Waterford ( ) is a
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in
County Waterford
County Waterford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is named after the city of Waterford. ...
in the
south-east of Ireland. It is located within the
province
A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
of
Munster
Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
. The city is situated at the head of
Waterford Harbour
Waterford Harbour () is a natural harbour at the mouth of the The Three Sisters (Ireland), Three Sisters; the River Nore, the River Suir and the River Barrow in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is navigable for shipping to both Waterford and N ...
. It is the oldest
[Waterford City Council : About Our City]
. Waterfordcity.ie. Retrieved on 23 July 2013. and the
fifth most populous city in the Republic of Ireland. It is the
ninth most populous settlement on the island of Ireland. As of the
2022 census, 60,079 people lived in the city and its suburbs.
[
Historically the site of a Viking settlement, Waterford's medieval defensive walls and fortifications include the 13th or 14th century ]Reginald's Tower
Reginald's Tower () is a historic tower in Waterford, Munster, Ireland. It is located at the eastern end of the city quay. The tower has been in usage for different purposes for many centuries and is an important landmark in Waterford and an imp ...
. The medieval city was attacked several times, and earned the motto ''Urbs Intacta Manet'' ('The Untaken City'), after repelling one such 15th century siege. Waterford is known for its former glassmaking industry, including at the Waterford Crystal factory, with decorative glass being manufactured in the city from 1783 until early 2009 when the factory closed following the receivership of Waterford Wedgwood plc. The Waterford Crystal visitor centre was opened, in the city's Viking Quarter, in 2010 and resumed production under new ownership. As of the 21st century, Waterford is the county town
In Great Britain and Ireland, a county town is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county, and the place where public representatives are elected to parliament. Following the establishment of county councils in ...
of County Waterford and the local government authority is Waterford City and County Council.
History
The name 'Waterford' comes . The Irish name is ''Port Láirge'', meaning "Lárag's port".[''Discover Waterford'', by Eamon McEneaney (2001). ()]
Viking
Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...
raiders first established a settlement near Waterford in 853. It and all the other longphorts were vacated , the Vikings having been driven out by the native Irish. The Vikings re-established themselves in Ireland at Waterford in 914, led at first by Ottir Iarla (Jarl Ottar) until 917, and after that by Ragnall ua Ímair
Ragnall ua Ímair ( , died 921) or Rægnald was a Viking leader who ruled Northumbria and the Isle of Man in the early 10th century. He was a grandson of Ímar and a member of the Uí Ímair. Ragnall was most probably among those Vikings expelle ...
and the Uí Ímair
The Uí Ímair (; meaning ‘''scions of Ivar’''), also known as the Ivar dynasty or Ivarids, was a Norse-Gael dynasty which ruled much of the Irish Sea region, the Kingdom of Dublin, the western coast of Scotland, including the Hebrides and ...
dynasty, and built what would be Ireland's first city. Among the most prominent rulers of Waterford was Ivar of Waterford.
In 1167, Diarmait Mac Murchada, the deposed King of Leinster, failed in an attempt to take Waterford. He returned in 1170 with Cambro-Norman mercenaries under Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke
Richard de Clare (c. 1130 – 20 April 1176), the second Earl of Pembroke, also Lord of Leinster and Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, Justiciar of Ireland (sometimes known as Richard FitzGilbert), was an Anglo-Norman nobleman notable for his leadi ...
(known as Strongbow); together they besieged and took the city after a desperate defence. In furtherance of the Norman invasion of Ireland
The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland took place during the late 12th century, when Anglo-Normans gradually conquered and acquired large swathes of land in Ireland over which the monarchs of England then claimed sovereignty. The Anglo-Normans ...
, King Henry II of England
Henry II () was King of England
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with the ...
landed at Waterford in 1171. Waterford and then Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
were declared royal cities, with Dublin also declared the capital of Ireland.
Reginald's Tower
Reginald's Tower () is a historic tower in Waterford, Munster, Ireland. It is located at the eastern end of the city quay. The tower has been in usage for different purposes for many centuries and is an important landmark in Waterford and an imp ...
