OK before I start this little tale, i think it only fair to say that 3 years ago i wouldn't have known Limerick from Letterkenny.
I've only been in Ireland 2.5 years and have only really spent that time in Dublin apart from the odd weekend away in the likes of Donegal or visiting the g/f's folks in Kells.
anyway, in that time I'd heard nothing but horror stories about what goes on in Limerick. stabbings, shootings and just about everything else bad you could think of.
then a couple of months ago, my work started talking about continuing a project i was part of in dublin and moving it to their Limerick offices.
initially i said no way and started looking elsewhere for a job, but as it got closer and closer to the start date i had nowhere else to go, so I was stuck and had to go down. in my favour they had got a pretty good package together with good fixed rate (no receipts required) expenses that i was even making a bit of profit on.
I've since rented a house with a fellow work mate who's also on the same project and it costs us a quarter of what the hotel was and we have a nice 3 bedroomed house for the duration, complete with my PS2 and his XBox as well as washing and cooking facilities and a garden.
it's ina studenty area so while the summer holiers are here it's dead cheap and pretty quiet too.
and the poeple at work and around town are very nice and everyone has been friendly (even with me not being irish).
i have to say that I'd be more than happy to live in Limerick permanently. I even feel safer here than i do in dublin and haven't even seen a hint of trouble. it's a lovely place.
a couple of time's i've looked like a bit of a spa hanging on the edge of a kerb waiting to cross the road only to have people stop and let me across, although I'd have to question the person that did it for me at a busy roundabout and nearly caused a crash in the process. :rolleyes:
all in all, limerick is great. it has everything you could possibly want. a nice decent sized town centre, not huge, but more or less everything you could want. a 12 screen cinema 5 minutes outside of town, nice people a friendly atmosphere some good nightlife and the girls seem to outnumber the men by quite a bit, so even you ugly ducklings are in with a shot even if you're shooting out of your league.

all i'm saying is give it a go. don't pay attention to the bad press Limerick get's, it's really not like that at all. much worse goes on in dublin believe me.
i've been here nearly a month now, and it's been great, aside from having to leave my g/f in dublin and only seeing her at weekends, although she's coming down here tonight as i type this to have a look around. and save me coming back up to dublin.
2.5 hours on the train and yopu're here. b&b from about 30 quid a night and plenty to see and do. well worth the trip (€42 return on the train in case you're wondering).