The Irish Times

Bloody feuding between rival gangs has done no good for Limerick's reputation in recent years, earning it a notorious nickname and overshadowing a quite remarkable transformation of its physical fabric, at least in the city centre. Little-known facts about the Limerick area include the statistic that it is the wealthiest part of Ireland outside the Greater Dublin Area. However, many of its better-off residents live not in the city but in Co Limerick and Co Clare, a phenomenon that is replicated in Cork by those who prefer to be "county people". Limerick's city boundary, last changed in 1950, no longer reflects the extent of its suburbs. Castletroy and Dooradoyle lie just outside it in Co Limerick while Caherdavin and Parteen are in Co Clare. Even part of Limerick City Council's Moyross housing estate is located in the Banner County. Against the objections of Limerick County Council, the draft city plan - due to be adopted by November 26th - describes the boundary as "artificially tight" and says the city council will pursue a major extension in order to develop a coherent strategy for the whole city, which it calls "Greater Limerick".