, built after the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland
The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland took place during the late 12th century, when Anglo-Normans gradually conquered and acquired large swathes of land in Ireland over which the List of English monarchs, monarchs of England then claimed sovere ...
on the site of an earlier fortification and retaining its Viking name, was one of the first in Ireland to use mortar in its construction.
Throughout the medieval period, Waterford was Ireland's second city after Dublin. In the 15th century, Waterford repelled sieges by two pretenders to the English throne: Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck ( – 23 November 1499) was a pretender to the English throne claiming to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, who was the second son of Edward IV and one of the so-called "Princes in the Tower". Richard, were he alive, would ...
. As a result, King Henry VII gave the city its motto: ''Urbs Intacta Manet Waterfordia'' ("Waterford remains an untouched city").
After the Protestant Reformation, Waterford remained a Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
city and participated in the confederation of Kilkenny – an independent Catholic government from 1642 to 1649. This was ended abruptly by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
, who brought the country back under English rule; his son-in-law Henry Ireton
Henry Ireton (baptised 3 November 1611; died 26 November 1651) was an English general in the Parliamentarian army during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and a son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell. He died of disease outside Limerick in November 165 ...
finally took Waterford in 1650 after a two major sieges.[''A New History of Cromwell's Irish Campaign'', by Philip McKeiver (2007). ()] In 1690, during the Williamite War
The Williamite War in Ireland took place from March 1689 to October 1691. Fought between Jacobite supporters of James II and those of his successor, William III, it resulted in a Williamite victory. It is generally viewed as a related conflic ...
, the Jacobite Irish Army
The Irish Army () is the land component of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Defence Forces of Republic of Ireland, Ireland.The Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces – the standing branches – and the Reserve Defence Forces. ...
was forced to surrender Waterford in the wake of the Battle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne ( ) took place in 1690 between the forces of the deposed King James II, and those of King William III who, with his wife Queen Mary II (his cousin and James's daughter), had acceded to the Crowns of England and Sc ...
.
The 18th century was a period of huge prosperity for Waterford. Many of the city's architecturally notable buildings appeared during this time. A permanent military presence was established in the city with the completion of the Cavalry Barracks at the end of the 18th century.
In the early 19th century, Waterford City was deemed vulnerable and the British government erected three Martello tower
Martello towers are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts.
They stand up to high (with two floors) and typica ...
s on the Hook Peninsula to reinforce the existing Fort at Duncannon. During the 19th century, industries such as glass making and ship building thrived in the city.
The city was represented in the Parliament
In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
from 1891 to 1918 by John Redmond MP, leader (from January 1900) of the Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP; commonly called the Irish Party or the Home Rule Party) was formed in 1874 by Isaac Butt, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nati ...
. Redmond, then leader of the pro-Parnell faction of the party, defeated David Sheehy in 1891.
In July 1922, Waterford was the scene of fighting between Irish Free State
The Irish Free State (6 December 192229 December 1937), also known by its Irish-language, Irish name ( , ), was a State (polity), state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-ye ...
and Irish Republican
Irish republicanism () is the political movement for an Irish republic, void of any British rule. Throughout its centuries of existence, it has encompassed various tactics and identities, simultaneously elective and militant and has been both w ...
troops during the Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War (; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United Kingdom but within the British Emp ...
.
Politics
Local government
Following the Local Government Reform Act 2014, Waterford City and County Council is the local government authority for the city and county. The authority came into operation on 1 June 2014. Prior to this the city had its own local council, Waterford City Council
Waterford City Council () was the authority responsible for Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local government in the city of Waterford in Ireland until 2014.
As a city council, it was governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The ...
. The new council is the result of a merger of Waterford City Council and Waterford County Council. The council has 32 representatives (councillors) who are elected from six local electoral area
A local electoral area (LEA; ) is an electoral area for elections to Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authorities in Ireland. All elections in the Republic of Ireland, elections use the single transferable vote. Republic of Ir ...
s. The city itself forms three of the electoral areas – which when combined form the Metropolitan District of Waterford City – and returns a total of 18 councillors to Waterford City and County Council. The office of the Mayor of Waterford was established in 1377. A mayor is elected by the councillors from the three electoral areas of the Metropolitan District of Waterford every year, and there is no limit to the number of terms an individual may serve. Mary O'Halloran, who was mayor from 2007 to 2008, was the first woman to hold the post.
