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Waterford GAA

Irish:	Port Láirge
Province:	Munster
Nickname(s):	The Déise The Gentle County
County colours:	White and Blue
Ground(s):	Walsh Park, Waterford Fraher Field, Dungarvan
Dominant sport:	Hurling
Competitions
NFL:	Division 4
NHL:	Division 1
Football Championship:	Tommy Murphy Cup
Hurling Championship:	Liam McCarthy Cup
Ladies' Gaelic football:	Brendan Martin Cup
Camogie:	Kay Mills Cup
Standard kit

The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) (Irish: Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Phort Láirge) or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county board's offices are based at Walsh Park, Waterford City. The Waterford County Board was founded in 1886.

Hurling is generally regarded the dominant sport, with the county having won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship twice.^[1] While Gaelic Football is the secondary sport in the county, it is widely played nonetheless. Waterford's greatest achievement in Gaelic Football was reaching the 1898 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final, losing to Dublin.^[2]

General[link]

Founded in 1886, the Waterford GAA board administers Gaelic Games at all levels in County Waterford, Ireland. This includes the sports of hurling, gaelic football, Gaelic handball and rounders. The board officiates over both senior and underage competitions and both championship and league competitions in the county. The board is also responsible for both hurling and gaelic football inter-county teams. The county is known prominently as The Déise after the name of an ancient Irish kingdom which covered a vast part of modern County Waterford.

Colours and crest[link]

Waterford's original jersey

Waterford's present colours are white and blue. Both inter-county teams play in white shirts, with blue trim along with blue shorts and blue socks. Prior to 2004, the county wore white shorts. The present jerseys are manufactured by local Waterford company, Azzurri Sportswear. O'Neills previously made the jersey up to 2002. Waterford hurling & football are presently sponsored by 3, and have been since 2010.

While today's jersey is white with blue trim, Waterford's jersey was originally Royal Blue and White, with white shorts and blue socks. The change to today's jersey was made in 1936. Today, Waterford uses a blue jersey as its second jersey in case of a clash of colours.

The present crest was introduced in 2009 and features three viking longboats from the crest of Waterford City, and a representation of the round tower in Ardmore. The crest introduced in 2009 was a further refinement of a crest introduced in 2003. The new crest replaced the original crest of Waterford City. The new crest was introduced as the Waterford GAA board were unable to copyright the old one due to it being a civil crest.

Hurling[link]

History[link]

This section may be slanted towards recent events. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective. (June 2010)

This section may have too many subsection headers dividing up its content. Please help improve the article by merging similar sections and removing unneeded subheaders. (May 2012)

Early Days (1886-1935)[link]

The Waterford County Board was established in 1886 in Kilmacthomas and played in the Munster Championship for the first time in 1888, losing to Cork on a score of 2-8 to 0-0. The next fourteen years would consist of walkovers, first round defeats and not entering the competition at all. Waterford would finally win a championship match for the first time in 1903, defeating Kerry by 5-6 to 2-9. In their first Munster final, which did not take place until 1904, Waterford would lose to Cork. The following years led to another series of opening Munster championship match defeats and the occasional walkover, and Waterford would not win another senior championship match until 1925 when Clare were defeated, only for Tipperary to beat them in only their second Munster final.

At this stage, Waterford was still the only county in Munster not to have won the provincial or All-Ireland hurling title, but there were signs of improvement. The minor hurlers reached the first ever Munster final in 1928, losing to Cork. They would make up for this defeat the following year against Tipperary and would defeat Meath in the All-Ireland final. The junior hurlers secured the county's first ever adult silverware in 1931, winning both the Munster and All-Ireland titles. They would repeat this feat in 1934.

At senior level, the county was edging ever closer to Munster success, with the 1931 team drawing with Cork in the final only to lose the replay by 15 points. A fifth Munster final appearance ended when the match against Limerick was abandoned due to crowd encroachment late on with Limerick leading by 11 points. The title was awarded to Limerick, who would defeat Waterford again in the 1934 decider.

