The City Council has confirmed there are no plans to sell Limerick's historic Treaty Stone to a casino in Atlantic City in the United States.

A page on the social networking site Facebook was set up on January 6 to save the Treaty Stone from alleged sale, and now counts over 1,500 supporters.

The instigator of the page also uploaded photos of the Treaty Stone, along with contact details of the Mayor's office to lodge a complaint.

The campaign page states that Limerick City Council are "poised to sell the famous Treaty Stone to raise money for the city coffers. "A casino/bar in Atlantic City is believed to have made a significant offer," it states.

City manager Tom Mackey said the claim was "completely untrue", but would nonetheless "make a great article for the first of April."

However, not everyone has been fooled by these claims, with many voicing their anger at the prank. "This is one of the stupidest webpages I have ever seen.

I can't believe so many of us are giving our time to a ridiculous concept that doesn't have the slightest shred of basis in reality", wrote one person.

The Treaty Stone

Others, however, expressed outrage that an important piece of Limerick's heritage could be sold for this purpose. "If this is all the council can come up with to raise money, it's time for them to go," wrote another.

Some said the piece of limestone should be sold, with others chiming in: "Sell that bloody Blarney Stone as well."

Sinn Fein Cllr Maurice Quinlivan was among those who posted their views on the page.

"Whilst I like a laugh as much as everyone else and most people on here seem to see this for what it is, a makey-up story, and I don't speak for the City Council, I am a city councillor and the Treaty Stone is not being sold," said Cllr Quinlivan.