National politics
For the elections
An election is a formal group decision-making process whereby a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operated ...
to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann ( ; , ) is the lower house and principal chamber of the Oireachtas, which also includes the president of Ireland and a senate called Seanad Éireann.Article 15.1.2° of the Constitution of Ireland reads: "The Oireachtas shall co ...
, the city is part of the 4-seat constituency of Waterford
Waterford ( ) is a City status in Ireland, city in County Waterford in the South-East Region, Ireland, south-east of Ireland. It is located within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford H ...
, which includes the city and county of Waterford. For elections to the European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...
, the county is part of the South
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
constituency.
Geography

Harbour and port
The city is situated at the head of Waterford Harbour
Waterford Harbour () is a natural harbour at the mouth of the The Three Sisters (Ireland), Three Sisters; the River Nore, the River Suir and the River Barrow in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is navigable for shipping to both Waterford and N ...
( or ). The River Suir
The River Suir ( ; or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of .
The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2. , which flows through Waterford City, has provided a basis for the city's long maritime history. The place downriver from Waterford where the Nore
The Nore is a long sandbank, bank of sand and silt running along the south-centre of the final narrowing of the Thames Estuary, England. Its south-west is the very narrow Nore Sand. Just short of the Nore's easternmost point where it fades int ...
and the Barrow join the River Suir
The River Suir ( ; or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of .
The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2. is known in Irish as ''Cumar na dTrí Uisce'' ("The confluence of the three waters"). Waterford Port has been one of Ireland's major ports for over a millennium. In the 19th century, shipbuilding was a major industry. The owners of the Neptune Shipyard, the Malcomson family, built and operated the largest fleet of iron steamers in the world between the mid-1850s and the late 1860s, including five trans-Atlantic passenger liners.
Climate
The climate of Waterford is, like the rest of Ireland, classified as a maritime temperate climate (''Cfb'') according to the Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system. It is mild and changeable with abundant rainfall and a lack of temperature extremes. The counties in the Waterford area are often referred to as the 'Sunny Southeast'. The warmest months of the year are June, July and August with average daytime temperatures of around 17 – 22 degrees. Rainfall is evenly distributed year-round; however, the period from late October to late January is considerably wetter and duller than the rest of the year.
Demographics
With a 2022 population of 60,079,[ Waterford is the fifth most populous city in the state and the 32nd most populous area of local government.
The population of Waterford grew from 1,555 in 1653 to around 28,000 in the early 19th century, declining to just over 20,000 at the end of the 19th, then rising steadily to over 40,000 during the 20th century. By the time of the 2016 census, Waterford city and suburbs had a population of 53,504 and the broader metropolitan area a population of 59,854.
]
Culture
Arts
Theatre companies in Waterford include the Red Kettle, Spraoi and Waterford Youth Arts companies. Red Kettle is a professional theatre company, founded by Waterford playwright Jim Nolan, 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. In January 2005 the company staged "Awakening", a production which marked the opening of the Cork 2005 European Capital of Culture program. Waterford Youth Arts (WYA), formerly known as Waterford Youth Drama, was established in August 1985. The Theatre Royal Waterford dates back to 1785.
There are four public libraries in the city, all operated by Waterford City and County Council: Central Library, in Lady Lane; Ardkeen Library, in the Ardkeen shopping centre on the Dunmore Road; Carrickphierish Library in Gracedieu, and Brown's Road Library, on Paddy Brown's Road. Waterford Council operates eight further library branches through the county.
Central Library, or Waterford City Library, opened in 1905. It was the first of many Irish libraries funded by businessman Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie ( , ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the History of the iron and steel industry in the United States, American steel industry in the late ...
and renovated in 2004 for its centenary. The library is built over Lady's Gate, part of the medieval city walls of the city.
Waterford Film For All (WFFA) is a non-profit film society, operating primarily from the Waterford Institute of Technology
The Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT; ) was an Institutes of technology in the Republic of Ireland, institute of technology, located in Waterford, Ireland. The institute had six constituent schools and offered programmes in business, engi ...
