WATCH 2025 was a year of community, compassion, and social enterprise for I Love Limerick

2025 was a year of community, compassion, and social enterprise for I Love Limerick

I Love Limerick reflects on a year rooted in social enterprise, voluntary work, and giving communities across Limerick a voice

I Love Limerick is wishing everyone across the city and county a Happy New Year, and as 2025 draws to a close it is the perfect time to reflect on a successful 2025 as a social enterprise operating through a ‘pay-it-forward’ model with voluntary work, connection, and giving our communities and charities a voice this year.

Thanks to your continued support, I Love Limerick has been able to offer free support throughout 2025 to charities, organisations, community groups, and individuals who are making Limerick and beyond the best it can be!

Early in the year, our coverage helped highlight challenges faced in communities within the city and county, including the challenges faced by Ukrainian refugees and their pets when 54 Ukrainian refugees living in Limerick were given 48 hours’ notice to move to new accommodation and were informed they would not be able to accommodate their pets in their new home.

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Other campaigns early in the year saw I Love Limerick attend the Justice for Joe Drennan protest in Limerick City, which aimed to put pressure on the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to appeal the sentence given to the man responsible for the journalism student’s death in a hit-and-run incident in 2023.

Richard Lynch spoke with Joe’s parents, Tim and Marguerite, who called for changes to be made to sentencing in Ireland, saying, “The law needs to be changed, and that’s just final.”

Other causes covered early in the year saw local festivals such as ‘All We Have Are Days’, the St Patrick’s Day Festival, and the International Band Championship, as well as promoting local clubs such as the Shannon Rowing Club fundraiser which saw World champion rower Kenny McDonald trade his oars for the runway as he made his debut on the catwalk at the Shannon Rowing Club Fashion Show in February at The Strand Hotel.

Many achievements were celebrated in spring, including the launch of Sarah Corbett Lynch‘s memoir, ‘A Time For Truth’, which tells the story of the young Limerick woman’s journey trying to find justice for her father, Jason Corbett. Spring also brought more stories celebrating Limerick sports, including the homecoming of Olympians Sarah Lavin and Tiarnán O’Donnell at Castletroy College.

April saw I Love Limerick highlight the work of Team Limerick Clean-Up, as a record-breaking 23,500 volunteers took to the streets of Limerick City and County for the 10th edition of TLC, Europe’s largest one-day tidy-up.

As the year progressed, I Love Limerick continued to amplify voices across culture, equality, health and heritage. Summer saw coverage include the Don Reddan Golf Classic, the launch of ‘Never Look Back’ by Karen Fitzgibbon, and tourism at Glin Castle when castle custodians Catherine FitzGerald and her husband Dominic West took visitors on an emotional journey through a treasured piece of Limerick history in one of Ireland’s most beautiful landmarks.

Limerick Pride and Trans Pride celebrations were covered over the summer, including when Limerick groups came together to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the landmark marriage equality referendum in Ireland, which passed by popular vote on May 22, 2015.

The summer also saw disability and inclusion fundraisers, education campaigns, community growth projects, and multicultural events such as Brazilian, Mexican and Ukrainian Independence Day celebrations bring a buzz to Limerick City. Charities and causes focusing on mental health, addiction support, cancer awareness and motor neurone disease were also supported, such as the efforts of Jerry Twomey who cycled around the coast of Ireland to raise Motor Neurone Disease (MND) awareness and to raise funds for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA), a cause close to his heart.

Autumn and winter saw a strong focus on youth, arts and wellbeing, from theatre, concerts and exhibitions to school anniversaries and mental health conferences.  Events included the Moyross Hollywood sign being officially relaunched on Friday, September 19, as the community gathered to celebrate the return of the installation and give them a chance to reflect on a decade of change in the community.

We also saw the community come together for the annual 3For3 Breast Cancer Awareness walk, which saw hundreds walk Limerick’s three bridges to raise vital funds for the  Symptomatic Breast Unit at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). September also saw students from Educate Together Secondary School, Castletroy, mark World Mental Health Day 2025 with Haven Hub through a youth-led conference at the Clayton Hotel.

Communities also celebrated when the Limerick Going For Gold Awards recognised the efforts of Kilmallock Tidy Towns, announcing the group as the winners of this year’s top award, recognising their efforts to enhance the Limerick town and promote community spirit, earning them the top prize of €10,000.

The year concluded with Christmas community initiatives, fundraising efforts, family events and support for those most in need during the festive season. We saw a special Christmas edition of ‘Come Dine With Us’ which brought Limerick influencers together to cook a festive three-course meal, joined by a special guest in support of breast cancer awareness.

We also applauded the iconic Old Quarter pub and restaurant in Limerick City as they captured the spirit of Christmas with their community-focused Angel Tree initiative, which benefited local people and charities such as ADAPT.

I Love Limerick was also at hand to capture the buzz as Family Tree Crèche in Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership‘s (LEDP) building in Roxboro, was bursting with excitement as children, parents, and staff celebrated Christmas 2025 with a special visit from Santa Claus, a highlight of the festive season for the group.

Each story shared in 2025 reflects the I Love Limerick commitment to being more than a media platform, working as a community notice board and amplifying the voice of all those within the community as a social enterprise. Our “pay-it-forward” system allows us to remain focused on giving back to the community. Thanks to your support, we can shine a light on all things positive in the city and county, and help those who need our support.

Looking ahead to 2026, we remain dedicated to supporting all of our communities, sharing the compassion and positivity within them, and ensuring the true story of Limerick is captured and promoted for all to see. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!