Forbes buries the hatchet with Limerick after ‘stab city’ comments
John and Patrick Collison, the co-founders of Stripe.
Leading business publication announced it will host its world-renowned Under 30 Forum, highlighting the work of prominent young entrepreneurs, in Limerick, two years after it called it “stab city”.
The event organisers at seemed to have had a change of heart and warmed to Limerick City as it plans to host the forum next month in the Strand Hotel.
“The opportunities for business and innovation in Ireland are abundant, and we’re excited to help amplify those on an international scale, gathering the world’s brightest young leaders in the heart of Limerick,” said Randall Lane, chief content officer at .
The city has already grabbed the attention of in 2021 when it published a piece on the Collison brothers, who founded payments processing giant Stripe.
The piece included the controversial comment in addition to saying that the brothers “escaped” the “murder capital of Europe” to eventually create the $95bn (€88bn) company.
The article spurred outrage from Limerick natives at the time including the Collison brothers and podcaster Blindboy Boatclub.
“Not only mistaken about Limerick but the idea of ‘overcoming’ anything is crazy. We are who we are because we grew up where we did,” Patrick Collison tweeted at the time.
representatives told a local paper the that the piece failed to meet editorial standards and the article was subsequently removed following the backlash.
Last month, vice-president of corporate communications Christina Vega Magrini told that it was having conversations with its Limerick partners “discussing the details for hosting an event there this summer”, signalling that the hatchet had been buried.
The event in June will gather local entrepreneurs, business school students from throughout the region, and Forbes 30 Under 30 honourees.
In an effort to place a spotlight on the business landscape of Limerick, the event will also offer local tours of several of the city’s landmarks.
“ ’ event will allow the world to witness the convergence of young talent, investment opportunities, and industrial innovation, as Limerick continues to shape the future of business in Ireland,” said Mayor of Limerick city and county Francis Foley.
