Introduction to County Waterford

Waterford City: 65km (40 miles) W of Wexford, 53km (33 miles) W of Rosslare Harbour, 158km (98 miles) SW of Dublin, 126km (78 miles) E of Cork, 153km (95 miles) SE of Shannon Airport

Waterford City (pop. 42,500) is the main seaport of southeast Ireland. Its unprotected proximity at the edge of the ferocious Atlantic Ocean makes it Ireland's Windy City, as the sea breeze always blows here. Its location has a lot to do with the fact that it is Ireland's oldest city, founded by Viking invaders in the 9th century. In recent years, a major archaeological endeavor has excavated much of the ancient Viking city, and some of the more striking finds from these excavations can be seen in the Waterford Treasures exhibition at the Granary Museum.

Although the historic district around Reginald's Tower is intriguing, outside of that Waterford is largely a commercial center, dominated by its busy port. Because the rest of County Waterford is so beautiful, many travelers don't linger long in the capital city.

Coastal highlights south of Waterford include Dunmore East, a picturesque fishing village and the charmingly old-fashioned Portally Cove, Ireland's only Amish-Mennonite community; Dungarvan, a major town with a fine harbor; Ardmore, an idyllic beach resort; and Passage East, a tiny seaport from which you can catch a ferry across the harbor and cut your driving time from Waterford to Wexford in half. Of all the coastal towns in County Waterford, Ardmore most stands out. It has an ancient monastic site, a pristine Blue Flag beach, a stunning cliff walk, a fine craft shop, an excellent restaurant, and comfortable seaside accommodations.

In northwest County Waterford, the Comeragh Mountains provide many opportunities for beautiful walks, including the short trek to Mahon Falls. These mountains also have highly scenic roads for biking. Farther west, there's great fishing on the Blackwater estuary.

Waterford Crystal: The End of an Era? -- Sadly, in early 2009, the global recession claimed its most high-profile Irish victim to date, with the closure of the Waterford Crystal Factory in Waterford City. This was the county's top visitor attraction, and statistically the fourth most popular tourist site in the country, so its closure came as a blow to the area.

It's not yet clear whether a buyer will be found for the iconic, 227-year-old crystal manufacturer -- if so, it's entirely possible that the factory will reopen to visitors -- but as this book was being written, there was no news on that front. For more information, check the visitor center's official website, www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com or www.waterford.com.

When we last called, a sad-sounding man offered to make us a cup of tea and show us around the factory himself if we cared to drop by. As to whether anybody will be there when you're next in Waterford, it's hard to say.