My Limerick with Dr Rose Anne White, curator, People's Museum of Limerick

What's your idea of a perfect day, or a perfect weekend in Limerick?

A morning spent going through the wonderful collections of artefacts related to Limerick's history that people have donated to Limerick Civic Trust for the new People's Museum of Limerick, followed by a packed lunch in a sunny People's Park right across the road, before an afternoon spent putting together an exhibition with the team in the museum building at No. 2 Pery Square. An ideal day would end with sushi for dinner at Taikichi, and a play at the Belltable.

What’s your first Limerick memory?

Learning to swim in the river under the footbridge in Castleconnell. My grandfather was stationed in Castleconnell during the Emergency, and while he was working on building that bridge, he met a local girl and ended up staying!

What’s your favourite local walk or view?

I love strolling around King's Island with friends and family - there is so much history packed into the web of streets there. From listening to a lunchtime concert in St Mary's Cathedral to climbing towers and turrets with my two small boys in King John's Castle, or taking a walking tour from The Bishop's Palace if I have visitors staying. Another favourite spot in King's Island is Fanning's Castle, the ruins of the last remaining of the fortified townhouses that once formed the streets of a very different Limerick, which is fascinating to imagine.  

What do you think gives Limerick its unique identity?

It's true that Limerick is unique, and nowhere more so than in her streets. The tall townhouses and blocks that were planned by engineers from Italy and Ireland, and commissioned by tradespeople and merchants, have a very different flavour to other Georgian cities. They are the product of mixing entrepreneurship with hard work and ideas from abroad, and make for an eclectic and really interesting town.

Favourite local restaurant?

It was the Underdog on Thomas St before it closed recently! It is a real loss to the city to not have a dedicated veggie café, especially with the Old Fire Station café closing around the same time. I hope that another opens soon. In the meantime, chips from Donkey Ford's are always amazing!  

How would you describe the people of Limerick?

Curious about its past, and ambitious for its future! There's been an enormous swell of goodwill and support for our experiment here in No 2 Pery Square. We're looking forward to opening the museum later in the summer, and telling some interesting stories about Limerick and its people.

How important do you think sports and the arts are to Limerick?

Limerick has a rich tradition of culture and it’s one of the things I want to bring to life in the People’s Museum over the next few years. One of our opening exhibitions is about Limerick's sporting heritage, and sport has found itself in the middle of wider political and social changes in the city at different times. The arts are critical to our city's past and future: they allow us to tell our stories, reflect on their meaning, and look at life afresh. We are looking forward to hosting artists of every type in No. 2 Pery Square - from painters to musicians to theatrical performances.

If you could add one amenity to Limerick, what would it be?

There are no statues of real women in Limerick whatsoever. Not a single one (there are two of figurative women), even though there are so many extraordinary women who came from Limerick. We should be using our civic space to commemorate and celebrate the contributions of women like Kate O'Brien, Kathleen Clarke, Dolores O'Riordan, Catherine Hayes, Lola Montez, Dodo Reddan, Mary O'Donovan, or Mary Heath. Our young girls need to see themselves reflected in who is celebrated by the city.  

What’s the biggest challenge facing the city and county today?

Limerick has wonderful built heritage, which it struggles to maintain. The historic buildings which make up the fabric of our city are often difficult and complicated for people to buy or conserve. Schemes addressing this seem to be few and far between, and the result is a town centre that is empty after six o'clock in the evening. I would like to see joined-up communication between the different lists that deal with derelict housing, vacant housing, protected structures, and the inventory of architectural heritage. Wouldn't it be marvellous to see more families living in our beautiful townhouses?