Irish Dominicans abandon a booming place

Last Friday the State-sponsored Land Development Agency outlined plans for the development of a €2 billion project in Limerick.

The LDA has signed a memorandum of understanding with Limerick City and County Council, the HSE and CIE to create a master plan for the brownfield site located at Colbert rail station.

The 50 hectare site has capacity for 10,000 homes.

LDA chairman and former Department of Finance general secretary John Moran said: "Healthy living without car dependency can now become a reality for thousands of new residents in Limerick."

Mr Moran spoke on RTE's Morning Ireland on Friday and was most enthusiasic about the project.

The Irish Dominicans have a fine property within a five-minute walking distance of this development.

What do they do? In 2016 they handed the house over to a group of Dominican sisters from the United States.

Limerick is a university city and the Irish Dominicans walked away from the city. Also present in the city is Mary Immaculate College.

A bad move on the part of the management team of the Irish Dominicans. A terrible pity and a shame too.

The property is still owned by the Irish Dominican province.

Sense may prevail and they will see the importance of their presence in the city and return to the priory. 

Irish Dominicans first founded a priory in Limerick in 1227.