Women's museum planned to replace International Rugby Experience in Limerick

The six-storey building on O’Connell St, Limerick, has been donated to the State by billionaire businessman JP McManus

The former International Rugby Experience building has been donated to the State by JP McManus. File Picture: Nick Kane

Plans are in train to establish a women’s museum in Limerick City after the donation of the former International Rugby Experience building to the State by billionaire businessman JP McManus.

Culture minister Patrick O’Donovan will on Tuesday update Cabinet on the donation of the building to the State by Mr McManus, with the minister to propose its use as a new branch of the National Museum of Ireland.

The six-storey building on O’Connell St, Limerick, is being proposed as a dedicated women’s museum, focused on telling the stories of Irish women. It is expected to place particular emphasis on voices that have not previously been recognised or represented.

It is understood Mr O’Donovan believes the gifted building would provide an “unparalleled opportunity to expand the reach of the national cultural institutions beyond Dublin”. 

Currently, there is only one NCI outside of Dublin — the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork.

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The proposal is not yet finalised, with the Government first required to review the legal, financial, and planning details. No funding is being sought at present to progress the project.

“If it goes ahead, this would be a major cultural development for Limerick and the Mid-West, helping to bring more balance to where national cultural institutions are located and giving women’s history a permanent home,” said a government source.

Women's stories

The donation of the building is not expected to require payment of either stamp duty or capital acquisitions tax, it is understood.

Engagements are ongoing with the chair, board, and management of the National Museum of Ireland to ensure the project can be properly resourced.

The plan comes following a recommendation by the Oireachtas advisory committee on women’s stories, which called for the Government to develop a permanent, bricks-and-mortar women’s museum in October 2025.

A total of 31 recommendations were made by the advisory committee, with sources saying Mr O’Donovan is committed to their implementation.

The International Rugby Experience was opened in May 2023, but closed its doors just 19 months later in December 2024. It had been set up through a €30m gift from the JP McManus Foundation.

Ahead of its closure, Mr McManus sought to donate the International Rugby Experience to Limerick City and County Council — but the offer was turned down.