(WIT) campus, whose aim is to offer an alternative to the cineplex experience in Waterford.
The Waterford Collection of Art, formerly known as the Waterford Municipal Art Collection, is one of the oldest municipal collections of art in Ireland. Originally founded as the Waterford Art Museum in 1939, the collection now comprises over 500 works of art including works by: Paul Henry, Jack B. Yeats, Mainie Jellett, Louis Le Brocquy, Letitia Hamilton, Dermod O’Brien, Evie Hone
Eva Sydney Hone RHA (22 April 1894 – 13 March 1955), usually known as Evie, was an Irish painter and stained glass artist.Nicola Gordon Bowe (May 2009)Hone, Eva Sydney (1894–1955) ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', online editi ...
, Mary Swanzy, Charles Lamb
Charles Lamb (10 February 1775 – 27 December 1834) was an English essayist, poet, and antiquarian, best known for his '' Essays of Elia'' and for the children's book '' Tales from Shakespeare'', co-authored with his sister, Mary Lamb (1764� ...
, Hilda Roberts, Seán Keating, and George Russell (aka. AE).
Greyfriars Church, a disused Methodist church, was purchased by Waterford Corporation in 1988 and refurbished into a museum and gallery.
Events
* The Waterford Film Festival was established in 2007, celebrating its tenth year in 2016.
* ''Waterford Music Fest'', launched in 2011, is an outdoor, one-day music event which takes place in the city during the summer. In 2011, Waterford Music Fest was headlined by 50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...
, Flo Rida
Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), known professionally as Flo Rida ( ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 debut and breakout single "Low (Flo Rida song), Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the ...
and G-Unit and was attended by over 10,000 people.
* ''Spraoi'' festival, (pronounced 'Spree') organised by the Spraoi Theatre Company, is a street art festival which takes place in the city centre on the August Bank Holiday Weekend. Previous events have attracted audiences in excess of 80,000 people to the city.
* ''Waterford International Festival of Light Opera'' is an annual event that has been held in the Theatre Royal since 1959. Also known as the Waterford International Festival of Music, it takes place in November.
* Waterford hosted the Tall Ships Festival in 2005 and 2011. The 2005 festival attracted over 400,000 people to the city.
* St. Patrick's Day parade takes place annually on 17 March.
* Arts festivals which take place in the city include the ''Imagine Arts Festival'' in October and ''The Fringe Arts Festival'' in September.
* ''Waterford Winterval'' an annual Christmas festival held in the city centre.
* ''Waterford Walls'' is an event celebrating street art
Street art is visual art created in public locations for public visibility. It has been associated with the terms "independent art", "post-graffiti", "neo-graffiti" and guerrilla art.
Street art has evolved from the early forms of defiant gr ...
annually each August since 2014. Street artists both domestic and international are invited to the city to practise and display their craft.
Public buildings
* Waterford Museum of Treasures, forming the hub of the Viking Triangle, previously housed in the Granary on Merchant's Quay, is now accommodated in two museums on the Mall. The first is housed in the 19th-century Bishop's Palace, on the Mall, which holds items from 1700 to 1970. This was opened in June 2011. The second museum is located next to Bishop's Palace displaying the Medieval history of the city as well as the Chorister's Hall.
* Reginald's Tower, the oldest urban civic building in the country and the oldest monument to retain its Viking name, is situated on the Quays/The Mall, in Waterford. It has performed numerous functions over the years and today is a civic museum.
* A museum at Mount Sion (Barrack Street) is dedicated to the story of Brother Edmund Ignatius Rice
Edmund Ignatius Rice, Presentation Brothers, F.P.M., Congregation of Christian Brothers, C.F.C. (; 1 June 1762 – 29 August 1844) was a Catholic missionary and educationalist who founded two religious institute, institutes of Religious brothe ...
and the history of the Christian Brothers and Presentation Brothers. Along with the museum, there is a café and a new chapel. The new museum was designed by Janvs Design
* Waterford Gallery of Art, the home of the Waterford Art Collection, is located at 31-32 O’Connell Street. This former bank building was built in 1845 and now serves as a facility comprising galleries, outreach spaces, offices, and meeting and workshop rooms. The building was designed by the Waterford-born architect Thomas Jackson (1807 - 1890). Architecturally, this classical style bank building retains many of its original features and has fine cut-stone detailing throughout, including at the main entrance, stairs and first-floor fireplace.
