Limerick is a city in Munster, Ireland and the county town of County Limerick. The Gaels called the city Inis Sibhtonn, residing on the banks of the River Shannon; the Romans called the settlement on King's Island Regia. In 812 AD, the Vikings sailed up the Shannon and pillaged the city, burning Mungret Abbey before being forced to flee by Irish resistance. That same year, Scandinavian settlers founded the city of Hlymrekr. Limerick later became a center of Thomond before being conquered by the Normans during the Norman invasion of Ireland, and Limerick acquired city rights in 1197. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Limerick was reputed to be the most beautiful city in Ireland. The city was besieged by Oliver Cromwell in 1651 and twice by King William III of England's armies during the 1690s; the 1691 Treaty of Limerick ended the Williamite War in Ireland. Limerick prospered through trade in the late 18th century and became a major commercial port, trading with Britain and the Americas. The railway arrived in 1848, connecting Limerick to Dublin and Cork, and it was similarly connected to Waterford in 1853. However, Europe's economic decline following the Napoleonic Wars and the Great Famine caused Limerick to have a troubled period for much of the 19th century. In April 1919, the short-lived Limerick Soviet was declared during the Irish War of Independence. Limerick continued to suffer from economic stagnation and decline by the mid-20th century as many traditional industries closed or left the city. However, the opening of the Shannon Airport in 1942 enabled the opening of the Shannon Free Zone in 1959, attracting a large number of multinational companies to the region. In 2022, Limerick had 102,287 residents.
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