Limerick soundscape records highs and lows of city life

The gurgling Shannon, raucous terrace cheers from Thomond Park, rugby banter in Reddan’s pub, a cheery Saturday morning at the Milk Market, and the pealing bells from The Fathers spire loft on a Sunday morning, all form some of the ingredients of a unique study of everyday life in Limerick.

Academics at University of Limerick, Mary Immaculate College, and Limerick School of Art and Design, have come together in a research project to launch a new interactive soundmap of the city, where the sounds of the life in the city will be recorded, uploaded and archived for easy online access.

Their website — limericksoundscapes.ie — is an online collection of sound, music, speech and song from all over the city. Contributions have been, and will be, made by volunteer recordists from all walks of life, capturing their sonic experience of the city. The archive will be of considerable value to educators, artists, researchers, tourists, and of course, to the people of Limerick themselves.