This past week in Limerick: Darkness, light and everything in between

THIS PAST week in Limerick has unfolded like a microcosm of urban life in 2025 - vibrant, painful, hopeful, and, at times, disturbing.

It’s been a week of contradictions, where moments of celebration have rubbed shoulders with grim reminders of the challenges we still face.

Last Wednesday, this writer came upon a shocking and unsettling scene on Catherine Street. A shop manager was allegedly assaulted in a vile manner - bitten, spat on, and subjected to a terrifying claim of HIV exposure.

The image of the usually cheerful shopkeeper being treated by ambulance staff under the store’s canopy is a stark reminder of the frightening role that retail staff increasingly find themselves in and the unpredictable behaviour of some people in public spaces.

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Less than 24 hours later, another troubling report landed -  this time, of a rat infestation inside a concrete planter on O’Connell Street that doubles as a seat. This news broke just three hours after great fanfare for the unveiling of a €5 million refurbishment of Penneys - just down the street.

While we rightfully celebrated a major investment in local retail, signalling hope and confidence in Limerick’s future, the image of vermin so close by was a potent reminder of the work and maintenance that has to be done to ensure our public spaces are kept clean for locals and visitors.

Then came Friday. A sunny, bright morning that should have brought nothing but good spirits delivered the most tragic headline of the week: the suspicious death of pensioner Michael Hayes in the Watergate area. A man has since been charged with murder. It was a sobering moment for the city, particularly for those who knew Mr Hayes.

But Limerick, being the resilient city it is, showed its other face 24 hours later. 

Saturday brought a joyous and inclusive Pride parade that lit up our streets with colour, solidarity, and love.

On the same day, our senior footballers brought the pride of Limerick to Croke Park. While the result didn’t go our way, the performance and heart of the team gave us plenty to cheer about.

Later that evening, fans of The Script sang to their hearts' content in the summer sunshine at Thomond Park - just like the thousands who travelled to the city on Friday and Sunday night for The Wolfe Tones in concert.

At the Limerick Leader / Limerick Live, we are committed to reflecting the full picture - the triumphs and the trials. We don’t flinch from the uncomfortable truths. 

As the voice of this city and county, the Limerick Leader will always reflect both sides. The beauty and the brokenness. The celebration and the challenge. Because that, truly, is Limerick.