Limerick's Changing Face

THE SNIPERS have been having a field day. Over the course of another long and sorry summer, Limerick has seen its bad name dragged down once more. And with a less-than dazzling reputation at the best of times, the place really could have done without it . . .

So with guide book authors and restaurant critics combining to mount a Pincer-movement attack on the city, there's been much soul-searching in the Mid West.

The initial criticisms in the Let's Go guide and from Helen Lucy Burke couldn't have come at a worse time. A couple of murders and a spate of violent attacks spread over a couple of weeks in June offered the national news editors ample reason to commission snide profiles and jokey features. Stab City was writ large again.

The resulting volley of criticism combined happily with the efforts of Ms Burke and the Let's Go guide to send Limerick's natives scurrying for cover.

At this stage, we're kind of used to it. Filling newspapers in the dead months of July and August can be a tricky business and Nasty Old Limerick seems to have become the sturdy perennial among silly season space-fillers.

But why us?

There are many theories doing the rounds as to why Limerick has become the nation's whipping boy. One of the more popular schools of thought suggests that Limerick has retained something of a siege mentality since coming under infamous attack from the forces of Cromwell in the 1600s. The city's violent history, the theory runs, has resulted in the locals cultivating a suspicious, introverted nature. However this is an explanation which can probably be dismissed as a little forced.

No, the real source of Limerick's negative image can realistically be traced back to the early 1980s. Once again, it was a number of violent incidents jammed into a short space of time that fuelled the flames of criticism.

The national newspapers felt it was a happy coincidence that Limerick TD Michael Noonan was Minister for Justice at the time. Such heinous activity in the top lawman's own backyard had the angle-hungry feature writers rubbing their hands with unabashed glee.

Statistically, it's totally undeserved. The records show that in recent times, there have been fewer violent attacks in Limerick per head of population than in Dublin, Cork or even Longford-Westmeath.

A lot of the other slagging aimed at Limerick is equally without foundation. As a small example, one of the main gripes Helen Lucy Burke had with the city was the fact that there was piss on the toilet floor of the train coming in from Limerick Junction - which is in Co. Tipperary. As one local paper pointed out, it becomes laughable when we're even held accountable for imprecise manoeuvrings on high-speed locomotives!

The injustice of all this, however, has finally become too much for the Limerick establishment.

A series of meetings aimed at tackling the city's image problem have just begun and main movers Shannon Development are seeking suggestions from all and sundry.

Interestingly, music seems to be one of the main planks in Limerick's effort to build a bridge towards social respectability. There has been much talk of fostering the city as a cradle of musical talent and to this end, the Showcase '93 festival in May enjoyed no little success with healthy crowds attending a range of spirited performances from fledgling stars in the local pubs and clubs.

To give weight to the city's growing musical rep, local acts have also been generating some real success of late. The Cranberries have just reached the lofty peaks of the US Billboard Top 100 with their debut long-player and are currently co-headlining with Suede on a tour of the East Coast cities.

It will, of course, take more than success in the Hit Parade to revamp the city's image. The Shannon Development think tank is toying around with various notions, including the possibility of appointing a PR person for the city, and hopefully, their efforts will yield some tangible results.

There is a danger inherent here, however, and that is that the city cannot afford to focus too much on denying the negative. The task now is to accentuate the positive.

This Hot Press feature aims to take a step in that direction . . .

WALK WITH ME

DESPITE the bad publicity it tends to get nationally, Limerick has reported a steady increase in tourist figures this summer. Traditionally, visitors would stop off for just the one night before heading out towards the exotic delights of the Ring of Kerry.

These days, however, the tourists are increasingly staying around the city for more than a mere fleeting glimpse. Most people put this down to Limerick's steadily improving reputation as a shopping, boozing and clubbing mecca. So what's on offer?

Come with me, gentle reader, on a short stroll around some of the attractions of downtown Limerick . . .

• Black Spot Records on Wickham Street continues to provide an oasis of sanity for all us vinyl-junkies bewildered by the ongoing disappearance of black plastic from the major stores. Black Spot makes a fair attempt at being all things to all people, with a wide range of records, CDs, tapes and videos in stock that cover everything from rock and pop to thrash and metal, from dance and reggae to classical and trad. Or whatever you're having yourself.

Big sellers at the moment are Therapy?, The Levellers and the Smashing Pumpkins, while the store's much sought-after dance imports are also shifting in a decidedly swift fashion. There's also a comprehensive range of t-shirts and merchandise for the discerning punter and, of course, the famed Black Spot oldie-bins, treasure troves of vinyl history at pocket money prices. Well worth a browse.

• "My decision to surgically remodel my genitals was deliberate, of deep satisfaction to me, sexually adventurous and highly exciting. My full erections now come in two separate halves!" So says Carl Carroll, a gentleman from Western Australia. His comments, complete with photographic evidence, are contained in the RE:Search book, Modern Primitives, among many of the excellent finds you might make in the new Limerick branch of Forbidden Planet.

The comics and book store does, of course, offer much of interest to people who are not just interested in scarification of a sexual nature. On the comics front, all the major US lines are stocked, with an extremely comprehensive range of DC and Marvel titles. Current best sellers include X-Men, Wolverine and Punisher. Always popular too are the Freak Brothers stoned offerings and the absurdly excellent 8-ball comics. Best of all, in my humble opinion, are the unreasonably brilliant Love And Rocket titles. Achingly beautiful artwork and dialogue to die for.

