International Rugby Experience opens in Limerick

The country's newest interactive visitor experience, the International Rugby Experience based in the heart of Limerick city, regarded as one of the country's most passionate rugby locations, has officially opened.

The iconic six-storey red brick building features a state-of-the-art digitally interactive experience where young people and families can experience how to play the game, improve their skills, score a try, visit a legends gallery, and follow the stories and history of the game from grassroots to clubs, to the nation's historic wins.

The museum offering has been inspired by World Rugby's values of passion, discipline, integrity, solidarity and respect, in which visitors will hear the stories, feel the passion and test their own skills as they move through the building.

It uses leading, custom-made, real-time software coupled with the expert knowledge of Jock Peggie, Head of Education, Laws and Compliance at World Rugby, to deliver an interactive experience designed to be an authentic and exciting reflection of the game, with visitors having hands-on fun each step of the way.

The construction of the museum has been made possible by a €30m donation from the JP McManus charitable foundation.

The museum was due to open last autumn, but Covid-19 public health restrictions slowed down construction.

However, despite these setbacks, the museum is now ready to open to the public.

The ambition is that the newest museum and visitor attraction will help to revive the area and will bring tourists back into Limerick city centre building on its leisure tourist offering, particularly for families.

Estimates are that it will attract over 100,000 visitors, building on those who visit to see the historic King John's Castle, the Hunt