Waterford Guide

  

Lismore Castle

latest update February 2008

Waterford is the county with the richest scenery between Dublin and Cork with a fine coastline, surprisingly rugged mountains inland and the delights of the Blackwater valley in the west of the county. Sadly it has lost a lot of hostels since 2000: Make use of the ones that are here and enjoy what the county has to offer.

Waterford City

At 45 000 souls this is the largest town in southeast Ireland . The face it presents is a glorious jumble of its 1200 year history. On the river 12th century Reginald's Tower looks over a 19th century Quayside while tiny medieval streets huddle behind it and the Georgian Mall heads straight south west. There IS a lot of clumsy 20th century architecture about - there are also many historic gems. The town is nothing less than lively with much of the entertainment scene geared towards the large student population. Waterford Museum of Treasures , Hanover Street, gives history a high tech makeover. Scandalously there is at present no Hostel, but there is one in Tramore 15km south on the coast. . Mayor's Walk House offers B&B for €28 single/€25 each doubles. Tourist Office in The Granary on Merchant's Quay 051 875788 also Waterford's Treasure exhibition here. Much of Georgian Waterford was designed by one man, John Roberts 1749 - 94 including the grand neo classical Church of Ireland Christ Church  Cathedral and the delightful almost homely catholic St Patrick's Cathedral. His other buildings include the Chamber of Commerce on The Mall. For inexpensive food head for Cafe Luna, 53 John Street, and Moll's Tapas Bar next door, 54 John Street or The Watermark Cafe behind the Tourist Office in The Granary. The Forum is an entertainment complex with Theatre, Night Club and multi purpose hall  051 871111 Garter Lane Arts Centre has films, exhibitions, plays etc. Bars: T.H. Doolan's, 31 - 32 George's Street and Kitty Kieran's Barrack Street have trad music most nights. There's a young crowd at Geoff's John Street. Preachers, John Street is a lively mainstream club with gothic fantasy interior.

The town's most famous export is Waterford Crystal cut glass, first produced from 1783 - 1851 and revived in 1947. The Visitors Centre is 3km from the town centre on the N25 Cork Road. 051 373111.

The Bus Eireann station 051 879000 is on Merchants Quay. There are also Rapid Express Coaches 01 872149. Suirway buses 051 382209 for Dumore East and Passage East. Plunkett Train Station is on the north side of the river 051 87340 Waterford Airport 052 875589 is 7km south off the R708 to Leperstown

West from Waterford to the mountains

9km west of Waterford town the landscape changes to rolling wood covered hills. If you take the R680 north from the N25 Cork Road you will be directed towards  the quirky 19th century industrial village of Portlaw. Follow the Clodiagh River upstream you will find the splendid late 17th century Curraghmore House standing in Versailles like gardens 051 87101. Continue along the R678  to the village of Rathgormac which is one of the most obvious start points for a climb into the Commeragh Mountains. The local hero/anti hero of this area is 18th century highwayman William Crotty who hid up on the mountainsides above the village before his inevitable hanging in 1742. There are two Crotty Lakes in fantastic scenery south of the village. Further west the R 678 will take you quite high (around 250m) in the mountains before dropping down to Clonmel in County Tipperary.

Waterford Mountains

These dominate the centre of the county and rise above the plains of Tipperary. The northern ridge is called the Comeragh Mountains and the southern ridge the Monavullagh Mountains.Although not well known outside Ireland they offer plenty of dramatic and challenging scenery for the hillwalker and mountaineer to explore. On their east side is the lovely River Nier valley. the R678 climbs out of Clonmel onto the hills, after 10 km a minor road to the right leads to Powers The Pot . Streams dive down the western mountain slopes into the River Nier. The road beside it makes for a lovely route with many picturesque buildings by the roadside.

Coast Route to Ballyhack to Dungarven

The ferry from Ballyhack in Wexford docks a few minutes later at Passage East, a prim but severe little Georgian village from which roads climb onto the low hills above. From here the Waterford coast is a mixture of low cliffs and small river valleys with two large bays at Tramore and Dungarven. A minor road rolls south up hills and down into wooded valleys past Woodstown Strand beach. Dunmore East has two faces:  postcard pretty village above,  working port below. The Strand Inn serves decent bar meals, or look out at the sea from Bay Cafe, Dock Road. There is an Adventure Centre 051 383783 which no longer has a hostel, its offices are down by the docks. Minor roads bounce up and down towards Brownstone Head, or you can take the more direct R684 and R685 route west to Tramore, a small resort with traditional amusements Tourist Office at Railway Square 051 381 572. Surf Lessons at non profit making T-Bay. Westwards coastal scenery steps up a gear with cliffs rising to several hundred feet. The road to Dungarven makes for excellent cycling. 10km west Annestown is famous for being the only village in Ireland without a bar. There now follows 8km of the road hugging the clifftops till the valley at Bunmahon, another traditional holiday spot. Minor roads wind through beautiful coastal scenery to the village of Stradbally and lovely Stradbally Cove. the main coatal R675 is rejoined at Clonea Strand before Dungraven is reached.

Coast Route Dungarven to Youghal

Dungarvan is the second largest town in the county with a population of about 10 000. Tourist Office in council building on TF Meagher Street 058 41741. Dungarven Museum, St Augustine Strret, is a good little place. An Bialann 31 Grattan Street does reasonably priced meals. Bean A'Leanna 86 O'Connell Street has trad music session, and shound you be inclined, set dancing classes on Mondays. 2 miles west of town the R674 heads east into the rugged rollocking Gaeltacht of Ring. 6km on at Helivick Head there is an Irish Language College Colaiste na Rinne 058 46128 and a crystal glass workshop and showroom Criostal na Rinne 058 42127. The craic is mighty at Tigh an Cheoil bar, which has frequent sessions. 15 km further west on a small bay is the historic coastal village of Ardmore where St Declan landed, you can visit a number of sites connected with the saint plus a 100ft round tower and ruins of a 12th century cathedral. The St Declan's way footpath heads north from here 94 km to the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary. It is 10 relatively low key km to the mouth of the River Blackwater on the county border, with Youghal on the west bank in county Cork.

Blackwater Valley and Knockmealdown Mountains.

This beautiful river presents two faces in County Waterford. It winds for 10 miles through low wooded hills between the sea and Cappoquin, then has a straight course west with the Knockmealdown mountains to its north. History is ever present, and indeed alive along its banks. Between Youghal and Cappoquinn there are a number of castles and abbeys on its banks, plus numerous quays from the days when the river was a major highway. Cappoquin is a pleasant pocket sized town. The next 7 kilometres west are through preserved medieval scenery with poplar groves and meadows by the riverside. Lismore is a quiet jewel of a town overlooked by massive Lismore Castle (castle closed, gardens open). There is the delightful 17th century gothic St Catharge's Cathedral. A beautiful road rises north from the town through woodland by a bubbling stream up to the windswept moorland of the Vee Gap. 7km above Cappoquinn Mount Mellory Abbey rides the lower slopes of the mountains . It was founded in 1822 by trappist monks. Open to visitors and for retreats.

 

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