* 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.
* 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 Quaker Meeting House, built in 1792. The theatre was renovated and restored in 2006 and now contains a 164-seat auditorium.
* St. John's College, Waterford was a Catholic seminary founded in 1807 for the diocese, in the 1830s the college established a mission to Newfoundland in Canada. It closed as a seminary in 1999 and in 2007 much of its building and lands were sold to the Respond! Housing Association.
Religion
Christian churches in Waterford include the Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, the former Franciscan friary of French Church, St Saviour's (Dominican) Church and Priory on Bridge Street, and St Patrick's Catholic Church on Jenkin's Lane, which is one of the earliest surviving post-Reformation churches in Ireland. Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland (, ; , ) is a Christian church in Ireland, and an autonomy, autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the Christianity in Ireland, second-largest Christian church on the ...
places of worship include Christ Church Cathedral and Saint Olave's Church on Peter Street (a Medieval church). Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
churches include St Patrick’s Methodist Church and Waterford Methodist Church.
Other Christian denominations include Waterford Baptist Church, Anchor Baptist Church, the Waterford Quaker Meeting House (Newtown Road), and the Russian Orthodox Parish of St Patrick.
Media
RTÉ
(; ; RTÉThe É in RTÉ is pronounced as an English E () and not an Irish É ()) is an Irish public service broadcaster. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, ...
s southeastern studio is in the city.
Waterford Local Radio (WLR FM) is available on 94.8FM on the Coast, 95.1FM in the County and on 97.5FM in Waterford City. WLR FM is Waterford's local radio station. Beat 102 103 is a regional youth radio station broadcasting across the South East of Ireland, it is based in Ardkeen, along with sister station WLR FM.
The '' Waterford News & Star'' is based on Gladstone Street in Waterford City. It covers Waterford city and county. It is now published in tabloid format.
'' The Munster Express'' has its office on the Quay in Waterford City and covers stories from across the city and county. It switched to tabloid format in 2011.
Local free sheets include the ''Waterford Mail'' (which comes out on Thursdays and has an office on O'Connell Street) and ''Waterford Today'' (an advertising-supported free newspaper which is published on Wednesdays and has an office on Mayors Walk).
Places of interest
The city of Waterford consists of several cultural quarters, the oldest of which is known as Viking Triangle. This is the part of the city surrounded by the original tenth-century fortifications and is triangular in shape, with its apex at Reginald's Tower. Though once the site of a thriving Viking settlement, the city centre subsequently shifted to the west, and it is now a quieter area with narrow streets, medieval architecture, and civic spaces.
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
Derry, officially Londonderry, is the second-largest City status in the United Kingdom, city in Northern Ireland, and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland. Located in County Londonderry, the city now covers both banks of the River Fo ...
, whose walls were built much later. Tours of Waterford's city walls are conducted daily.
The Quay, once termed by historian Mark Girouard as 'the noblest quay in Europe', is a mile long from Grattan Quay to Adelphi Quay, though Adelphi Quay is now a residential area. 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 focal points of Waterford's modern-day commercial centre. It was named after the Waterford architect, John Roberts
John Glover Roberts Jr. (born January 27, 1955) is an American jurist serving since 2005 as the 17th chief justice of the United States. He has been described as having a Moderate conservatism, moderate conservative judicial philosophy, thoug ...
, 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, 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 invasion of Ireland
The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland took place during the late 12th century, when Anglo-Normans gradually conquered and acquired large swathes of land in Ireland over which the monarchs of England then claimed sovereignty. The Anglo-Normans ...
. Modern street names in the area reflect the fact that the area was where inhabitants of the medieval city practised archery. Ballybricken is an inner-city neighbourhood 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 Georgian thoroughfare, built by the Wide Streets Commission to extend the city southwards. It contains some of the city's finest Georgian architecture. The People's Park, Waterford's largest park, is located nearby.
