An Irish Itinerary
- Kaitlen Elaine
- Mar 17, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Dec 3, 2023
Fáilte go hÉirinn! (Welcome to Ireland!)
Upon arriving to Rosslare Harbour, I was graciously greeted with overwhelming shades of green—and when I say green, I mean green—scenery in the most welcoming way. Ireland is just as beautiful in person as it is in photographs and I can't wait to explore the ins and outs of the country's history and culture! However, as the first matter of business, I needed to figure out how to get from Rosslare Harbour to Waterford, Ireland. While traveling through the United Kingdom and Ireland, I have been enjoying the convenient public transportation that the United States just... completely lacks in. So luckily, I was able to get a bus ticket fairly quickly with Bus Eireann, and it only cost me ten euros! While I'm in Ireland, I want to travel around the southern parts and then head up towards the north; as I will eventually be heading into Scotland later on in my travels.
But first—Waterford!
Not only does Waterford intrigue me because it's the oldest city in Ireland, pre-dating Dublin by 74 years, but it is also part of Ireland's 'Ancient East' and has encountered many Viking and Norman invasions within its history! And as someone who has bought into AncestryDNA and found out that they have the tiniest bit—5%—of Norwegian blood; I guess you could say I'm kind of excited to learn a bit more about my ancestors! ...Of course, only kidding, but I think it'll be quite fascinating and I am super excited to delve deep into Waterford's past.
On the bus ride towards my destination, I researched a little more about Waterford's history. Apparently, at one point, Waterford was the medieval wine capital of Ireland, and it was also quite progressive in the then growing 'coffee culture' during its time! Waterford is truly a city of cultural significance; as it is the hometown of Luke Wadding, the man who gave us St. Patrick's Day, it's home to the Theatre Royal, the oldest continuous theatre in Ireland, and in 1848, Waterford City was the location in which the Irish tricolor flag was first flown by General Thomas Francis Meagher! Honestly, even if you're not a history buff, I believe you would absolutely fall in love with Waterford City for its historic streets, homey atmosphere, walking tours, local boutiques, quirky shops, and its exciting annual festivals!
If you're interested in a bit more information on Waterford's history, take a look at this webpage!
Once I arrived in Waterford, I checked into Dooley's Hotel, a nice little family-run place overlooking the River Suir. This hotel is conveniently located in walking distance from tons of restaurants, pubs, shops, cafes, and the Viking Triangle!
The Viking Triangle is something that I have been eager to visit, because the location itself is like walking back in time; as you're surrounded by relics from the city's Viking, Norman and medieval past! This 'Triangle' is the originally enclosed, or walled, part of the city that still maintains some of the original medieval streets and architecture. The Viking Triangle includes the Waterford Treasure Museums; such as the Bishop’s Palace, Reginald’s Tower, and the Medieval Museum.
Reginald’s Tower, or Túr Raghnaill in Irish, is an unmissable 13th-century landmark that is not only the oldest civic building in Ireland, but also the first Viking defensive structure in Waterford. Around 1463, coins were minted in the Tower by order of the Irish Parliament and engraved on these coins had the words "Civitas Waterford." While the Tower was used as a mint for quite some time, it has also been used as a prison and a military store throughout the ages. However, today it exhibits historic artifacts that tell the story of Waterford’s Viking heritage and fascinating past. Beside the Tower is a full-sized replica of a Viking longboat—which is insanely huge! Structures like this—similar to my reaction at Stonehenge—constantly make me question how these massive objects were built so long ago!
After visiting the Reginald's Tower, I headed over to the Medieval Museum—and let me tell you—this museum has everything. Within the museum, there are two medieval chambers that you're able to explore; the 13th-century Choristers’ Hall and the 15th-century Mayor’s Wine Vault, which are quite literally still beneath the streets of Waterford City! During your time at the museum, you're able to view the Great Charter Roll and 15th-century 'cloth-of-gold' church vestments. There is a lot of information on Waterford's Scandinavian seafaring pirates as well! Waterford City was founded all the way back in 914 CE, but truly started developing around the 10th-century! Interestingly enough, the Vikings settled in Waterford because they realized that the Waterford harbor was a strategic and important trading area, as three rivers connect here—the Barrow, Nore and Suir. The Vikings were interested in coastal settlements, so they could ransack and loot valuables, materials, and even people.