On the books side, a good stock of science fiction and fantasy titles are carried with a little horror thrown in for good measure. You've also got a huge range of Star Trek books, videos and merchandise to wade through (hugely popular with the locals) and there's some extremely interesting US underground magazines. And there's more. Manga videos, graphic novels, fanzines, they've got it.

Manager Desmond Beattie is thrilled with the reaction in Limerick and says the city's geographic location was the reason it was chosen as the site for Forbidden Planet's second Irish store. "We've got people travelling from Cork and Galway in carloads. It's been phenomenal!" Forbidden Planet is in the basement of The Gap on Patrick Street. You may never be the same again . . .

• So it's drink ye're after! Right then, ya divils, let's see what we can do to quench them burning thirsts and soothe those arid throats. Nancy Blake's in Denmark Street is as good a place as any to begin. In a sense, Nancy's could be described as a three-dimensional boozer. The old bar and lounge at the front are traditional in the best sense of the word with a raucous, earthy vibe, a friendly crowd and some sprightly musicians often on hand to add some spice. Then there's the majestic courtyard and a finer place to enjoy an open-air pint you won't find. The ideal spot for some summertime supping. Finally, out the back, you'll find, of all things, The Outback. A snazzy little number, it's always lively with some excellent music and a serious party buzz. Elbow room is at a premium here.

Moving on, other recommended watering holes include Quinn's on Ellen Street, where students romp happily with business folk and trad musos, and Tom Collins' on Cecil Street, an elegant, old-style bar with a colourful crowd. McKnight's on Thomas Street is another good bet, two floors of well-appointed drinking space and a nifty little nightclub in the basement to boot. The natives are friendly. The McKnight's gang have also opened a second bar in the city, punningly-titled McDay's, which is situated on Denmark Street and worth a gawk. Buddies in Foxes Bow needs little introduction. Famed for its far-out regulars and corking music policy, it has to merit inclusion on any recommended list. Other bars worth a mention include Souths on O'Connell Avenue, gorgeous decor, and The Locke on George's Quay.

• NIGHTCLUBS in the city worth a look include Shoom, mellow groove at the Savoy on Thursdays; Fusion at McKnights, solid dance action; Rory's on Thomas Street, commercial dance and disco and The Termight Club at the Savoy on Fridays and Saturdays, a mixture of indie and dance favourites.

MEGA ATTRACTION

FOCUSSING ON matters aural (and a lot more besides!) the newly-opened HMV store on Cruises Street has been greeted with a hearty welcome from the Limerick public. A comprehensive back catalogue is one of the big attractions here and manager Martin Williamson reports that the locals are feverishly stocking up on CDs of old favourites that weren't available around these parts before. The video section is also off to a flyer with a solid range of feature films, sports specials and documentaries relieving many happy Shannon-side customers of (at least some of) their disposable income. Also highly popular is the computer games section with Sega and Nintendo titles battling it out for the top spot with the console generation.

HMV's Limerick store is a thoughtfully-designed, two-storey effort in a prime location and their move to the city already looks like a major success story. Martin Williamson, a Corkonian by accident of birth, is more than pleased with the way things are going. "We're happy with the initial impact. Things have taken off extremely well," he says.

And what are his own impressions of Limerick so far? "I must say I've really enjoyed the move here. I can't believe some of the things people write about this city, it's totally unjustified." Amen to that.

OFF THE WALLS

IT HAS been with some trepidation that the people of Limerick have learned that the city fathers plan another year-long festival. Limerick 800, in 1997, will mark 800 years of the city getting to charter. The last shindig, Treaty 300, was held just two years ago. "Limerick Is Fun In '91!" ran the official jingle. Will Limerick be Heaven in '97? The slagging could be only brutal!

LIMERICK FC find themselves in a familiar position at the start of the season. They have shag-all money, manager Noel King has departed his throne and the club is trying to scrape together the pennies to assemble a full squad. Fiscal difficulty is nothing new to Limerick's senior soccer team. Back in the Limerick United days in the early '80s, the trainer was dashing onto the pitch at the Market's Field to treat an injured player when he stumbled into a hole in the ground behind one of the goals. The hole contained a bag of money. Stranger than fiction.

THE ABBEY'S "Hamlet Project" production, featuring nude scenes, was recently staged in a remote part of Co. Limerick. At the first sight of full frontal nudity, one local woman, a well known anti-abortion campaigner, strutted up on to the stage and demanded her money back from the leading man! She informed the stunned audience and cast that she hadn't paid to see filth . . .

HOVERCRAFT is now one of the favoured modes of transport in Limerick, with a regular service operating out the river to Shannon Airport. This rather cosmopolitan development ties in nicely with plans in the city to make more of the river and canals.

Local councillors, over-ambitious to the last, have been mouthing feverishly about developing Limerick as a south of Ireland Venice! (Gay Mitchell hasn't moved to Limerick, has he? - Ed). There's talk of marinas and other aquatic innovations and various submissions are winging their way to the good ole EC.

If Fritz - or should that be Pee? - does sign the cheque, who knows? Stranger things have happened at sea.

THE SILLY season is perhaps primarily responsible for the drubbing Limerick has received in the national media. But the local media can equally be guilty of filling the columns and airwaves with seasonal nonsense.

Three summers ago, during the Italia '90 campaign, local TD Willie O'Dea, now a Junior Minister, appeared on Radio Limerick's teatime news bulletin demanding that Jimmy Magee be given more commentating duties on RTE's World Cup coverage.

"George Hamilton is fine," said the Fianna Failer "but surely Jimmy is more in tune with the Irish people."

Or words to that effect . . .