Overview
Arthur’s Quay Park opened in 1991 on a patch of ground with a hard history: elegant Georgian townhouses built by the Arthur family, the medieval merchants who gave the quay its name, decayed into one of Limerick’s worst slums, were cleared in the 1950s, and the site spent decades as a car park before it became this green. Sources have President Mary Robinson opening the park on New Year’s Day 1991. It’s free, open around the clock, level and fully paved throughout.
Be clear about what it is, though. This is a compact, concrete-edged amphitheatre beside the city’s shopping centre, with good views of the Shannon rather than a grand park – reviewers fairly call it a city breather, not a destination. The real reason to start here is the walk.
The Three Bridges walk
The park is the trailhead for the Three Bridges Slí na Sláinte, a 3.6 km route that links most of Limerick’s riverfront in one go. It crosses Matthew Bridge, passes St Mary’s Cathedral and King John’s Castle, then crosses Thomond Bridge to the Treaty Stone on Clancy’s Strand, over on the Clare side of the river. If you have an hour in Limerick, this is the thing to do from here: it threads the cathedral, the castle and the Treaty Stone together with the Shannon alongside you most of the way. Allow about 45 minutes at a steady pace, more if you stop.
A note on the bridges the walk crosses. Thomond Bridge looks medieval but the present bridge opened in 1840 after about five years’ work, replacing a 14th-century crossing; a bridge has stood on the spot since King John’s reign, and the Treaty Stone sits at its Clare end. Matthew Bridge and Sarsfield Bridge are both 19th-century stone crossings, not modern spans, whatever their traffic does today.
The observation wheel
A 40-metre Panoramic Wheel turns in the park, a ride of roughly six minutes for about €5. It’s at its best after dark, when the lights catch the water. It doesn’t run all year, so check before you make a special trip for it.
Nearby
The Custom House, a short walk inland from the park, is an 18th-century building that now holds the Hunt Museum and its collection of European art and antiquities – one of the better small museums in the country, and the obvious wet-weather alternative to the riverside.
Practical information
- Access and mobility – the park and riverside path are level and fully paved, with no steps or steep inclines, so wheelchairs, pushchairs and mobility scooters manage the full length. The path is shared with cyclists.
- Opening – a public open space, free and accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. No tickets or bookings.
- Parking – the Arthur’s Quay Shopping Centre multi-storey car park has about 570 spaces at €2.50 an hour. Street parking nearby fills quickly on weekdays.
- Facilities – public toilets inside the shopping centre, and cafés on the surrounding streets.
- Dogs – leashed dogs are welcome; clean up after them.
If the wheel is turning, ride it at night: €5, six minutes, and the best view you’ll get of the floodlit castle without climbing it.