First pick
Russell Park
Park or garden · 380 m outside town
14 ha1.3 km of path
15 minto walk all 1.3 km of path
1.4 km westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: Nigel Thompson · CC BY-SA 2.0100%near a park
Outdoors in Limerick City Centre · parks, paths & countryside
Limerick City Centre has more park space per resident than 8 in 10 Irish towns
There are 10.3 ha of parks and playing fields for every 1,000 people in Limerick City Centre, against 4.1 in the typical Irish town. A park or playing field is within a 5-minute walk for 100% of residents. 11% of the land within 5 km is protected for nature, the nearest site being Lower River Shannon SAC.
Near a park
100%
of residents within 400 m
Typical Irish town: 92%
Green space
10.3 ha
per 1,000 residents
Typical Irish town: 4.1 ha
Footpaths
23 km
3.5 km per km², town + 1 km
Typical Irish town: 2.1 km per km²
Protected for nature
11%
of the land within 5 km
Nearest: Lower River Shannon SAC
Character
What kind of outdoors neighbourhood is Limerick City Centre?
Read from the data: what stands out first, good and bad.
Room to roam10.3 ha of parks and playing fields per 1,000 residents, more than 82% of Irish towns.A park on every doorstep100% of residents live within 400 m of a park or playing field.Protected land nearbyLower River Shannon SAC reaches the edge of Limerick City Centre.
Limerick City Centre’s strongest suit is plenty of park space, followed by parks close to every home.
Against other towns
How Limerick City Centre compares with Irish towns
Each figure against Ireland’s 321 towns and city neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (city hubs left out): the marked bar is the town’s, the line the median. Ireland has no Outdoors Grade yet: the figures are described, each against other Irish towns, and none of them counts towards the overall grade.
A park within a walk100%of residents within 400 m (a 5-minute walk)
83out of 100
Public green space10.3 haper 1,000 residents: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces
82out of 100
Footpaths3.5 kmper km², the town and 1 km around it
62out of 100
Protected for nature11%of the land within 5 km
90out of 100
Woodland1%of the town and 1 km around it, as mapped
17out of 100
Parks, paths and woods: OpenStreetMap; residents: CSO Census 2022 Small Areas; protected sites: NPWS; sea: CSO and ONS land outlines. A 0 means nothing is mapped.
Towns its size
Limerick City Centre has the 9th most footpaths per km² of 40 towns its size
The 40 Irish towns nearest in population (2,929 to 3,970 residents), by km of footpath per km². Hover for each one’s protected land and woods; click for its page.
From Shandon (7.3 km per km²) to Charleville (0 km per km²).
Footpath, km per km²
Limerick City Centre3.5
Towns its size1.0
Co. Limerick towns2.5
Typical Irish town2.1
Green space, ha per 1,000 residents
Limerick City Centre10.3
Towns its size3.4
Co. Limerick towns4.7
Typical Irish town4.1
Residents within 400 m of a park
Limerick City Centre100%
Towns its size82%
Co. Limerick towns91%
Typical Irish town92%
Against towns its size, Limerick City Centre stands out most for path per km²: only 8 of the other 39 have more.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Paths (km/km²) | Woodland | Protected | The sea | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shandon Cork | 7.3 | 1.9% | 0.9% | – |
| 2 | Ballyfermot Dublin | 6.8 | 8.7% | 0% | – |
| 3 | Cork City Centre Cork | 6.7 | 1.5% | 1.8% | – |
| 4 | Blackpool Cork | 6.6 | 3% | 1.4% | – |
| 5 | Farranree Cork | 6 | 3% | 0.5% | – |
| 6 | Shanakiel Cork | 5.3 | 5.7% | 0.1% | – |
| 7 | Taylor's Hill Galway | 5.1 | 1.2% | 15% | 37% |
