County Waterford

Introducing County Waterford

It sometimes feels as though the Celtic Tiger, that formidable emblem of Irish progress and modernisation, suddenly felt less formidable and wandered off for a catnap when he reached County Waterford. The quiet county is a warren of untouristy hideaways, mostly along a coast that stretches from Waterford Harbour to the Cork border. It is starting to market itself, but this is good news for families. Fáilte Ireland has produced a Cool for Kids brochure covering the area, and there are even plans to mark family-friendly venues with ‘smiley face’ signs.

The attractive sandy coastline has seaside resorts to suit everyone. There’s genteel Dunmore East, and historic Ardmore’s golden beaches and cliff-top walks. There’s also Tramore, famous for years as a candy-floss-and-chips resort, which has added eco-activities to its more obvious tourist attractions. At the other end of the Copper Coast GeoPark’s 25km of strata, you can get views of it all from unspoilt Helvick Head, at the tip of a Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) headland with its own road signs, heritage and culture.

The rejuvenated county town of Water­ford is split between pedestrian plazas soundtracked by buskers and, around the oldest building in Ireland, medieval lanes and Georgian architecture.

In the seemingly unchartered north, the Nire Valley feels like a lost world, concealed by the Comeragh and Monavullagh Mountains. Its easy air, friendly folk and beautiful rolling hills are worth exploring: walks are enlivened by Neolithic stone circles, barrows and standing stones.

The tranquil River Blackwater runs through the county, gathering up the little towns of Cappoquin and lovely Lismore on its banks. The latter is home to a pre-Raphaelite window by Edward Burne-Jones (the only one in Ireland) and more history than a person knows what to do with.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009