Golden Age (1936-1963)[link]

The junior hurlers won the county's third Munster and All-Ireland double at that level in 1936, and the senior hurlers, after those near misses at the start of the decade, were ready to secure the Munster title. An 11 point win over Cork in the 1938 Munster semi-final saw Waterford into their seventh Munster final, where they defeated Clare by 3-5 to 2-5. They reached the county's first ever All-Ireland final after an easy win over Galway, where they went down to Dublin in Croke Park by 2-5 (11) to 1-6 (9). The following year, Waterford played in their first National Hurling League final, losing to Dublin by 1-8 (11) to 1-4 (7).

If Limerick had proven to be Waterford’s nemesis in the 1930s, defeating Waterford again in 1940 on their way to another All-Ireland, the 1940s belonged to Cork who would win the All-Ireland four years running from 1941 to 1944 and again in 1946, defeating Waterford in 1943, 1946 and 1947.

By 1948 though, Waterford’s time had finally come. Defeating Clare by two points in the Munster semi-final, the margin was even narrower in the Munster final against Cork, Waterford prevailing by a score of 4-7 (19) to 3-9 (18). Galway were overcome in the All-Ireland semi-final, and Dublin – containing RTÉ broadcaster Seán Óg Ó Ceallacháin in the half-forward line – were well beaten, on a score of 6-7 (25) to 4-2 (14). Waterford had won the Liam McCarthy Cup at last. To add to the joy of 1948, the Minor team would win the county’s second Munster and All-Ireland titles, defeating Tipperary (3-6 to 0-3) and Kilkenny (3-8 to 4-2) respectively.

Limerick relieved Waterford of their titles in the first defence in 1949, defeating them by five points in the Munster semi-final. The early 1950s saw Waterford come up against Tipperary and Cork teams at the peak of their powers, and Waterford would not reach another Munster final until 1957.

By this time, Waterford had the nucleus of a team that would contest hurling’s major prizes with Tipperary and Kilkenny for the next six years. A close fought victory over Limerick in the semi-final (4-12 to 5-5) saw Waterford into the Munster final where they defeated a Cork team shorn of Christy Ring due to injury on a score of 1-11 (14) to 1-6 (9). Galway were once again defeated in the semi-final, and Kilkenny waited in the final. The game had a few unusual events. Kilkenny paraded around the pitch with sixteen players as British actor John Gregson was being recorded for his role in the film Rooney.^[3] The game saw Amhrán na bhFiann being played at the start of the second half as the referee threw the ball in to start the game before the Artane Boys Band had started the anthem. Waterford led the match 1-6 to 1-5 at half-time and had extended that lead to six points with ten minutes to go, but Kilkenny overtook Waterford with two goals and a point to leave them winners on a score of 4-10 (22) to 3-12 (21).

1958 was the first year Waterford won through to the Munster final having won it the previous year, a win over Kerry setting up the shot at a repeat victory. However, Tipperary were convincing winners on a score of 4-12 (24) to 1-5 (8). Tipperary would also defeat Waterford in the county’s second National Hurling League final appearance in 1959 by seven points. Galway were the first opponents in that year’s Munster championship, and the Tribesmen were well beaten, 7-11 (32) to 0-8. Tipperary were waiting in the semi-final, where they choose to play against a stiff first-half breeze. Waterford took full advantage of this, scoring 8-2 in the first half without reply, and eventually winning 9-3 (30) to 3-4 (13). The county’s fourth Munster title was secured with a three point win over Cork in Thurles. In the All-Ireland final, Kilkenny would make life difficult for Waterford with a string of goals, and with minutes remaining Waterford found themselves in the incredible position of having outscored Kilkenny by seven yet still being three points behind. But Seamus Power’s late goal ensured a draw, 1-17 to 5-5. Waterford did not repeat those mistakes in the replay, securing the county’s second All-Ireland title, 3-12 (21) to 1-10 (13).