| 8 | Togher Cork | 5 | 1.5% | 0.5% | – |
| 9 | Limerick City Centre Limerick | 3.5 | 1% | 11% | – |
| 10 | Ballynanty Limerick | 2.5 | 5.7% | 12% | – |
| 11 | Rahoon Galway | 2.3 | 2.3% | 27% | 20% |
| 12 | Annacotty Limerick | 2 | 2% | 6.2% | – |
| 13 | Ballinacurra Limerick | 1.8 | 1.4% | 11% | – |
| 14 | Westbury Clare | 1.7 | 3.3% | 9.6% | – |
| 15 | Crosshaven Cork | 1.2 | 8.9% | 0.4% | 44% |
| 16 | Rathnew Wicklow | 1.2 | 1.3% | 3.9% | 17% |
| 17 | Cleaboy Waterford | 1.2 | 0% | 5.8% | – |
| 18 | Virginia Cavan | 1.1 | 18% | 0.2% | – |
| 19 | Enfield Meath | 1.1 | 3.9% | 0% | – |
| 20 | Bantry Cork | 1 | 4.4% | 0% | 18% |
| 21 | Cahir Tipperary | 1 | 7.5% | 3.4% | – |
| 22 | Castleblayney Monaghan | 1 | 3.8% | 0% | – |
| 23 | Ballina Tipperary | 0.9 | 1.8% | 4.7% | – |
| 24 | Riverstown Cork | 0.8 | 14% | 2.9% | – |
| 25 | Kilcullen Kildare | 0.8 | 5.3% | 0% | – |
| 26 | Kill Kildare | 0.8 | 2.1% | 0% | – |
| 27 | Moate Westmeath | 0.7 | 2.4% | 2.4% | – |
| 28 | Tower Cork | 0.7 | 13% | 0% | – |
| 29 | Kingscourt Cavan | 0.7 | 12% | 0% | – |
| 30 | Newtownmountkennedy Wicklow | 0.6 | 12% | 4.9% | 6.2% |
| 31 | Muinebeag (Bagenalstown) Carlow | 0.5 | 3.9% | 2.9% | – |
| 32 | Rathangan Kildare | 0.5 | 4.5% | 0% | – |
| 33 | Claremorris Mayo | 0.4 | 7.1% | 0% | – |
| 34 | Mitchelstown Cork | 0.3 | 0% | 0% | – |
| 35 | Kinnegad Westmeath | 0.3 | 4.5% | 4.5% | – |
| 36 | Bailieborough Cavan | 0.3 | 10% | 0% | – |
| 37 | Stamullen Meath | 0.3 | 1.7% | 0.5% | 12% |
| 38 | Ballinrobe Mayo | 0.3 | 0.5% | 11% | – |
| 39 | Clara Offaly | 0.2 | 6.1% | 6.4% | – |
| 40 | Charleville Cork | 0 | 0.3% | 0.2% | – |
The map
Parks, woods, footpaths & countryside
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it. The dashed line is Limerick City Centre’s neighbourhood.
Green: parks, gardens, playing fields, play spaces and woods, named or not.© OpenStreetMap contributors · NPWS · Sport Ireland · CSO
Places to walk
Parks to walk in, in and around Limerick City Centre
The biggest is Russell Park, 14 ha (35 acres).
All 4 named parks and woods by size: 20 ha (48 acres) and 4 km of path
Parks & gardens 20 ha
The two biggest, Russell Park and People's Park, are 92% of the named green space and carry 3 km of path between them.
People's Park
Park or garden
3.7 ha1.9 km of path
25 minto walk all 1.9 km of path
Centralin the middle of Limerick City Centre
Directionsto a point inside
Arthur's Quay Park
Park or garden
0.8 ha0.5 km of path
5 minto walk all 0.5 km of path
Centralin the middle of Limerick City Centre
Directionsto a point inside
Hyde Road Park
Park or garden
0.8 ha0.3 km of path
Centralin the middle of Limerick City Centre
Directionsto a point inside
Named parks, gardens, commons and woods in the town or within 400 m of it, from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); pieces of one name that touch are one place. Sizes are the whole site; directions go to a point inside.
Close to home
Everyone in Limerick City Centre lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
Each square is 1 in 100 residents: green lives within 400 m of a public park, garden or playing field (CSO Census 2022 Small Areas against OpenStreetMap).
Within 400 m (100%)Further (0%)
Limerick City Centre100%
Co. Limerick towns91%
Typical Irish town92%
Playing fields count, so a park within reach isn’t always one with paths or trees.
Protected areas
Protected sites cover 11% of the land within 5 km of Limerick City Centre
Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and Natural Heritage Areas designated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, within 5 km of the town’s edge.