Once a historic market area, the city's Apple Market district is known for its nightlife culture and includes a number of bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Investment in the mid-2010s saw a portion of the area pedestrianised and the installation of a large outdoor roofing section.
Ferrybank, in County Waterford
County Waterford () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is named after the city of Waterford. ...
, is Waterford's only suburb north of the river. It contains a village centre of its own.
In April 2003, a site combining a fifth-century Iron Age
The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
and ninth-century Viking
Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...
settlement was discovered at Woodstown near the city, which appears to have been a Viking town that predates all such settlements in Ireland.
Waterford is known for Waterford Crystal, a legacy of the city's former glass-making industry. Glass, or crystal, was manufactured in the city from 1783 until early 2009 when the factory there was shut down after the receivership of Waterford Wedgwood plc. A new Waterford Crystal visitor centre in the Viking Quarter, under new owners, opened in June 2010, after the intervention of Waterford City Council and Waterford Chamber of Commerce, and resumed production.
Waterford's oldest public house (pub) is located outside the old 'Viking Triangle'. T & H Doolan's, of 31/32 George's Street, has acted as a licensed premises since the 18th century but the premises is believed to be closer to five hundred years in age. The pub's structure includes one of the original city walls, almost 1,000 years old, which can be viewed in the lounge area of the building.
Economy
Waterford is the main city of Ireland's South-East Region. Historically Waterford was an important trading port which brought much prosperity to the city throughout the city's eventful history. Throughout its history, Waterford Crystal provided employment to thousands in the city and surrounding areas.
Waterford Port is Ireland's closest deep-water port to mainland Europe, handling approximately 12% of Ireland's external trade by value. Waterford's most famous export, Waterford Crystal, was manufactured in the city from 1783 to 1851, 1947 to 2009 and again from 2010 to the present day. Places, where Waterford Crystal can be seen, include New York City, where Waterford Crystal made the 2,668 crystals for the New Year's Eve Ball that is dropped each year in Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...
; Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...
; Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a List of British royal residences, royal residence at Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, about west of central London. It is strongly associated with the Kingdom of England, English and succee ...
; and the Kennedy Center
The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...
(Washington, DC
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...
).
Agriculture played an important part in Waterford's economic history. Kilmeadan, about 5 km from the city, was home to a very successful co-operative
A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democr ...
. The farmers of the area benefited from the sale of their produce (mostly butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...
and milk
Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of lactating mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfeeding, breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. ...
) to the co-op. In 1964, all of the co-ops in Waterford amalgamated to become Waterford Co-op. This led to the construction of a cheese
Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...
factory on a greenfield site opposite the general store, and Kilmeadan cheese was to become one of the most recognised and successful Cheddar brands in the world, winning gold and bronze medals in the World Cheese Awards in London in 2005.
The Irish economic recession from 2008 onwards has had a major negative impact on Waterford's economy. A number of multinational companies have closed, including Waterford Crystal (which subsequently reopened) and Talk Talk, which has led to a high level of unemployment. Until 2013 the hedge fund
A hedge fund is a Pooling (resource management), pooled investment fund that holds Market liquidity, liquid assets and that makes use of complex trader (finance), trading and risk management techniques to aim to improve investment performance and ...
office of the Citibank
Citibank, N.A. ("N. A." stands for "National bank (United States), National Association"; stylized as citibank) is the primary U.S. banking subsidiary of Citigroup, a financial services multinational corporation, multinational corporation. Ci ...
resided here.
Waterford Co-op and Avonmore Co-op have merged to form Glanbia plc.
Transport
The M9 motorway, which was completed on 9 September 2010, connects the city to Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
. The N24 road connects the city to Limerick
Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
city. The N25 road connects the city to Cork city
Cork ( ; from , meaning 'marsh') is the second-largest city in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, the county town of County Cork, the largest city in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the List of settlements on the island of Ireland ...
. The route traverses the River Suir
The River Suir ( ; or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of .
The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2. via the River Suir Bridge. This cable-stayed bridge
A cable-stayed bridge has one or more ''towers'' (or ''pylons''), from which wire rope, cables support the bridge deck. A distinctive feature are the cables or wikt:stay#Etymology 3, stays, which run directly from the tower to the deck, norm ...
is the longest single bridge span in Ireland at 230m. The route continues eastwards to Rosslare Harbour.
