Our lively and varied social programme is made up of the following events: an Informal Gathering on Sunday 13th July; the Welcome Reception in King John’s Castle (hosted by Treaty City Brewery) on Monday 14th July; an evening Poster Reception in the Strand Hotel (main conference venue) on Tuesday 15th July; the Excursions (bus to the Cliffs of Moher and walking tour of Limerick’s Medieval Quarter) on Wednesday 16th July; and the Conference Dinner in House Restaurant on Thursday 17th July. Moreover, lunch will be provided each day for all delegates in the Strand Hotel’s award-winning River Restaurant, providing further networking opportunities.

Each of these events is described below.

Note: The Excursion and Conference Dinner must be added to your main conference registration (for an additional fee).

Informal Gathering (Sunday 13th July)

This gathering will provide a meeting place in Limerick City for delegates arriving on Sunday 13th July or earlier; we will meet at 18.30 for some food and drink (but later arrivals are fine!). It takes place at The Copper Room, Limerick’s premier wine bar, serving a variety of wines, ports and other drinks as well as cheeses, patés, meats, rustic breads, chutneys, pickles and pestos. This intimate and unique venue is located in underground caverns that previously formed part of the historic Roche’s Hanging Gardens.

Welcome Reception (Monday 14th July)

The Welcome Reception takes place from 18.30 to 20.30 in the courtyard of King John’s Castle. The castle is right beside the River Shannon, and, at over 800 years old, is the primary historical landmark in the heart of Limerick’s Medieval Quarter. It is less than 1km from the Strand Hotel conference venue.

While the event is based in King John’s Castle, it will be hosted/organised by Treaty City Brewery, who will provide drinks from their artisanal craft brewery. Once the castle closes at 20.30, delegates may wish to visit Treaty City Brewery, which is just across the road from the castle in a unique historical building (over 250 years old). There, delegates can purchase drinks from a full bar menu including a wide array of craft beers along with local craft gins and whiskeys.

Locally-sourced food will also be included in the Welcome Reception, and prepared by award-winning executive chef Keith Piggott as per the following sample menu: Sarsfield braised brisket beef with pickled red onions on a brioche bun; one of mustard pork sausage with crispy onions in a sourdough sub or maple/miso glazed chicken wings; and two of pickled red coleslaw or kachumber salad or wholegrain fusilli feta or lemon & scallion potato salad. Additionally, music will be provided by the Ceolan Irish Folk band.

Poster Reception (Tuesday 15th July)

This evening Poster Reception will take place in the Strand Hotel, which is the main conference venue. Food and drinks will be provided, where delegates will present posters and network with each other in a friendly setting.

Excursions (Wednesday 16th July)

Two Excursions will take place on Wednesday 16th July, depending on your own preference, and this must be added on to your main conference registration.

Excursion 1: Cliffs of Moher, Traditional Irish Music, and Beer/Whiskey Tasting

This is a half-day tour, where delegates will depart by bus from the Strand Hotel conference venue at 13.00 sharp.

The stunning Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting over 1M tourists each year and voted ‘Ireland’s Best Visitor Attraction’ in The Irish Independent’s annual Reader Travel Awards for 2023. The Cliffs are a “signature point” on the official Wild Atlantic Way tourist trail, and form part of the UNESCO-recognised Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark. The trip to Cliffs will be paired with a stop to experience Irish traditional music provided by the Doolin Music House band. (Doolin is the Irish music capital of Ireland.) This music and storytelling session will take place in the Burren Storehouse and will be accompanied by Irish Beer/Whiskey tasting, brown bread and locally smoked organic salmon.

Excursion 2: Medieval Limerick, Irish Mythology, and Limerick’s Oldest Pub

This is a shorter tour (2-3hrs), where delegates will depart on foot from the Strand Hotel conference venue at 14.30 sharp.

Discover the oldest parts of Limerick City within the medieval quarter in context with the contemporary environment. Landmarks include Thomond Bridge & Toll House (10th century), The Treaty Stone (17th century), King John’s Castle (12th century), one of Ireland’s most iconic medieval castles, and St Mary’s Cathedral (11th century), one of the most important medieval buildings to survive intact in Ireland, which is still performing its original function. The walking tour will be followed by finger food and beer in the JJ Bowles (Limerick’s Oldest Pub) venue overlooking the River Shannon and King John’s Castle. This session will include a unique talk on “Social Networks of Irish Mythology” delivered by our own local Network Scientist Dr Pádraig MacCarron, whose work looks into the social links and structures within mythological stories.

Conference Dinner (Thursday 17th July)

The Conference Dinner will be in the luxury House Restaurant located along Limerick’s scenic Shannon riverfront with various spaces for food and drinks (Wine Room, Amber, The Terrace). Be at the restaurant for 19.00. It is less than 500m from the Strand Hotel conference venue.

During the dinner, speeches will be made by members of the Organising Committee and the Statistical Modelling Society Executive Committee, and students will be presented with awards for Best Oral Presentation, Best Poster Presentation, and Best Paper, respectively.

Below is a sample three-course House menu, which is indicative of what will be available for the Conference Dinner.