Call for Late Night Café and Retail on ‘Twilight Thursdays’

  • Group of women having fun at Silent Disco in Limerick City for Twilight Thursdays

Limerick City and County Council is urging cafés and retailers to become part of the highly successful Twilight Thursdays initiative—now the talk of Limerick City.

Taking place on the last Thursday of every month, the programme is revitalising the late-night scene through cultural events, extended trading hours and exclusive offers. 

Since launching in May 2025, Twilight Thursdays have captured the imagination of residents, visitors and businesses alike. The initiative—part of the national Night Time Economy pilot scheme— combines live music, family entertainment, pop‑ups, art workshops and more. 

Benefits for participating businesses 

  • Increase evening footfall and sales 
  • Attract new and returning customers in a vibrant setting 
  • Connect with the community and strengthen Limerick’s nighttime reputation 

Mayor of Limerick, John Moran is inviting further participation, saying: 

“Reimagining our city centre and how we see it is a key aspiration for my mayoralty. This means more people having more fun and seeing others do it and wanting to be part of the action. So, I’m delighted to see the people of Limerick embrace Twilight Thursdays and successfully reimagining Limerick at night. It is a fantastic showcase of our city’s energy and culture. The increase in footfall and activity at night also helps to address safety concerns. Let’s all keep supporting so we can see Twilight Thursdays grow and spark a culture of late-night activity across Limerick.” 

Príomh Chomhairleoir, Cllr Catherine Slattery added: 

“It has been heartening to see Twilight Thursdays being met with such enthusiasm and creating such a positive vibe in Limerick city. The initiative has unlocked so much potential and we want this to continue to grow and succeed month after month. The more on offer in the city, the more attractive it is as a destination.” 

Night Time Economy Advisor at Limerick City and County Council, Craig Power said: 

“We’ve been blown away by how many local businesses, charities and community groups have embraced the concept of Twilight Thursdays and want to get involved. We’d really love to see more café’s and retailers keeping their doors open a bit later on Twilight Thursdays to add to the buzz. We are all striving to make Limerick a vibrant, fun and attractive place for locals and visitors alike.” 

How businesses can get involved 

Contribute to the excitement by: 

  1. Hosting events – from tastings and workshops to pop‑ups and performances 
  2. Extending trading hours on Twilight Thursday nights 
  3. Offering a 10% discount to customers using the Limerick Gift Card 

Express your interest 

Businesses or groups looking to take part are invited to submit an expression of interest via Limerick.ie: 

Call for Expressions of Interest: Monthly Thursday Night Entertainment & Events | Limerick.ie 

Events are supported and promoted by Limerick City and County Council. The initiative offers strong promotional reach. Collaboration with An Garda Síochána promotes a safe, inclusive environment. Participating businesses are featured across the official programme, website and social media channels. 

Key dates coming up in 2025 

  • Thursday, 28 August 
  • Thursday, 25 September 
  • Thursday, 30 October 
  • Thursday, 27 November 
  • Thursday, 18 December   

Spearheaded by Limerick City and County Council and supported by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, Twilight Thursdays is made possible thanks to local groups and businesses embracing this innovative initiative.  

Join us in building this growing tradition.  

For more information or to discuss bespoke event ideas, please email nighttimeeconomy@limerick.ie.  

Find updates and full event details at Limerick.ie/TwilightThursdays 

Limerick is bursting with exciting events and activities across the month of August. 

Explore more at Limerick.ie/Discover 

Support Local with the Limerick Gift Card  

The Limerick Gift Card is a prepaid gift card designed to support local businesses across Limerick City and County. Developed in partnership with Limerick Chamber and Limerick City and County Council, the card can be used in hundreds of participating outlets—from shops and restaurants to hotels and service providers—across Limerick.  

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