Waterford comes
from the Norsic word, Vethrafjorthr - weather haven. The city of
Waterford was founded by Vikings and was used as a naval base. Seven
watch towers are still visible around the city today. Waterford is
famous for its Crystal products which count as a major export for County
Waterford. The city of Waterford is still a thriving port today.
Waterford City is
the oldest city in Ireland.
It was founded in 853 by the Vikings and later extended by the
Anglo-Normans. Situated in a commanding position by the estuary of the
River Suir, the city became southeast Ireland's main seaport. From the
18th century, the city's prosperity was consolidated by local
industries, including the glassworks for which Waterford is renowned.
The county boasts some of the most beautiful countryside in Ireland
including a spectacular coastline sporting miles of safe sandy beaches.
Charming fishing villages dot the coastline where sea-fresh fish can be
sampled in first-class local restaurants.
Make sure you visit the Waterford Crystal Factory, one and a half miles
south of the city, to gain a unique insight into the special process of
crystal-making.
We are glad to
announce that we have just launched the first of five county based sites
www.discoverwaterford.com. This development now affords you the option
of accessing information on Waterford in a regional or county specific
context.
Famous the world over for its hand-crafted crystal – hence the Crystal
County. County Waterford offers the choice between a cosmopolitan modern
city, a cluster of charming seaside resorts and a mountainous
hinterland, ideal for activities and holidays of all kinds.
Waterford City, steeped in history, heritage and culture, represents a
unique blend of modern shopping centres, traditional pubs and highly
acclaimed gourmet restaurants – 9 of the Bridgestone Guides top 100
restaurants in Ireland are located in County Waterford. There is also
much to do and see as the city features three of Ireland premier visitor
attractions. The Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre, the highly praised
Waterford Museum of Treasures and the Waterford Walking Tour. Most
recently, a section of the Waterford to Dungarvan railway line has been
rebuilt. From this narrow gauge railway, travelling at 15km per hour
visitors can experience the beauty of the Suir Valley as they take in
the panoramic views of the river, rolling farmland, and mountains.
Dungarvan Town, the administrative capital for the county, is set in a
broad, magnificent bay. Renowned as an angling and golfing centre, it
forms the commercial heart of County Waterford. Nearby is Ring, (An Rinn)
a flourishing centre for Irish culture and language, and Ardmore, a
charming coastal resort. Also in West Waterford lie the towns of Lismore,
Cappoquin, and Ballymacarbry – The Nire Valley. All forming a natural
playground for Equestrian, Walking, Angling, Water Sports and Cycling
holidays.
Dotted along Waterford County’s spectacular coastline (see Coastal
Drive) are towns and villages, each with their own unique charms.
Dunmore East is a charming fishing village with first class restaurants
that specialize in the ‘catch of the day’. Tramore, Ireland’s premier
seaside resort, has a truly spectacular beach, a fun park and
Splashworld, an indoor water extravaganza for kiddies and parents alike.
Mesolithic people are known to have been in this area of Ireland some
8,000 years ago. The fine harbours, coastal coves and the navigable
waters of the Suir and the Blackwater rivers attracted them. Between
5,000-4,000 years ago sophisticated tribes who were engaged in
agriculture arrived. During their tenure they built the great megalithic
tombs, sixteen of which lie in Waterford. These vary in size from the
large court cairns and passage graves to smaller, but more numerous,
portal dolmens.
The Celts came about 2,500 years ago and overcame the indigenous Bronze
Age inhabitants with iron weapons. This new hard metal helped them to
build great roads and erect defensive forts, like the promontory forts
which occupy the strategic headlands all along the Waterford Coast. They
also brought their Goidelic Celtic language – the tongue on which Irish
and Scottish Gaelic is based. An Rinn in west Waterford is a Gaelic
speaking area, where Irish is still the first tongue of the people. The
histories, myths and legends of the Celts were passed down orally. The
earliest writing began about 1,700 years ago and it was undertaken on
stones carved in the alphabet known as Ogham. Many examples of these
stones can be seen in the county, the most accessible being at Ardmore
Church and Round Tower. Their locations, together with the locations of
the promontory forts, are marked on the 1: 50,000 Ordnance Maps for
County Waterford.
HOSPITALS
St. Brigid's District Hospital
Carrick on Suir, Co. Waterford
Tel: 051 640 025
St. Joseph's Hospital
Dungarvan, Co. Waterford
Tel: 058 20900
St. Otteran's Psychiatric Hospital
John's Hill, Waterford
Tel: 051 848 600
St. Vincent's District Hospital
Dungarvan, Co. Waterford
Tel: 058 41125
Waterford
Orienteers 
