Places of interest in Waterford

A view from The Quays: "The Three Sisters" mix near the city before flowing into the harbour.

The old city of Waterford consists of various cultural quarters. The oldest is what has been referred to as the Viking triangle. This is the part of the city surrounded by the original 10th century fortifications, which is triangular in shape with its apex at Reginald's tower. Though this was once the site of a thriving Viking city, the city centre has shifted to the west over the years, and it is now a quiet and tranquil area, dominated by narrow streets, medieval architecture, and civic spaces. Over the past decade, a number of restaurants have opened in High Street and Henrietta Street, taking advantage of the charming character of the area. Much of Waterford's impressive architecture is to be found in the Viking triangle.

In the 15th century, the city was enlarged with the building of an outer wall on the west side. Today Waterford retains more of its city walls than any other city in Ireland with the exception of Derry, whose walls were built much later. Tours of Waterford's city walls are conducted daily.

The Quay, once termed by historian Mark Girouard 'the noblest quay in Europe', is a mile long from Grattan Quay to Adelphi Quay, though Adelphi Quay is now a residential area. It is still a major focal point for Waterford, commercially and socially, and the face that Waterford presents to those traveling into the city from the north. Near Reginald's Tower is the William Vincent Wallace Plaza, a monument and amenity built around the time of the millennium that commemorates the Waterford born composer.

John Roberts Square is a pedestrianised area that is one of the main focal points of Waterford's modern day commercial centre.

Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Barronstrand Street, Waterford

It was named after the city's most celebrated architect, John Roberts, and was formed from the junction of Barronstrand Street, Broad Street and George's Street. It is often referred to locally as Red Square, due to the red paving that was used when the area was first pedestrianised. A short distance to the east of John Roberts Square is Arundel Square, another square with a fine commercial tradition, which the City Square shopping centre opens onto.

Ballybricken, in the west, just outside the city walls, is thought to have been Waterford's Irishtown, a type of settlement that often formed outside Irish cities to house the Vikings and Irish that had been expelled during the Norman conquest of Ireland. Ballybricken is an inner city neighbourhood with a long tradition, centred around Ballybricken hill, which was a large, open market-square. Today it has been converted into a green, civic space, but the Bull Post, where livestock was once bought and sold, still stands as a remnant of the hill's past.

The Mall is a fine Georgian thoroughfare, built by the Wide Streets Commission in order to extend the city southwards. It contains some of the city's finest Georgian architecture. The People's Park, Waterford's largest and finest park, is located nearby.

Ferrybank in Co Kilkenny is Waterford city's only suburb north of the river. It contains a village centre of its own. Kilkenny Co Council have granted permission for a number of major retail developments in Ferrybank. One has been completed and the second is currently under construction and due to be completed in January 2009.

In April 2003 an important site combining a 5th century Iron Age and 9th century Viking settlement was discovered at Woodstown near the city, which appears to have been a Viking town that predates all such settlements in Ireland.

Scotch Quay, Waterford

Culture

Literature

Poet Seán Dunne was born in Waterford in 1956 and grew up in St John's Park. He attended Mount Sion CBS in Barrack Street and wrote with affection of the city in his memoir "My Father's House".

Museums

Waterford Museum of Treasures, in the Granary on Merchant's Quay, is the city's foremost museum, housing a collection spanning over 1,000 years of the city's history . Reginald's Tower, the oldest urban civic building in the country, is situated on the Quays/The Mall, in Waterford. It has performed numerous functions over the years and today is a civic museum.

There is a new museum at Mount Sion (Barrack Street) dedicated to the story of Brother Edmund Ignatius Rice and the history of the Christian Brothers and Presentation Brothers. Along with the museum there is a cafe and a new chapel. The new museum was designed by Janvs Design

Art galleries

The Waterford Municipal Art Gallery has been housed in Greyfriars since 2001. It is the permanent home for the Municipal Art Collection, "A Gem Among Municipal Collections", over 200 paintings by Irish and International artists, including pieces from renowned artists such as Jack B Yeats, Paul Henry, Charles Lamb and Louis Le Brocquy.

Garter Lane Arts Centre is located in two separate restored buildings on O'Connell Street. A new contemporary gallery called Soma opened in 2009 on the Mall.

Theatre

The Theatre Royal, on The Mall, was built in 1876, as part of a remodelled section of City Hall. It is a U-shaped, Victorian theatre, seating about 600 people.

Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford

Garter Lane Arts Centre is housed in two conserved 18th century buildings on O'Connell Street. Garter Lane Gallery, the 18th century townhouse of Samuel Barker contains the gallery and the Bausch & Lomb Dance Studio, and Garter Lane Theatre is based in the beautiful Quaker Meeting House, built in 1792. The theatre was renovated and restored in 2006 and now contains a 164 seat auditorium.

Waterford also has three theatre companies: Red Kettle, Spraoi and Waterford Youth Arts.

Red Kettle is a professional theatre company based in Waterford that regularly performs in Garter Lane Theatre.

Spraoi is a street theatre company based in Waterford. It produces the Spraoi festival, and has participated regularly in the Waterford and Dublin St. Patrick's day parades, often winning best float. In January 2005 the company staged its biggest and most prestigious production to date, "Awakening", the Opening Show for Cork 2005 European Capital of Culture.

Waterford Youth Arts (WYA), formerly known as Waterford Youth Drama, was established in August 1985. WYA has grown from the voluntary efforts of two individuals and 25 young people, to a fully-structured youth arts organisation with a paid staff and 400 young people taking part each week.

Events

The Spraoi festival, organised by the Spraoi theatre company, is held in Waterford during the summer each year. It attracts crowds in the region of anywhere up to 80,000 people.

The Waterford International Festival of Light Opera is an annual event that has been held in the Theatre Royal since 1959.

