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National Limerick Day

Celebrate National Limerick Day with a fun and funny poem - create your own or share one of your favorites!

Wednesday

May 2027

Last updated February 7, 2026 · by the Holiday Calendar Team

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YEARLY DATEMay 12

OBSERVED INUnited States

CATEGORYPop Culture

SUBCATEGORYBooks

INTRO

Introduction

PHOTO

Celebrate National Limerick Day on May 12 with some of the most creative and humorous poetry you've ever heard! The limerick is a light-hearted, five-line poem that originated in Ireland in the early 19th century. Since then, it has been used to entertain people around the world with its wit and clever rhymes. So get ready for some laughter as we celebrate this special day!

TIMELINE

National Limerick Day Timeline

Origination of Limericks

The limerick form of poetry is believed to have originated in Limerick, Ireland during the early 1800s.

"Book of Nonsense" Published

English artist Edward Lear popularized limericks with the publication of his "Book of Nonsense."

Limericks Span the Globe

Appreciation for limericks reached around the globe as a popular form of humorous vernacular poetry.

Limericks in Popular Culture

Limericks find a home in popular culture, being used in children's books, greeting cards, and comedic sketches.

Birth of National Limerick Day

National Limerick Day begins to be recognized in the United States, encouraging people to read and write limericks.

Modern-Day Celebrations

People continue to celebrate National Limerick Day internationally through organized parties, events, and online shares on social media platforms.

GET INVOLVED

How to Celebrate National Limerick Day

Write your own limericks

Take some time to write your own limericks. It can be fun, silly, or serious—whatever suits your fancy!

Share your limericks

Once you have written some limericks, share them with your friends and family. They might even be inspired to write their own!

READ

Read limerick collections

Pick up a book of classic limericks or search online for some of the newest and funniest limericks out there.

ATTEND

Attend a poetry reading

Check around town to see if there is a local poetry reading being held in honor of National Limerick Day.

HAVE

Have a limerick writing contest

Organize a party or gathering and have everyone take turns writing their own original limericks. The sillier, the better! You can even award prizes for the best ones.

WHY THIS DAY MATTERS

Why We Love National Limerick Day

Limericks get people laughing

Writing limericks is a great way to bring some much needed levity into any situation. When things get too serious, an amusing limerick can bring back the smiles in no time. So why not grab some paper and pen (or laptop), and put your creative juices to work?

Limericks are playful and fun

Limericks are a great way to have fun with language. Whether you're writing them for children or adults, they always have a tongue-in-cheek quality that makes them entertaining to read and write. Plus, their short, structured format makes them easy to create!

Limericks help us use our imagination

Limericks aren't just fun to read - they can also help spark creativity in anyoone who writes them. It takes a bit of imagination and creativity to come up with a rhyming line that is still relevant and makes sense - a challenge which can be both daunting and exciting!