Tipperary got their revenge in the 1960 Munster semi-final for the remarkable scoreline the previous year, and they continued to make life hard for Waterford in 1961, beating Waterford in that year’s League final by 6-6 (24) to 4-9 (21). Cork defeated Waterford in the 1961 Munster championship, and while wins over Clare and Cork saw Waterford into the 1962 final, Tipperary hammered Waterford by 20 points to secure a third successive Munster title. The 1963 League final against Tipperary – the ‘Home’ final as the winners were due to meet New York for the title proper – was much closer, with Waterford winning a thrilling match by 2-15 (21) to 4-7. There was to be no such free-scoring the 1963 Munster final though, reached after a six point in over Limerick in the semi-final., Waterford edging a tense affair by 0-11 to 0-8, a result that would be Tipperary’s only senior championship defeat between 1961 and 1965, effectively denying them a 'five-in-a-row'. In the All-Ireland final, Kilkenny were inspired by a 14 point haul from Eddie Keher to a 4-17 (29) to 6-8 (26) victory. There was some consolation for Waterford in the National Hurling League final ‘proper’, where after a scare in a drawn first game (3-6 to 3-6) Waterford won the replay against New York by 3-10 (19) to 1-10 (13).

Dark Times (1964–1991)[link]

It would not have seemed likely in 1964 that Waterford would not win another senior title for nearly forty years. The county remained competitive in the mid 1960s, narrowly losing out to Cork in 1964 and only losing to the same opposition in 1965 after a replay. But a young Cork team, containing several of the team that would win that year’s Under-21 hurling championship, defeated Waterford in the 1966 Munster final. Despite gaining their revenge in the first round of the 1967 Munster championship, Waterford were beginning to struggle. Defeat followed in the Munster semi-final to Tipperary, and Waterford would not win another championship match until 1974.

1974 was a brighter year for Waterford, as the seniors shocked Cork in the first round of the Munster championship, and were only beaten by one point by defending All-Ireland champions Limerick in the semi-final. John Galvin won the county’s first All Star award. The county also secured its first ever victory in the Munster Under-21 championship, defeating Clare by 2-5 (11) to 1-3 (6) in the final. Antrim were well beaten in the semi-final to set up another All-Ireland final against Kilkenny, only to see Kilkenny come out winners by a narrow margin once again, 3-8 (17) to 3-7 (16).

However, 1974 was a brief respite on a downward slide for Waterford hurling. A Cork team about to embark on a three-in-a-row of All-Ireland success hammered Waterford by 22 points in the first round in 1975, and the only county Waterford would beat in the Munster championship over the following six years was Kerry. The only bright spot at senior inter county level would be Mossy Walsh’s All Star award in 1980. Mount Sion would also win the county’s first Munster club title, defeating South Liberties of Limerick in the final. James Stephens of Kilkenny would defeat Mount Sion by 3-13 (22) to 3-8 (17) in the All-Ireland final.

1982 was the beginning of one of the blackest periods in Waterford’s hurling history. An unbeaten run in the league stage of the National League was ended only after a replay in the semi-final by Kilkenny, and a one-point over defending Munster champions Limerick in the semi-final raised hopes that a 23-year wait for Munster success was about to come to an end. But in their first Munster final appearance since 1966, Waterford were humiliated by Cork, losing by 5-31 (46) to 3-6 (15). There was individual reward in the form of All Star awards for Jim Greene and John Galvin (his second), but the disappointment of that year was compounded in 1983. Having overcome a young Tipperary side seeking their county’s first championship win in eight years, Waterford were back in the Munster final only to be crushed by Cork again, 3-22 (31) to 0-12.

The Centenary year saw relegation to Division Two of the National Hurling League, a quarter-final defeat to Galway in the Centenary Cup and a one point defeat to Clare in the Munster championship. Waterford would have to wait until 1989 to win another championship match, a period which would see them relegated to Division Three of the National Hurling League. Waterford would return immediately to Division Two and reach successive League semi-finals in 1987 and 1988, where they were heavily defeated by Galway and Tipperary respectively. 1989 would see a revival in Waterford’s fortunes as Clare were beaten by 15 points in the Munster first round then Cork were overcome in the semi-final after two exciting matches. Having let a lead slip in the first game to draw 0-18 each, Waterford reached the Munster final with a two point win. However, the final was a reminder of those grim days in the early 1980s. Waterford had two players sent off as they slumped to a 0-26 to 2-8 (14) defeat in the 100th Munster final against Tipperary. Cork would end Waterford’s interest in the next two championships by a large margin (17 points in 1990) and a small margin (three points in 1991).

