Mayor still open to talks over former International Rugby Experience building in Limerick
Attraction closed in December with loss of jobs
MAYOR John Moran has said he remains open to talks to get some activity into a landmark building in the city centre which closed at Christmas.
The International Rugby Experience ceased trading on December 23, with the loss of around 50 jobs.
It came after talks broke down between the McManus family and Limerick City and County Council with regards to the donation of the facility to the local authority.
After the announcement was made in late October, Mayor Moran said he was willing to dig into his mayoral fund to the tune of €100,000-a-year for three years.
This would be in order to ensure the facility was open at the same time as the Ryder Cup, which takes place in Adare in two years’ time.
This came to nothing, and the doors closed.
At a meeting on his funding allocations, Mayor Moran said since Christmas, only one person had approached him informally to find out about the current status of the building in O’Connell Street.
“I think everyone in Limerick is of the same view - we all want to see that building come back to life,” he said.
“We did try and make it clear to the people who control the building, we are more than happy to have more conversations.”
He remains hopeful a resolution can be found.
“I’d remain confident if we can all sit down, we can find a way.
“There has got be a good use for that building,” Mayor Moran added.
The International Rugby Experience was opened in a blaze of glory back in May 2023 with a number of international rugby stars present.
The attraction was supported by rugby legends Keith Wood and Paul O’Connell, the latter chairing the board for the project.
In April 2024, however, Mr McManus attempted to donate the site to the local authority, alongside a gift of €1.2m.
Prior to its opening, planning consultants projected the attraction would bring 145,000 annual visitors in the space of a decade - starting from a base level of 100,000 a year.
But the actual visitor figures were significantly less.