Limerick, Ireland
Limerick City is almost 1100 years old. It has been a Viking settlement, a medieval walled town, a Georgian city, and is now a modern, vibrant metropolitan area with a rich and historic hinterland. The longest river in Ireland flows through the city.
Today, the River Shannon continues to inspire the citizens of Limerick City including its artists; one of the best known examples in the world is Bill Whelan’s Riverdance. Limerick City is also home to Riverfest, SwimAble Limerick, the Museum of Mythological Water Beasts at Ormston House, and much more.
There are many current major redevelopments in Limerick including the iconic 10-acre former Cleeves factory on the northern bank of the River Shannon by Limerick 2030, the former Dunnes Stores complex at Honan's Quay by the University of Limerick, and the Shannon Foynes Port Authority Masterplan 2041 at the Limerick Docks.
Image courtesy of Global Limerick, Limerick City & County Council.
Ormston House
Ormston House is a meeting place for the arts in the heart of Limerick City in Ireland. We welcome audiences seeking intimate arts experiences. Our programme is co-designed with citizens to promote access and inclusion resulting in community partnerships, multi-annual projects and cultural events that are responsive to the city and its context. We have developed a participatory model to connect local wisdom with diverse approaches to artistic practice. Ormston House is part of the Limerick Public Participation Network and the Irish Network Against Racism and we are active members of three international networks: Artists’ Initiatives Meetings, River Cities Platform Foundation, and Trans Europe Halles.
During the International Residency Programme for Memory of Water, Irish artist Mary Conroy will research the environmental and ecological context of each River City connecting with citizen groups and communities. Ormston House Founder, Mary Conlon has been appointed as the Artistic Director of Memory of Water to support the project artists throughout the process and delivery of collaborative actions and interventions in Greece, Poland and Scotland. She will host the Memory of Water podcast series with the artists and curators working on the project in six European cities.
The participation of Ormston House as the Irish partner is kindly supported by the Arts Council of Ireland and Limerick Culture & Arts Office.