The Tall Ships festival, held in Waterford in 2005, marked the start of the Tall Ships race of that year. The Suir river provided a perfect berthing location for the numerous tall ships that lined the north and south quays, for almost a week. The festival attracted in the region of 450,000 people to the city in what was the biggest event ever held in Waterford or the south east. On the 27th March, 2007, it was confirmed that Waterford will host the start of the Tall Ships race again in 2011. Starting from Waterford, Ireland the fleet will race to Greenock in Scotland, starting mid-late June 2011 (exact date to be confimed )

There are two Arts Festivals of note in the city; The Imagine Arts Festival in October and The Fringe Arts Festival in September.

Cinema

Waterford Film For All (WFFA) is a non-profit film society whose aim is to offer an alternative to the cineplex experience in Waterford. WFFA conduct much of its activities on the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) campus.

Waterford city has two cinema. The older of the two is now closed the 5-screen Waterford Cineplex on Patrick St., which was the city's only cinema for many years. The other is the 8-screen Storm Cinema in the Railway Square complex.

Also, situated in Dungarvan is the SGC cinema, one of the few cinemas in Ireland that has 3D capabilities.

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 Home

The Old Barn
From 700 p/w	A 300 year old barn near Dungarvan, County Waterford, Ireland. Luxury self catering holiday home accommodation - sleeps 8 people in style Sleeps 8: Double Beds 2, Twin Beds 2, Single Beds 0 County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Tobin's Cottage
From 300 p/w	A 200 year old cottage, restored to a 3 bedroom (all ensuite) holiday home for 6. Near the coast and beaches, with private access to a secluded cove. Sleeps 6: Double Beds 2, Twin Beds 1, Single Beds 0 County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Cloonbeg Cottages
From 650 p/w	Four star self catering cottage on the banks of Blackwater river. Sleeps 7. Main bedroom ensuite, 1 double room , 1 twin & 1 single. Sleeps 7: Double Beds 2, Twin Beds 1, Single Beds 1 County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
An Chrannóg
From 440 p/w	Two bedroomed timber house, sleeps 4 persons fully equipped with south facing verandah. Bed linen free. Situated near the sea and all amenities. Sleeps 4: Double Beds 1, Twin Beds 1, Single Beds 0 Dungarvan /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Deilginis
From 296 p/w	Old style cottage, all mod cons, seconds from shops restaurants and pubs in beautiful Lismore. Sleeps 4/5 Fishing, Heritage, Walking,Equestrian, Golf. Sleeps 5: Double Beds 2, Twin Beds 0, Single Beds 2 Lismore /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Pauline's Country Cottage
From 400 p/w	Located between Youghal and Dungarvan, yet close to beach and golf facilities, this 100 yo renovated farm cottage includes all home comforts Sleeps 6: Double Beds 2, Twin Beds 1, Single Beds 0 County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Bride Valley Farm House
From 240 p/w	Newly renovated 4 bedroomed farmhouse situated on one of Ireland's oldest fruit farms overlooking the river Bride. Sleeps 9: Double Beds 3, Twin Beds 1, Single Beds 0 Lismore /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Fisherman's Cottage, Whiting Bay
From 340 p/w	Fishermans cottage is a quaint 150 year old, stone built cottage.Located within minutes of Goat Island beach, and Whiting Bay beach. Sleeps 4: Double Beds 1, Twin Beds 1, Single Beds 0 Ardmore /Dungarvan /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Marston Cottage
From 280 p/w	Four star self catering cottage on the banks of Blackwater river. Sleeps 4. Main bedroom ensuite, 1 twin room. Sleeps 4: Double Beds 1, Twin Beds 1, Single Beds 0 Lismore /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
The Ivy, 4 bedroom house in Lismore
From 500 p/w	The Ivy is a four bedroom detached house set right in the centre of the hertaige town of Lismore, Co. Waterford Ireland Sleeps 7: Double Beds 3, Twin Beds 0, Single Beds 1 Lismore /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Glendalough
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Jacks Cottage, West Waterford
From 400 p/w	A beautiful traditional 18th Century thatched fishermans cottage nestled in a peaceful garden on the bank of the Blackwater River in West Waterford Sleeps 5: Double Beds 2, Twin Beds 0, Single Beds 1 West Waterford /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Kate's Cottage, Lismore
From 325 p/w	Kate's is a traditional Irish cottage that has been refurbished to a high standard. Set in open countryside with a large relaxing private garden with mountain views. Sleeps 4: Double Beds 1, Twin Beds 1, Single Beds 0 Lismore /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
The Granary, Bride Valley Fruit Farm
From 180 p/w	Good touring base. Semi detached, single storey cottage for 4. All on ground floor: Living room/dining room/kitchen. Sun room. 2 bedrooms: 1 double, Sleeps 4: Double Beds 1, Twin Beds 1, Single Beds 0 Lismore /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Goat Island Cottage, Ardmore
From 430 p/w	Goat Island Cottage in the beautiful fishing village of Ardmore Co. Waterford in the sunny South of Ireland. Beautiful newly built open plan cottage Sleeps 6: Double Beds 2, Twin Beds 1, Single Beds 0 Ardmore /Dungarvan /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
Bungalow, Ardmore
From 400 p/w	4 bed bungalow. Stunning sea views. Sleeps 8. Recently refurbished. Convenient to beaches, village, shops, pubs, cliff walks. 50mins from Cork and Waterford Sleeps 8: Double Beds 2, Twin Beds 0, Single Beds 2 Ardmore /Dungarvan /County Waterford /Ireland /Europe /
The Riverbank
From 225 p/w	A snug retreat at a writers' home right on the bank of the idyllic River Blackwater in Co. Waterford

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