Council closes after 800 years

Limerick City Council, one of the oldest local authorities in Ireland and Britain, having first met in 1197, sat for the final time yesterday.

Limerick’s city and county councils are being merged into one local authority from June after the local elections on May 23.

Among the guests at yesterday’s meeting were former Progressive Democrat leader Des O’Malley, who was elected to the city council in 1974, and former city mayors Gus O’Driscoll and Frank Prendergast.