The ambition for the International Rugby Experience (IRE) project is to create a world class tourism and visitor experience to honor the worldwide game of rugby in the heart of Limerick. It will be a new cultural and civic institution that will reinvigorate the City centre, complement Limerick’s existing arts and heritage attractions and forge links with Munster Rugby.

The project provides a multi-media visitor experience, exhibition and education space with ancillary retail and ancillary café areas at ground floor level.

PUNCH provided, civil, structural, transportation and assigned certifier consultancy services through all stages of the project.

The building comprises of a 7-storey block (32 m high) with 2-storey portico fronting O’Connell Street, a part 2-storey/part 3-storey infill block to the rear with stair core extending 7-storeys and a 4-storey block at the corner of O’Connell Street and Cecil Street, all over single storey basement.

The design of an enabling works contract was critical to reducing the risk in the main contract and accelerating the construction program. The works included the demolition of No. 40, No. 41 and No. 42 O’Connell Street and No. 1 Cecil Street and the excavation of a single storey basement which extends over the full footprint of the proposed building.