Athea’s story
Athea: 11 buildings on the National Inventory
13% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
- 1800Athea Bridge
- 1800New Park House
- 1820House, Con Colbert Street, Athea
AtheaCo. Limerick
The population grew 9% between 2016 and 2022. A town of 418 in Co. Limerick.
3 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Georgelangan · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
418
CSO, Census 2022 · Limerick City and County Council
Median age
42.8
22% are 65+ · Co. Limerick 15%
Degree level
21%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
5%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Athea a good place to live?
Homes sell for a median €150,000, about 3 times what a household here earns in a year. 5% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. 11 of its buildings are on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. 21% of adults have a degree.
Irish towns are graded from 1,000 residents, which leaves Athea out for now.
What makes Athea stand out
The 3 things Athea does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
5% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
11 buildings on the national inventory
5.5 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Degree or higher, residents 15+
Education
The median of Irish towns: 36%
CSO, Census 2022
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Athea.
Schools
Schools around Athea are filling: pupils +16% since 2019, more than in both Co. Limerick’s towns and Irish towns
One school lies within 3 km of Athea. 171 pupils attend the one school within 3 km of the town.
1schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athea N School Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 171 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Athea | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | 46% | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 12% | 8% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | +16% | +3% | +4% |
171
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
+16%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.4 km
to the nearest primary school
7.8 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · There are no letters or results on these cards, because Ireland publishes none school by school.
Natural hazards
Quiet on hazards: Athea has low radon, steady ground and few homes beside big water
The EPA’s radon map puts 4.8% of homes in Athea above the reference level. No part of Athea is mapped as high landslide susceptibility.
0%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water0%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Athea | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near a river | 0% | 9.3% | 0.5% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 0% | 0% |
233
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Athea is wetter than Co. Limerick’s towns or Irish towns: 1,333 mm of rain a year
Here July highs average 19.4°C, below both Co. Limerick’s towns (19.9°C) and Irish towns (19.9°C). The annual mean in Athea is 10.4°C. This Co. Limerick town is 0.2°C warmer over the year than in 1981–2010.
19.4°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.3°C
Spring13.5°C
Summer18.9°C
Autumn14.4°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Athea | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rain a year | 1,333 mm | 1,034 mm | 937 mm |
| July high | 19.4°C | 19.9°C | 19.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.4°C | 10.5°C | 10.3°C |
| January low | 3.0°C | 2.9°C | 2.9°C |
19.4°C
July high
3.0°C
January low
1,333 mm
Rain a year
153 mm
Wettest month
18
Air frosts
1,338 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
For its ages, Athea reports less bad health than Co. Limerick’s towns or Irish towns: 55 per 100 expected
Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 1.2% of the town. Allowing for its ages, Athea has 111 residents with a disability per 100 expected, between Co. Limerick’s towns (115) and Irish towns (106). Unpaid caring falls to 6.5% of the town’s residents.
87%good or very good health
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health55
Disability111
Co. Limerick171
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 1%
| Census 2022 | Athea | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bad or very bad health | 1.2% | 2.9% | 2% |
| Unpaid carers | 6.5% | 5.5% | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 26% | 25% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 87% | 86% | 88% |
55
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Limerick 171
111
disability per 100 expected · Co. Limerick 115
82.5 · 79
life expectancy, women · men, the Mid-West region, 2016
31%
hold a medical card, HSE Midwest
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Housing
More households in Athea live in social housing than in Co. Limerick’s towns or Irish towns: 23%
Private renters make up 14% of households. 60% of households own their home, in line with Co. Limerick’s towns (59%) and Irish towns (61%).
€150Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Athea€150K
Co. Limerick€312K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €150,000 | 31 |
| Housing | Athea | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | €150K | €312K | €350K |
| Households in social housing | 23% | 13% | 13% |
| Households renting privately | 14% | 27% | 22% |
14%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,619
a month on new tenancies, County Limerick
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Outdoors
More protected nature lies near Athea than Co. Limerick’s towns or Irish towns: 54% of the land within 5 km
Within 1 km, 6.8% of the land is woodland, above both Co. Limerick’s towns (1.5%) and Irish towns (2.7%). Among the protected sites near Athea is Lower River Shannon SAC. This Co. Limerick town offers 5.8 ha of green space per 1,000 residents.
23%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Athea5.8 ha
Co. Limerick4.7 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Athea | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 23% | 91% | 92% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 54% | 9.6% | 1.8% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 6.8% | 1.5% | 2.7% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.1 km per km² | 2.5 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
23%
Near a park
5.8 ha
Green space
1 km
Footpaths
54%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Athea today: mostly sunny, topping out at 11 degrees
The heaviest rain of the week is due on Tuesday, around 4 mm. Long-term averages for Athea put November days at 11°C and November nights at 5°C. It should stay dry today, with a fresh breeze of up to 21 km/h and a low near 4°C.
