The International Rugby Experience is the Home of Legends! While the experience celebrates the game at an international level, it is located in the very centre of Limerick City – known throughout the world as the spiritual home of rugby.
Feel the hairs rise on the back of your neck as you move through six, awe-inspiring stages that follow the game from a community, grass roots level up to the players, clubs and nations that have reached legendary status. Rooted in World Rugby's values of Passion, Discipline, Integrity, Solidarity and Respect, discover the real people behind the game, as well as how it has impacted politics, brought rivals together, transformed communities and improved lives.
Our aim is to provide a new space to draw visitors to Limerick, as well as providing a new hub for the local community.
Designed by world renowned architect Níall McLaughlin, this new 7-story red brick building is located in Limerick City Centre on the main thoroughfare at 40 O’Connell Street and will provide a new space to draw visitors to Limerick, as well as providing a new hub for the local community. In addition to a world class interactive experience, also included is a ground floor store at the corner of O’Connell Street and Cecil Street and a first-floor café directly overhead overlooking Limerick's main thoroughfare.
The building also contains a number of unique event spaces which will be further draws to the building and Limerick generally. It is anticipated that these unique event spaces would be used by the wider community for cultural, arts, heritage and educational presentations.
Since the very beginning, it was envisaged this Experience will be one of the best of its kind in the world and we can’t wait to really bring it to life for Limerick, and to the global stage.
Wider impact on Limerick and the tourism landscape.
An independent economic impact study has determined the International Rugby Experience will drive approximately €50 million in tourism revenue to the Limerick and Mid-West region in the five years after the doors open, with some €14m of that coming from overseas visitors. It is projected that a further 70 jobs will be supported in the local tourism economy through direct and indirect tourism service provision. This is in addition to the 100+ jobs created during the construction phase of the development.
Our stated aims are as follows:
- To promote the advancement of community development, including rural or urban regeneration and the advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or sciences, and
- To promote the social, physical and economic regeneration of Limerick City Centre by establishing the International Rugby Experience which will celebrate the sport of rugby through the means of a visitor experience and the hosting of lectures, cultural and civic events for the benefit of the community and visitors to the city.
Sustainability
The International Rugby Experience is committed to using all necessary practices and resources to ensure the environment, our community and the safety of our colleagues and visitors is at the forefront of our minds. Our vision is to operate a world class visitor experience in accordance with leading sustainability and environmental standards. We are implementing the ISO Sustainability Standard ISO 20121 to ensure we deliver improvements year on year in the three key areas of Sustainability- Environmental, Social and Financial/Governance.
We will take care of our Environment by -
- Continuously aiming to minimise our carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions
- Reducing, reusing and recycling our waste
- Making every effort to eliminate single use plastics in our business
- Sourcing our energy from a sustainable source
- Working with our suppliers to ensure we are always thinking about the environment and its future
Considering our Social commitment to the community we will -
- Participate in local community initiatives
- Ensure our impact on the community will leave a positive legacy
- Continue to spread the word of how to follow leading Sustainability standards
We commit to good Governance by ensuring we are -
- Compliant with all Health & Safety, Workplace and Environmental legislation
- At every opportunity, procuring products and services from sustainable companies and sources
- Influencing our stakeholders to improve their Sustainability efforts
- Promoting continual improvement year on year
Meet the Team
Barry Hannon
Chief Executive Officer
E-Mail: bhannon@internationalrugbyexperience.com
Emma Foote
Marketing & Sales Manager
E-Mail: efoote@internationalrugbyexperience.com
Tracy Deane
Operations Manager
E-Mail: tdeane@internationalrugbyexperience.com
Cian Wallace
Retail Manager
E-Mail:cwallace@internationalrugbyexperience.com
Fergus Sheahan
Finance Manager
E-Mail:fsheahan@internationalrugbyexperience.com