Seventeen-year-old Cathal O'Connor from Crecora is the youngest Street Ambassador on this year's team and he is looking forward to emulating the success of his colleagues who gave directions and tourist information to over 18,000 people from 64 countries last year.

"I like Limerick city and I know a lot about the history," Cathal explained as he prepared for his first day on the job. "I like the idea of walking around talking to people. It's an exciting job. You are outside all the time, in the sun hopefully."

During an intensive three day training course, Cathal learned local history, first aid, communications skills and basic phrases in four languages - French, Spanish, German and Italian.

The Crescent College Comprehensive student will walk three differnt routes every day giving advice and help to tourist and locals.

"My friends thought it would be an interesting job for the summer because I'm not stuck inside in an office or a shop," he said.

The pioneering project has been so successful that Dublin City is setting up a similar programme after a survey by Limerick Co-ordination Office found tourists thought the programme should be copied by every other Irish city.

The Limerick Street Ambassador programme was a pilot project funded by an EU programme that has now ended.

This year it is being run with funding from Shannon Development and the private sector in Limerick.

The 2008 Street Ambassador programme started this Monday and will run for 10 weeks until September.