Editing Limerick (section)

===Ancient and medieval history===
{{lang|ga|Luimneach}} originally referred to the general area along the banks of the [[Shannon Estuary]] known as {{lang|ga|Loch Luimnigh}}. The earliest settlement in the city, {{lang|ga|Inis Sibhtonn}}, was the original name for King's Island during the pre-Viking and Viking eras. This island was also called {{lang|ga|Inis an Ghaill Duibh}}, 'The Dark Foreigner's Island'. The name is recorded in [[Viking]] sources as {{lang|non|Hlymrekr}}.

The city dates from 812; however, history suggests the presence of earlier settlements in the area surrounding King's Island, the island at the historical city centre. Antiquity's map-maker, [[Ptolemy]], produced in 150 AD the earliest map of Ireland, showing a place called {{lang|la|Regia}} at the same site as King's Island. History also records an important battle involving [[Cormac mac Airt]] in 221 and a visit by [[Saint Patrick]] in 434 to baptise an [[Dál gCais]] king, Carthann Finn. [[Saint Munchin]], the first bishop of Limerick died in 652, indicating the settlement was a place of some note then. In 812 the Vikings sailed up the Shannon and pillaged the city, burned [[Mungret Abbey]] but were forced to flee when the Irish attacked and killed many of their number.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0YY2AAAAMAAJ|title=The History of Limerick|author=John Ferrar|publisher=A. Watson & Company|year=1787|page=4|access-date=14 June 2020|archive-date=26 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626061528/https://books.google.com/books?id=0YY2AAAAMAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> The Normans redesigned the city in the 12th century and added much of the most notable architecture, such as [[King John's Castle (Limerick)|King John's Castle]] and [[St. Mary's Cathedral, Limerick|St Mary's Cathedral]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Hodkinson|first=Brian|year=2002|title=The Topography of Pre-Norman Limerick|journal=North Munster Antiquarian Journal|volume=42|pages=1–6}}</ref>

In early medieval times Limerick was at the centre of the [[Kingdom of Thomond]] which corresponds to the present day County Clare, the Kingdom also included North [[County Kerry|Kerry]] and parts of South [[County Offaly|Offaly]]. One of the kingdom's most notable kings was [[Brian Boru]], ancestor of the O'Brien Clan of Dalcassians. The word Thomond is synonymous with the region and is retained in place names such as [[Thomondgate]], [[Thomond Bridge]] and [[Thomond Park]].