Other sights in County Waterford
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Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral is Europe’s only neoclassical Georgian cathedral. Designed by local architect John Roberts, it was built on the site of an 11th-century Viking church, also the site where the 12th-century marriage of Strongbow and Aiofe took place. The highlight is the 15th-century tomb of James Rice, seven times lord mayor of Waterford: sculpted worms and frogs crawl out of the statue of his decaying body. Guided tours (adult/child €6/5) take place at 11.30am and 3.30pm. The cathedral also acts as a concert venue with wonderful acoustics – its broad program of performances features everything from choirs to pop quartets.
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Mt Melleray Cistercian Abbey
The beautiful Mt Melleray Cistercian Abbey is a fully functioning monastery with 28 Trappist monks, but welcomes visitors wishing ‘to take time for quiet contemplation’. The abbey was founded in 1832 by 64 monks who were expelled from a monastery near Melleray in Brittany, France. There are tearooms (closed Monday) and a heritage centre. It’s signposted 6km north from Cappoquin in the Knockmealdown foothills.
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Coast Guard Station
Regular art exhibitions take place at the cliff-top 19th-century Coast Guard Station, which has been turned into a community arts centre.
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Cappoquin House and Gardens
This is a magnificent 1779-built Georgian mansion and 5 acres of formal gardens overlooking the River Blackwater. It’s the private residence of the Keane family who’ve lived here for 200 years. The entrance to the house is just north of the centre of Cappoquin; look for a set of huge black iron gates.
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Mt Melleray Cistercian Abbey
The beautiful Mt Melleray Cistercian Abbey is a fully functioning monastery with 28 Trappist monks, but welcomes visitors wishing ‘to take time for quiet contemplation’. The abbey was founded in 1832 by 64 monks who were expelled from a monastery near Melleray in Brittany, France. There are tearooms (closed Monday) and a heritage centre. It’s signposted 6km north from Cappoquin in the Knockmealdown foothills.
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Curraghmore Estate
Lord and Lady Waterford dwell at the 1000-hectareCurraghmore Estate, which has belonged to the family since the 12th century. Its lavish gardens incorporate the whimsical shell house built by Catherine Countess of Tyrone in 1754, who arranged for sea captains docking at Wexford's port to bring her seashells from distant shores. By prior appointment, the fine Georgian house , containing some superior plaster work, is open to visitors.
Curraghmore is 14km northwest of Waterford town, 3.5km northwest of the pretty village of Portlaw. Suirway buses from Waterford can drop you 1km from the estate entrance.
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Gardens
From the Cappoquin road there are stunning glimpses of the riverside Lismore Castle, which is closed to day-trippers but available for groups to hire. You can visit the 3 hectares of gardens, thought to be the oldest in Ireland, divided into the walled Jacobean upper garden and less formal lower garden. There are brilliant herbaceous borders, magnolias and camellias, and a splendid yew walk where Edmund Spenser is said to have written The Faerie Queen. There are contemporary sculptures dotting the gardens.
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Copper Coast European Geopark
Stretching 25km west of Tramore, the rugged coastline of the Copper Coast European Geopark takes its name from the 19th-century copper mines outside Bunmahon. Among the area’s scalloped coves and beaches are geological formations dating back 460 million years, including quartz blocks, fossils, and former volcanoes. Free one-hour guided walks are available in July and August, or you can pick up a map from the park office in Bunmahon. The park encompasses Annestown, which has the dubious distinction of being the only village in Ireland without a pub.
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