11°C / 4°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November11°C
December9°C
January9°C
February9°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 3°C | 409 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 254 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 287 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 384 mm |
11°C / 4°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
12 km/h
Wind
96%
Humidity
9 h 23 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Trips to work from Athea take longer than from Co. Limerick’s towns or Irish towns: 32.4 min on average
6.5% of workers worked mainly from home, below both Co. Limerick’s towns (10%) and Irish towns (11%). The jobless rate is 8.1%. The car carried 87% of commuters at the census.
5%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van87%
Walk5%
Bus1%
| Census 2022 | Athea | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 32.4 min | 23 min | 27.6 min |
| Unemployment rate | 8.1% | 11% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 64% | 61% | 68% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 30% | 37% | 31% |
€49,890
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Limerick €55,952
7%
worked mainly from home, 2022
15%
trips of an hour or more
11,541
on the Live Register, County Limerick, September 2026
CSO, Census 2022 travel to work, work and education · CSO Geographical Profiles of Income 2022 · Live Register · Census day was 3 April 2022, with working from home still common; shares are of those who travelled.
Who lives here
Older residents shape Athea: 22% are 65 or over, above Co. Limerick’s towns and Irish towns
People aged 15 to 24 make up nearly a tenth of the town, below both Co. Limerick’s towns (13%) and Irish towns (12%). 19% of residents are children under 15. Overseas births account for 11% of the people living here.
42.8median age
AtheaCo. LimerickIreland
Ages · share of residents
22%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none18%
Lower secondary22%
Leaving Cert35%
Diploma or cert4%
Degree or higher21%
Women and men · all residents
52.2% of Athea’s residents are women
218 women and 200 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Athea | Co. Limerick | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 17% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 8.4% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 31% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 26% | 23% | 24% |
| 65+ | 22% | 15% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 18% | 11% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 22% | 16% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 35% | 35% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 3.5% | 5.6% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 21% | 31% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Limerick and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
More people in Athea vote than in Co. Limerick’s towns or Irish towns: 57% turnout at the local elections
General election turnout: 61%, higher than both Co. Limerick’s towns (55%) and Irish towns (59%). The voters of Limerick City and County Council also elect its mayor directly: John Moran (Independent), since 7 June 2024. No party holds a majority on Limerick City and County Council: Fine Gael lead with 13 of 40 seats, short of the 21 needed.
13/40seats held by Fine Gael
Seats on Limerick City and County · June 2024
Fine Gael13
Fianna Fáil10
Independent5
Sinn Féin3
Labour Party3
Independent Ireland2
Social Democrats2
Aontú1
| Turnout | Athea | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 57% | 48% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 61% | 55% | 59% |
6
Councillors
13/40
Fine Gael seats on Limerick City and County, the largest party
57%
turnout, June 2024
3
TDs elected for Limerick County
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
The national inventory counts 263 buildings per 10,000 residents in Athea, more than in both Co. Limerick’s towns and Irish towns
12.9% of its homes were built before 1919, above Co. Limerick’s towns (3.8%) and Irish towns (3.4%) alike.
11inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional11
Among them
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1800
earliest dated inventory building
13%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Athea | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 263 | 15 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 12.9% | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 10 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Listowel Castle and 11 more within 40 km
Nothing to visit is mapped within 5 km of Athea; these are the best known within 40 km.
Castle · Office of Public WorksListowel Castle14 km west
CastleGlin Castle13 km north
Cathedral · Office of Public WorksArdfert Cathedral37 km west
Castle · Office of Public WorksCarrigafoyle Castle19 km northwest
Castle · Office of Public WorksDesmond Castle Newcastle West15 km east
CastleGlenquin Castle15 km southeastPlaces: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Listowel Castle: Larsoner~commonswiki, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Glin Castle: Garry Dickinson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ardfert Cathedral: JohnArmagh, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Carrigafoyle Castle: Arcaist, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Desmond Castle Newcastle West: Eugene gogs, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Glenquin Castle: Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Athea
15pages on Athea
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
Athea’s built heritage counts 11 inventory entries, each of regional standing.
Famous people from Athea
5 notable people were born in Athea.
Athea’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
AbbeyfealeListowelNewcastle WestAthea
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athea | 418 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Abbeyfeale | 2,206 | 8.5 | — | A+ | A+ | A− |
| Listowel Kerry | 4,794 | 13 | C+ | B+ | C | B− |
| Newcastle West | 7,209 | 16 | A− | A | B+ | C |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Athea
How do people in Athea get to work?
7% mostly work from home, and 30% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
Is Athea growing?
Athea had 418 people at the 2022 census, up from 385 in 2016: 8.6% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Athea a young town or an old one?
The median age in Athea is 42.8, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Athea
Urban area in Co. Limerick
Athea has 418 people, in the area of Limerick City and County Council. TownRatings uses the CSO’s 2022 Urban Areas as Ireland’s towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a county or a council area, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)
- Population
- 418 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Limerick
- Council
- Limerick City and County Council
- Local electoral area
- Newcastle West
- Dáil constituency
- Limerick County
- Name in Irish
- Áth an tSléibhe
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:21539
Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).