Introduction to Waterford
County Waterford (Irish: Contae Phort Láirge) is a county in the province of Munster on the south coast of Ireland. Administratively, the city of Waterford is a county-level authority. Dungarvan is the administrative centre for the rest of the county.
A Brief History of Waterford
County Waterford is known locally as "The Decies" (An Déise). Sometime between the 4th and 8th centuries, a tribe of native Gaelic people called the Déisi were driven from the southern parts of the country, conquering and settling here. The ancient principality of the Déise is today roughly coterminous with the current Diocese of Waterford and Lismore.
The Deise region has two mountain ranges, rivers and lakes and over 30 beaches along a volcanic coast line. It is one of the few regions in Ireland with a Gaeltacht, an area with native Irish speaking people. The Deise has a rich history from megalithic tombs and ogham stones, to Vikings, to remnants of English occupancy, including the Gaulstown Dolmen, Reginalds Tower and The Ballysaggartmore Towers respectively.
Areas of Interest in Waterford
Waterford Crystal Visitors Centre
Waterford Crystal has a long tradition of extending a warm welcome to tourists from all over the world. Visitors are guided through the actual production areas, where the World Famous Crystal is made. The Waterford Crystal Gallery is home to the World''s largest display of Waterford Crystal, in addition, you can see beautiful displays of Wedgwood, Rosenthal, Stuart Crystal, John Rocha at Waterford and Marquis by Waterford.
Mount Congreve Estate and Gardens.
The Mount Congreve Gardens created by Ambrose Congreve over the past eight two of his ninety three years, are vast and spectacular, twenty five gardeners are employed.
Mount Congreve speaks of another age, extensive greenhouses with walls of nectarines, a mind bending display of orchids and bromeliads collections of rare fuschsias and almost extinct varieties of cyclamen, rare Lorraine-series begonias, benches full of thick strappy-leaved clivia and a particularly rare, pure yellow form called Vico. There are pots and pots of satura, streptocarpus, regal pelargoniums. Hibiscus, gebera grown from seed, and great stands of tall carnations, all for use in the house. Separate to the green houses are the dedicated houses., providing table grapes and peaches. A visitor could buckle under the abundance in these greenhouses, but stepping out into the garden proper only leads to more impressive sights.
Boasting one of the biggest collections of rhododendrons in the world, certainly the biggest in Europe. 3,500 cultivars of rhododendrons, 650 named camellias, 350 named cultivars of Japanese Maple. This is the world's largest plant collection and started by a man who decided at the age of eleven to start planting and has never stopped. In his ninety third year Ambrose Congreve is still developing the place and his most recent achievement is the bog garden and pinetum.
Four acres of walled garden have been arranged into May, June, July and August borders, each filled with usual and unusual herbaceous plants including special iris beds and great hydrangea in north facing beds. Runs of every sort of vegetable that can be grown in Ireland interspersed with rows of aster and chrysanthemums for the house. Fruit trees fill the middle beds as well as the biggest Clematis Armandii in these islands.
Curraghmore House and Gardens
Magnificent home of the Marquis of Waterford and his ancestors since 1170. The interior of the house contains exceptionally fine plasterwork. Grounds include outstanding Arboretum, shell grotto, built and personally decorated by Catherine Poer, Countess of Tyrone in 1754 and a bridge built in 1205 for King John to cross the River Clodagh.
Waterford & Suir Valley Railway
Visitors to the railway experience can now enjoy the facilities of the newly converted ex-Irish Rail Mark 2 carriage. The carriage which was put out of service by Irish Rail was acquired by the company in 2004 and is beautifully restored and converted into a ticket office, shop and waiting area. Tea, coffee and other refreshments are enjoyed by visitors while waiting for the next train or after their journey.
The Waterford and Suir Valley Railway will operate a daily service for the rest of the season until the 30 September. The train schedule is hourly from 11.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 12 noon to 5.00 p.m. on Sunday. Advance booking is not necessary except for groups when it is advisable. The railway experience is very popular for school tours with many booking a trip at 10.00 a.m. to get the day off to a good start before going on to the many other facilities available for school tours in Waterford County and City.
Lismore Castle
Henry II visited Lismore in 1171 and chose a site for a castle. Raymond le Gros and his Anglo-Normans ransacked the town two years later and Henry's castle site was built upon by Prince John in 1185. These events marked a decline in influence for monastic Lismore. In 1363, the diocese was united with that of Waterford, although it retained its cathedral until the Reformation.
The castle passed to Sir Walter Raleigh in 1589 and Raleigh sold it to Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork, in 1602. He immediately set about fashioning the countryside round Lismore in the English way, with stocked deer parks, fruits orchards, fish ponds and other features of the English Lordly manor estate. In 1753, the castle passed to the 4th Duke of Devonshire on his marriage to Lady Charlotte and the present castle is still owned by the Devonshires.
National Heritage Week 2007
Heritage Week is a European wide event that celebrates our rich and varied heritage. We hope you can participate and enjoy the activities.
This year, almost 800 events will take place around the country for Heritage Week. For a free programme of events visit your local library, tourist office or Local Authority Heritage Officer.
There is something for everyone to enjoy and most events are free or offer special concessions. Events include guided nature and archaeological walks, lectures, guided tours of historic buildings, food fairs and re-enactments, music, dance, storytelling, historic gardens and much more.
Tramore House Gardens
The 2 and a half acre garden surrounding this elegant Victorian townhouse has been restored for Waterford County Council by Angel Jupe. The original water feature, fed by a hillside stream has been redesigned to cascade down the steeply sloping site, through rocks, to a still pool, lushly planted with bamboo.
Grange Castle And Gardens
Grange Castle, close to the source of the Boyne, is a fine example of a late 15th century tower house which has been restored by Duchas, The Heritage Service. The Castle was embellished in the first half of the 17th century with ornamental battlements andJacobean chimneys. It is adjoined by a Georgian Cottage and it is the focal point of a complex of walled enclosures, including an historic Walled Garden (the restoration of which was also financed by Duchas) and a Labyrinth. The entire site is comprisedof seven acres, with parklands, walkways, stately oak trees and old-fashioned shrubs and wild flowers.
Waterford Museum of Treasures
Waterford Museum of Treasures at the Granary brings together an extensive range of rare and beautiful artefacts that are brought to life by the latest technological innovations.
The treasure trail and personal sound guide device, allows each visitor to encounter the past at their own pace, to stop and marvel at the fascinating artefacts and to explore them in depth through a series of interactive and audio-visual presentations. One thousand years of Ireland's oldest city is encountered during your visit.
Traditional Music and Craic in Waterford