JP McManus to meet councillors over ‘criminal’ closure of €30m Limerick rugby experience

The €30m attraction closed in December 2024, sparking job losses and debate over its operating costs

JP McManus had offered the €30m building and €1.2m in additional funding last year to Limerick City and County Council. File photo

JP McManus will meet with Limerick councillors to discuss the future of the International Rugby Experience (IRE), which is currently lying idle, "like so many other homes and businesses.” 

The attraction, which welcomed 60,000 visitors in the 12 months it was open, closed in December 2024, resulting in the loss of 50 jobs.

Mr McManus had offered the €30m building and an additional €1.2m in funding last year to Limerick City and County Council — a gesture refused by the council due to concerns about the operational costs of running the attraction.

He is set to address councillors at a private meeting in Dooradoyle this Thursday at 12pm.

The Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, has said he is unable to attend due to prior commitments.

Mr Moran said: “While I cannot attend myself, I do believe it will be very helpful for JP (McManus) to meet with other councillors for everyone to share both hopes and concerns and engage in further open and constructive dialogue. I, myself, had a recent meeting with him and others of his family and team accompanied by senior officials of the Council.” 

Mr Moran said “it goes without saying” that everyone wants to find a sustainable solution to secure the building’s future and accept Mr McManus’s gift

“Hopefully, this spirit of collaboration and transparency will help find a potential solution,” he said.

Mr Moran had previously expressed a desire to resolve the museum’s closure and had offered €300,000 from his mayoral fund (€100,000 per year) — an offer that was rejected by the IRE.

Local councillor Elisa O’Donovan, who will attend the meeting, said the situation has been “handled very poorly.”

“There appears to have been enormous misinformation spread about the viability and cost of running the building,” she told the Irish Examiner.

“Limerick councillors were not made aware or informed of this gifting until a decision was already made to accept the gift. At the time of the closure, my main focus was on the excellent staff there that lost their jobs.

“We are crying out for community and public meeting spaces in Limerick City and I think as a councillor for this area, I have a duty to do all I can to ensure we can use this building for our vibrant and wonderful city community. Seeing it lying derelict like so many other homes, businesses, and buildings really is criminal,” she said.