Inside Limerick City Centre14%
Within 5 km11%
Co. Limerick towns9.6%
Typical Irish town1.8%
2 protected sites lie within 5 km of Limerick City Centre. Proposed Natural Heritage Areas cover 6.5% of the land within 5 km as well; many have been proposed since 1995 and aren’t counted here. Ireland’s National Parks have a block of their own on this page; much of their land also lies inside these sites.
Protected sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service designated site boundaries (CC BY 4.0), 2026; land within 5 km from CSO Small Areas and, over the border, ONS. Overlapping sites are counted once.
National Parks
Burren National Park is 41 km away
Ireland’s National Parks within 100 km, and the nearest always, by direction and distance from the town’s edge; circle size shows each park’s area.
National ParkThe 5 km around the town
National Park
Burren National Park
41 km north-west21 km²
National Park
Killarney National Park
90 km south-west104 km²
2 of Ireland’s six National Parks are within 100 km of Limerick City Centre.
National Park boundaries: National Parks and Wildlife Service, generalised to 50 m (CC BY 4.0, © Government of Ireland), 2022. Distances from the town’s outline (CSO Small Areas).
Footpaths and woods
23 km of footpaths cross Limerick City Centre
Footways that aren’t pavements, paths, bridleways, steps and tracks open on foot, and mapped woods and forest, in the town and 1 km around it, each beside the county’s and Ireland’s typical town of 2,500+.
Footpaths
23 km
over 6.6 km² of town and the 1 km around it
Woodland
1%
about 0.1 km² of mapped woods
Registered trails
1
walking trails within 5 km
Km per km², town and 1 km around · mapped on OpenStreetMap
Limerick City CentreCo. Limerick townsTypical Irish town
Footpaths3.5
02.55 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Limerick City CentreCo. Limerick townsTypical Irish town
Woodland1%
0%50%100%
Limerick City Centre has more footpath per km² than 62% of Irish towns and less woodland than 83% of Irish towns.
Footpaths and woods: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Woods are mapped cover, private and Coillte forests included.
Footpaths & trails
One waymarked trail starts near Limerick City Centre
23 km of footpaths are mapped in Limerick City Centre and the kilometre around it, 3.5 km for every square kilometre (the typical Irish town has 2.1).
Walking trail
Lough Derg Way68.9 km
For a shorter walk, the Lough Derg Way is 68.9 km, graded moderate. One cycling or paddling trail also starts within 5 km.
Trails: Sport Ireland National Trails Register (CC BY 4.0), registered trails within 5 km; footpaths: OpenStreetMap (ODbL). Coillte’s own forest trails and recreation sites aren’t included: Coillte’s terms limit its data to research or private study. Its trails on the National Trails Register are listed.
When to get out
The best walking months in Limerick City Centre: May to September
Met Éireann’s 1991–2020 averages for the town’s 1 km square and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 15 to 30 °C and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.1 | 9.8 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 15.7 | 16.8 | 16.4 | 14.7 | 12.6 | 10.5 | 8.6 | 7.6 |
| High (°C) | 9 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain (mm) | 104 | 86 | 77 | 64 | 65 | 74 | 77 | 89 | 78 | 99 | 108 | 114 |
April is the driest month (64 mm) and July the warmest (highs of 20 °C). Winter days are short, about 7.6 hours of daylight in December, and 114 mm of rain falls in December, the wettest month. The climate in Limerick City Centre →
Things to do
1 waterfall and 5 playgrounds
Mapped on OpenStreetMap in the town and 2 km around it; each count per resident beside Irish towns’ typical town of 2,500+. Beaches are on the coast’s list, from the EPA.
Every named place, with directions
Waterfalls 1
Curragower Falls0.1 km from town
DirectionsPlaygrounds 5
Plus 5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Slipways 1
Curragower Boat Club0.0 km from town
DirectionsSource: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract, October 2026. Unnamed places are counted, not listed.
Gardens & nature
A garden or nature site to visit near Limerick City Centre
Gardens, national parks, nature sites and islands within 15 km of the town’s edge, each with its own page.