If you're interested in visiting a different style of Waterford history, I suggest visiting the Bishop's Palace as well. The Bishop’s Palace is in Cathedral Square and only a couple minute walk from the Medieval Museum (so you can definitely experience all of this within one day!). This Palace displays the incredibly preserved treasures of Georgian and Victorian Waterford.
When you walk in, the ground and first floors are decorated and furnished just as it would've been in the 18th-century. It's honestly a very elegant 18th-century townhouse dream—something from a fairytale—displaying tons of gorgeous pieces of glass, artwork, and delicately crafted furniture. Waterford is also home to the 'Waterford Glass House,' or what is called Waterford Crystal today. Around 1783-84, the Glass House factory was crafting the finest quality glass in Europe—making luxury crystal! Within the Bishop's Palace, you're able to view the oldest surviving piece of Waterford glass in the world: the Penrose decanter.
If you're interested in learning more about the history of Waterford Crystal, check this webpage out!
The Bishop's Palace has a long history, dating back to the early 13th-century with Bishop Jocelin. However, the present Palace began its construction in 1743. Bishop Charles Este commissioned for the building of the Palace, which would then be designed by Richard Cassel. Unfortunately, both Este and Cassel experienced premature deaths; Este's in 1745 and Cassel's in 1750. It was John Roberts, a well-known Waterford architect at the time, who ended up finishing the Palace; allowing the Anglican bishops of Waterford to reside there until 1919.
Although it is no longer home to Protestant bishops, it's an incredible place to visit to see gorgeous Georgian architecture and design. After exploring the ground and first floors of the Palace, you can head up to the top floor to experience what life would've been like in the 1900's; as the Palace truly brings 20th-century Waterford to life! There are loads of galleries to explore; from the historic suburb of Ballybricken, the struggle for Irish independence and the early Irish State, Waterford during the First World War, and much more!
This is one of my favorite places here in Waterford, because you learn so many new things about Ireland's oldest city in such a fun and interactive way—so if you're interested in anything and everything from vikings to the 20-century, I highly suggest that you visit the Viking Triangle! I got the 'Freedom Pass' from the Waterford Treasure Museum and it only cost me £15—and this pass gets you access to five museums with personable tours! And, to make it even better, I also get a free pint at Phil Grimes Pub (which isn't too far of a walk from the Triangle!).
After my early to mid-day adventures, I figured I could use a bite to eat and headed over to the Bishop's Palace Café—and you guessed it, it's right next to the Bishop's Palace. I was able to get a nice little window seat that faced directly towards Waterford Crystal on this rather beautiful day. This is the perfect little place to stumble upon after touring the Waterford Crystal factory or spending all day investigating the Waterford museums!
Late-lunch at this cafe is outstanding! The portions were very generous tasted excellent, everything was reasonably priced, and the service was so friendly. It has a wonderful historic background to enjoy your coffee or food in. After devouring my sweet potato fries and sandwich, I knew that I would need to take a stroll over to Phil Grimes Pub for that free pint that I was gifted!
Overall, my experience touring the Viking Triangle was anything but ordinary. This is an adventure that you can't just experience anywhere! Waterford City's commitment to preserving and educating visitors of its historic wonders is admirable. There is also so much more to do in Waterford; such as visiting the Irish Museum of Time, the Waterford Greenway, the Theatre Royal, and all of the magnificent cathedrals! Hopefully the next time you find yourself in Ireland, you take a pitstop in Waterford City—within the province of Munster in the south-east of Ireland!
Later, after returning home from the pub, I realized that I needed to consider where I'd be traveling from here. As much as I have thoroughly enjoyed Waterford, I believe that it's time to head farther south towards Blarney—near Cork, Ireland! You may or may not know where I'm aiming to visit; however, there is quite the legend surrounding the area and a particular castle, a castle in which I will not name—yet.
Also, how fitting was it to post about Waterford City on St. Patrick's Day? If you're interested in learning about Luke Wadding and the history of St. Patrick's Day, take a look at the link below!
Slán go fóill!
(Bye for now!)
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