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heritage · Monday 10 August 2026 · Varies by event 
National Heritage Week 2026 - Limerick
At Multiple venues across Limerick · County Limerick
At Multiple venues across Limerick · County Limerick
Every August, Ireland opens its past to the public for free. National Heritage Week - running 15 to 23 August 2026 across the country - is when historians, community groups, local societies, and state bodies throw the doors open to places and stories that rarely get the spotlight. Limerick always punches well above its weight during the week, pulling together a programme that ranges from city-centre walking tours and museum exhibitions to hands-on workshops out in the county towns and villages. If you have any curiosity about Irish history, architecture, natural heritage, or local tradition, this is one of the easiest entry points you will find.
The Limerick programme for 2026 draws on both city and county, and it spans the whole nine days. In the city, Limerick Museum is running an exhibition opening - “Specimens of Change” - at the Old Franciscan Friary on Henry Street, and has a separate talk about John Duffy and Sons Circus and its links to a historic bar in the city. The storytelling tour “Storylines” sets off from King John’s Castle and follows the River Shannon, which shaped this city more than any single road or railway ever did.
Out in the county, Cappamore Historical Society are hosting “Cappamore in Song and Story” at the community centre on the evening of 19 August - an informal but well-researched look at a parish through its own music and memory. There is also a two-day blacksmithing demonstration, “Restoring a Traditional Forged Iron Flat Bar Gate”, at the College of FET in Cappamore on 18 and 19 August, where you can watch a skilled smith work through the full process of restoring a forged iron gate using traditional techniques. On the Saturday evening, the Urban Fossil Walk starts from Limerick Railway Station - a one-hour guided tour of the stone used in the city’s Victorian buildings, led by Ireland’s Fossil Heritage group.
Most events run without pre-booking, though popular walks and talks can fill quickly. Check heritageweek.ie for the full live programme as new events are confirmed closer to August.
Limerick city is well connected by road and rail. From Dublin, the M7 runs direct; journey time is around two hours. Irish Rail operates regular services from Heuston Station, arriving into Colbert Station on Parnell Street - a ten-minute walk from the city centre. Bus Eireann serves Limerick from most major towns and cities. For county events like Cappamore, a car is the practical option; it sits about 20 kilometres east of the city along the R506.
Parking in the city centre is mainly paid multistorey. The Limerick Tunnel and Arthur’s Quay car parks are well signposted. For riverside walks and King John’s Castle, street parking is available along the quays at quieter times.
Heritage Week is a good excuse to spend a half-day or a full day exploring properly. The city’s medieval walls, the Treaty Stone, the Hunt Museum, and the Georgian terraces of Newtown Pery all sit within easy walking distance of one another, and entry to several is free during the week. There is more to see in Limerick and across Co. Limerick.
Heading to Multiple venues across Limerick in Limerick? Limerick has plenty more to see. Read the Limerick area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.