Shannon Estuary WayNature site · In Limerick City Centre
Its pagePlaces to visit: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0), OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
Next door
Next to Limerick City Centre
The nearest towns of 1,000+ within 20 km, coloured by the share of the land within 5 km protected for nature.
DockProspect and Newtown PeryGalvoneFarranshoneCorbally and King's IslandGarryowenLimerick City Centre
Under 1%1–10%10–25%25–50%50%+
| Town | Near a park | Green space, ha per 1,000 | Paths (km/km²) | Protected within 5 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limerick City Centre | 100% | 10.3 | 3.5 | 11% |
| Dock 0.7 km | 100% | 5.9 | 2.5 | 12% |
| Prospect and Newtown Pery 1.0 km | 100% | 6.8 | 3.6 | 9.9% |
| Galvone 1.1 km | 100% | 4.4 | 2.9 | 8.3% |
| Farranshone 1.3 km | 100% | 5.2 | 2.8 | 11% |
| Corbally and King's Island 1.3 km | 91% | 2.2 | 3.0 | 9.5% |
| Garryowen 1.8 km | 100% | 1.4 | 3.4 | 9.6% |
None of the neighbours has many more of its people near a park than Limerick City Centre.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Green space nearby. The share of residents (CSO Small Areas, by where people live) within 400 m of a park, garden, common or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap. Mapping is uneven: a town whose parks nobody has mapped looks greyer than it is.
- Protected areas. Land in a Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area or Natural Heritage Area within 5 km, overlaps counted once. Protected for nature doesn’t always mean open to walkers.
- Footpaths and hiking routes. Footways that aren’t pavements, paths, bridleways, steps and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it, from OpenStreetMap. Trails are the registered ones within 5 km; a trail often follows mapped paths, so the two aren’t added.
- Woodland. Woods and forest as OpenStreetMap maps them, private and Coillte forests included: mapped cover, not access.
- No grade yet. Ireland’s grades don’t include the outdoors yet: these figures describe the town and stand beside the median Irish town.
Questions about the outdoors in Limerick City Centre
What is the biggest park in Limerick City Centre?
Russell Park, 14 ha (35 acres), just outside the built-up area. People's Park (3.7 ha) is second. 4 named parks, gardens and playing fields are in the neighbourhood or within 400 m of it.
Is there protected countryside near Limerick City Centre?
Yes: 11% of the land within 5 km is protected, across 2 sites. Lower River Shannon SAC reaches Limerick City Centre.
What are the best walks near Limerick City Centre?
One waymarked trail starts within 5 km: the Lough Derg Way.
How many people in Limerick City Centre live near a park?
100% of residents live within 400 m, about a 5-minute walk, of a park or playing field; in the typical Irish town it is 92%.
When is the best time of year for walking in Limerick City Centre?
On the town’s 1991–2020 averages and its daylight: May to September, when days are long, highs reach 15 °C and rain is light for the place.
Is Limerick City Centre near a National Park?
The nearest of Ireland’s six National Parks is Burren National Park, 41 km north-west of the town’s edge; it covers about 21 km². One more is within 100 km.
What is there to do outdoors around Limerick City Centre?
Within 2 km, OpenStreetMap maps 1 waterfall; the named ones are listed under Things to do, with directions.
Sources
Where Limerick City Centre’s outdoors figures come from
- Parks, woods and paths. OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL): parks, woods and footpaths, Geofabrik extract, October 2026
- Protected sites. National Parks and Wildlife Service: designated sites (SAC, SPA, NHA), 2026
- Trails. Sport Ireland: National Trails Register, 2026
- Residents. CSO: Census 2022 Small Areas (residents)
- National Parks. National Parks and Wildlife Service: National Park boundaries, generalised to 50 m (CC BY 4.0), 2022
- Things to do. OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL): viewpoints, hills, waterfalls, nature reserves, picnic sites, playgrounds, campsites and waymarked walks, Geofabrik extract, October 2026
- Weather. Met Éireann: 1991–2020 averages (Copyright Met Éireann)
Protected sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service (CC BY 4.0). Trails: Sport Ireland National Trails Register (CC BY 4.0). Bathing water: EPA (CC BY 4.0). Parks, woods and paths: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Not on this page yet: Coillte’s forest trails (its terms) and bike routes.
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).