Waterford Plunkett railway station is the only remaining railway station in the county of Waterford. It is operated by Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann, () or Irish Rail, is the operator of the national Rail transport in Ireland, railway network of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of CIÉ, Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). It operates all internal I ...
and provides 8 daily return services to Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
and a Monday–Saturday Intercity service to via with onward connections to , , , , Cork, , and . The line between Waterford and Rosslare Harbour ceased passenger services in 2010 and was replaced by Bus Éireann route 370. The station is directly connected to Waterford Port (Belview). A freight yard is located at the Dublin/Limerick end of the station, served by freight traffic such as cargo freight and timber which travel to and from Dublin Port
Dublin Port () is the seaport of Dublin, Ireland, of both historical and contemporary economic importance. Approximately two-thirds of Ireland's port traffic travels via the port, which is by far the busiest on the island of Ireland.
Locatio ...
and . In November 2016 it was revealed the Waterford could lose its connection to Limerick Junction by 2018 with the closure of the Limerick Junction Waterford line by CIE/IE to save money as the line is low demand. On 29 May 2018 the contract held by DFDS for a freight service from Ballina to Belview Port expired and was not renewed. In 2021 a new Ballina to Waterford (Belview) by Iarnród Éireann and XPO Logistics, (this is in addition to the wood pulp service from Ballina and Westport).
Bus Éireann, JJ Kavanagh and Sons, Dublin Coach, and Wexford Bus provide bus services around the city centre and to other towns and cities in Ireland. A daily coach service to England via South Wales and terminating at Victoria Coach Station
Victoria Coach Station in the City of Westminster is the largest bus station, coach station in London, and a bus terminus, terminus for medium and long distance Coach transport in the United Kingdom, coach services in the United Kingdom. It is ...
, London is operated by Eurolines
Eurolines is a brand of intercity bus service owned by an international non-profit organisation formed under Belgian law. Using the Eurolines brand, partner bus companies operate service in Europe and Morocco.
History
Eurolines was founded in ...
. All regional bus services depart from Waterford Bus Station on the quay, and city centre services run throughout the city. Planning for bus lanes in the city centre are at an early stage and bus lanes will be on Parnell Street, Manor Street, The Mall, and the South Quays. A bus lane will be in each direction. On street parking will be removed from Parnell Street to facilitate the lanes. This is part of the city centre green plan.
The Waterford Greenway is Ireland's longest greenway, and connects the city with Mount Congreve, Kilmeaden
Kilmeaden or Kilmeadan () is a village in County Waterford, Ireland. It is west of the centre of Waterford, Waterford city on the R680 road (Ireland), R680 road. The village is in a Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of the same name. Kil ...
, Kilmacthomas, and Dungarvan
Dungarvan () is a coastal town and harbour in County Waterford, on the south-east coast of Ireland. Prior to the merger of Waterford County Council with Waterford City Council in 2014, Dungarvan was the county town and administrative centre of ...
.
Waterford Airport is located 9 km outside the city centre. Waterford was the "starting point" of one of the largest airlines by scheduled international passengers, Ryanair
Ryanair is an Irish Low-cost carrier#Ultra low-cost carrier, ultra low-cost airline group headquartered in Swords, County Dublin, Ireland. The parent company, Ryanair Holdings plc, includes subsidiaries Ryanair , Malta Air, Buzz (Ryanair), Buzz ...
, which operated its first flight on a 14-seat Embraer Bandeirante turboprop
A turboprop is a Gas turbine, gas turbine engine that drives an aircraft Propeller (aeronautics), propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction drive, reduction gearbox, gas compressor, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propellin ...
aircraft, between Waterford and Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport , also known as London Gatwick Airport (), is the Airports of London, secondary international airport serving London, West Sussex and Surrey. It is located near Crawley in West Sussex, south of Central London. In 2024, Gatwic ...
.
Education
The city is served by 21 primary schools, nine secondary schools, a further education college and a university.
