A-Z Placefinder
Towns of Limerick
Croom —County Limerick
Fortified crossing on the river Maigue which gave its name to the 18th century court of Maigue poets who popularised 'the limerick' verse-form with their rhyming banter and exchange of insults in Gaelic. Part of the 500,000 acres of territory ruled over by the Fitzgerald lords, the Geraldine castle is hidden behind a high wall on the approach to the village. The old millwheel dominates the village centre and the restored mill dating from 1788 housing a display that traces the development and growth of the market centre. To the east are the remains of the Cistercian abbey founded by the 1148 King of the Munster province, whose monks later established the great Abbey of Holy Cross. The 20 metres high remains of a 10th century round tower lie west on the site of a 9th century church. Croom Mills Visitor Centre is well worth a visit.
