on the ground was for play and more play areas, and this a focus area and subsequent objective in our IAP.
An annual event will now to be held to celebrate the historic Medieval Wall of Limerick in Irishtown building on the great success of the GreenPlace Heritage festival.
Article written by Sharon Lynch on 26/02/2025
