An Unusual Limerick—From Forbes Under 30 Forum In Ireland

Here’s a surprising story from a place built upon them. It starts two years ago with an Irish contributor to Forbes, who, in writing a story about Ireland’s greatest business export since Guinness—the Collison brothers and Stripe—invoked an old nickname for their hometown, Limerick: Stab City.

That two-word dig literally got an entire nation’s Irish up. Forbes was bombarded with letters and tweets, mayoral protestations and newspaper editorials. We “sparked fury” (the Irish Post) and “anger” (the Irish Mirror), prompting podcasters to lash out. Politicians deemed us “disgraceful.”