Prayer for the counties of Ireland
County Limerick
Located in the province of Munster, part of the Mid-West Region. It is named after the city of Limerick. Population: 194,899 (2016) of whom 94,192 lived in Limerick City, the county capital.
Nickname: The Treaty County. Motto: "Remember Limerick"
One possible meaning for the county's name in Irish Luimneach is "the flat area"; this description is accurate as the land consists mostly of a fertile limestone plain. The county is ringed by mountains.
St. Patrick brought Christianity to Limerick area in the 5th Century. The adoption of Christianity resulted in the establishment of important monasteries in Limerick, at Ardpatrick, Mungret and Kileedy.
Various wars, treaties and one broken treaty in subsequent centuries made their mark on both the county and city of Limerick:
After the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Limerick city was taken in a siege by Catholic general Garret Barry in 1642. It became a battleground during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649–53. The invasion of the forces of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s included a twelve-month siege of the city by Cromwell's New Model Army led by Henry Ireton. The city finally surrendered in October 1651.
During the Williamite War in Ireland (1689–1691) the city was to endure two further sieges, one in 1690 and another in 1691.
The Catholic Irish, comprising the vast majority of the population, had eagerly supported the Jacobite cause, however, the second siege of Limerick resulted in a defeat to the Williamites.
Sarsfield managed to force the Williamites to sign the Treaty of Limerick, the terms of which were satisfactory to the Irish. It included an agreement under which thousands of Irish soldiers went into exile in France, later known as the "Flight of the Wild Geese".
However, the Treaty was subsequently dishonoured by the English and the city became known as the City of the Broken Treaty.
The 18th and 19th centuries saw a long period of persecution against the Catholic majority, many of whom lived in poverty.
The Great Famine of the 1840s set in motion mass emigration and a huge decline in Irish as a spoken language in the county.
Around the beginning of the 20th century, as changes in law from the British Government enabled the farmers of the county to purchase lands they had previously only held as tenants, paying high rent to absentee landlords.
Limerick saw much fighting during the War of Independence of 1919 to 1921 particularly in the east of the county. The subsequent Irish Civil War saw bitter fighting between the newly established Irish Free State soldiers and IRA "Irregulars", especially in the city.
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Limerick)
Let us “Remember Limerick” in prayer this month!
Some prayer points from pastors of different churches in Limerick City:
· Pray for St Patrick’s Day Limerick outreach in March this year. It’s an exciting collaboration of three Limerick churches with Crown Jesus Ministries. Pray for much fruit from the outreach which included a big presence on the day of the parade with testimonies, dancers, live music, conversation and giveaways, as well as the distribution of 35,000 St Patrick’s Hope pamphlets to homes in the city, and resources into local schools. (see stpatrickshope.ie for more information)
· Thank God for the fact that for over ten years the gangland problem that led to Limerick City being nicknamed 'Stab City' has been resolved.
· Thank God that the evangelical church leaders meet together each month. The Church Leaders network made up of church leaders from Limerick. Shannon and north Kerry.
· Thank God for the growth in student numbers and employment. The increase in population is blessing the churches.
· Pray for the escalating drug problem in Limerick City.
· Pray about the issue of suicide. Everyone knows what is meant when someone is said to have gone into the river.
· Pray for Serian Ministry's work with the homeless.
· Pray for Christians across the Shannon Region; that believers would intensify their relationship with God through the presence of The Holy Spirit, and that they’d fall in love with their Heavenly Father and His Word. 2 Thes 1:11-12 and 2 Thess 3:1
photos *unsplash