Secondary schools
There are several secondary schools in the area. Mount Sion Secondary and Primary School, located at Barrack Street, were founded by Edmund Ignatius Rice. Newtown School is a Quaker co-educational boarding school. Waterpark College was established in 1892 on the banks of the River Suir as Waterford's first classical school. It still provides a secondary education and has recently become a co-educational school. De La Salle College, a secondary school with 1,200 students and over 90 staff, is the biggest all-boys school in the county. Founded by the De La Salle brothers in 1892, it is a Catholic school for boys. Today its large staff is made up of a mixture of Brothers and lay teachers. St. Angela's Secondary School is a Catholic all-girls school with approximately 970 students enrolled as of 2023.
Further education
Waterford College of Further Education previously called the Central Technical Institute (CTI), is a Post Leaving Certificate institute located on Parnell Street, Waterford city. It was founded in 1906 and thus celebrated its centenary in 2005.
University
South East Technological University - the Waterford campus of the university is located in the city. This was established in 2022 from a merger of Waterford Institute of Technology
The Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT; ) was an Institutes of technology in the Republic of Ireland, institute of technology, located in Waterford, Ireland. The institute had six constituent schools and offered programmes in business, engi ...
and Institute of Technology, Carlow.
Sport
Waterford Boat Club is the oldest active sports club in Waterford, established in 1878. Located on Scotch Quay, the club competes in the Irish Rowing Championships. In 2009, several Waterford rowers were selected to row for Ireland.
There are three athletics clubs: West Waterford AC, Waterford Athletic Club and Ferrybank Athletic Club. The Waterford Viking Marathon is held in June. St. Anne's Waterford Lawn Tennis Club, established in 1954, is the result of the amalgamation of Waterford Lawn Tennis Club and St. Anne's Lawn Tennis Club. It has nine courts to cater for social and competitive players in all age groups.
Waterford is home to several association football clubs, including Waterford FC, Benfica W.S.C. and Johnville F.C. Waterford F.C. is a member of the League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is a national association football Sports league, league consisting of professional clubs in the Republic of Ireland and Derry, Derry City in Northern Ireland. It is governed by the Football Association of Ireland. It was ...
. Notable Waterford footballers include Davy Walsh, Paddy Coad, Jim Beglin, Alfie Hale, Eddie Nolan, John O'Shea and Daryl Murphy. John Delaney, former chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI; ) is the governing body for association football in the Republic of Ireland.
Organisation
The FAI has an executive committee of five members under the president, who receive expenses, as well as a p ...
, is originally from Waterford.
There are two rugby union clubs in Waterford City: Waterford City R.F.C. and Waterpark R.F.C.
Other team sports include Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional Irish sports o ...
with clubs such as Mount Sion GAA
Mount Sion () is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Waterford City, County Waterford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It was founded by teachers in the school of the same name. Although technically separate from the school, the club sti ...
, Erin's Own GAA, De La Salle GAA, Roanmore GAA, Ferrybank GAA and Ballygunner GAA; cricket
Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
is represented by Waterford District Cricket Club, who are based in Carriganore and compete in the Munster Cricket Union; there are two inline hockey clubs, Waterford Shadows HC and Waterford Vikings, both of which compete in the Irish Inline Hockey League; and American football is played by Waterford Wolves, based at the Waterford Regional Sports Centre, and is the only American football club in Waterford.
Notable people
See also
* Blaa – A doughy, white bread roll particular to Waterford City.
* John's River
John's River or St. John's River is a small river that snakes its way through Waterford city before joining the River Suir at Adelphi Quay, Ireland.
Course
The river rises in the extensive marsh land stretching from the southern extremities of ...
– A river that runs through Waterford City.
* Little Island – An island within Waterford City.
* The Three Sisters: The River Barrow, River Nore and River Suir
The River Suir ( ; or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of .
The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2.
* List of twin towns and sister cities in the Republic of Ireland
Notes
References
External links
Waterford City Council
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waterford (City)
914 establishments
Baronies of County Waterford
Cities in the Republic of Ireland
Munster
Populated coastal places in the Republic of Ireland
Viking Age populated places
10th-century establishments in Ireland
Populated places established in the 10th century
Port cities and towns in the Republic of Ireland
Former boroughs in the Republic of Ireland