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28 June 2017

Laura Roddy on 28 Jun 2017

Watch: Market magic in Limerick

With an estimated spend worth €32m, Limerick’s Milk Market is not just the beating heart of the city, it’s the economic centre as well, writes Mairead Lavery

Laura Roddy

28 June 2017

Oliver Beaujouan, Charcouterie, Pate etc. The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Peter Gibson, "Peter the Pie Man" "Have a Meat Pie and be FED UP!". The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Ken and Frieda Miller, The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Vi The Sunflower Bakery, Co Clare. The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Fish Stall. The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Peter Ward, The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Oliver Beaujouan, Charcouterie, Pate etc. The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

John Phelan, Rose Cottage Fruit Farm, Co Laois. The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Vi The Sunflower Bakery, Co Clare. The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Caroline Quinn, Quinns Fruit and Veg, Gort. The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Roger Thomas, Killowen Orchard, Portlaw, Co Waterford. The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Ken and Frieda Miller, The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Sefik Dikyar, Turkish Desserts. The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Fish Stall. The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

Peter Ward, The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

The Milk Market Limerick. Photograph by David Ruffles

It’s 6.30am and Limerick’s Milk Market is already buzzing with activity. The place is chock-a-block with vans unloading crates of everything from fresh milk to vegetables, cut flowers, charcuterie and lots, lots more. Outside the rain is crashing down, but the circus-like big top canopy keeps almost all of the stalls cosy and dry.

By 8am, the early morning regulars have arrived. These include taxi drivers, gardaí, nurses and prison officers coming off their night shifts, along with people on their way to work. All the lovely food around the market makes people very hungry, so there’s plenty of hot food options on offer.