Modern Revival (1992 to 2001)[link]

The 1992 Munster Senior Hurling Championship was a relatively good one for the seniors, defeating Clare after a replay and only losing by three points to Limerick in the semi-final. It was the underage sides though that would provide Waterford with its best year in nearly three decades. The minor hurlers, playing in their first Munster final since 1968, needed a last minute Paul Flynn goal to secure a draw, Waterford’s 4-7 to Tipperary's 3-10. Between that drawn game and the replay, the Under-21s defeated a Ger Loughnane-managed Clare team by 0-17 to 1-12 (15). The jubilation had barely subsided from that win before the Minors defeated Tipperary in the replay, 2-10 to 0-14. With victories in each grade over Antrim in the semi-finals, a new generation of Waterford fans got to visit Croke Park for the first time. The Minor final ended in a disappointing defeat to Galway, 1-13 (16) to 2-4 (10). The Under-21 final against Offaly was staged a few weeks later in Nowlan Park, Kilkenny. 0-9 to 0-4 down at half-time, a second half hat-trick of goals from Seán Daly kept Waterford in touch before a late goal from Paul Flynn looked to have secured victory for Waterford. Two late Offaly points ensured a replay on a final score of 4-4 to 0-16. The replay once again had Offaly in front at half-time, 2-3 (9) to 0-6. Waterford held their opponents scoreless in the second half and a late flurry of points secured a 0-12 to 2-3 (9) victory and a first ever All-Ireland Under-21 hurling championship title.

The progress represented by these underage successes was interrupted in the first round of the Munster championship in 1993 as Kerry won in Walsh Park by 4-13 (25) to 3-13 (22), the Kingdom’s first senior hurling championship win since 1926. The next few years would be frustratingly unfulfilling for a county expecting great things after the events of 1992. A narrow defeat to Limerick in 1994 was followed by a big defeat in 1995 to Tipperary, a year which saw another heavy National League semi-final defeat to a Clare team on its way to a first All-Ireland success in 81 years with much of the team beaten by the Under-21s in 1992. The Under 21s had also beaten Clare in the 1994 Munster final, before losing by 2-21 (27) to 3-6 (15) in an unusual Munster-Leinster all-Ireland semi-final pairing. The minors reached three finals in a row between 1994 and 1996, but were well beaten in each one.

A close loss to Tipperary in Walsh Park in the 1996 Munster semi-final suggested there might be life in the 1992 generation. The appointment of former Cork All-Ireland winning trainer Gerald McCarthy as Waterford manager was seen as a statement of intent on the part of the County Board. A poor first half performance cost them dear in the first round against Limerick in 1997, but the introduction of the hurling ‘back door’ gave Waterford extra incentive to perform well in the 1998 championship, especially with a relatively kind draw in Munster. An excellent run in the National League saw Waterford reach their first final since 1963, laying the semi-final hoodoo with a five point win over Limerick. A tight match in the final saw Cork pull away for a flattering win by 2-14 (20) to 0-13. The morale that had been raised on the back of that run in the League was nearly squandered as Waterford needed a late flurry of point to secure an even more flattering eight points win against Kerry. Despite this, confidence was high going into a semi-final that, due to the Munster finalists being guaranteed a place in the All-Ireland series, had an extra frisson of tension. The Waterford hurlers did not disappoint, securing a 0-21 to 2-12 (18) win over Tipperary. Waterford were back in the Munster final and heading for Croke Park.

The 1998 Munster final was memorable on many levels. On a windy day in Thurles, Waterford struggled to keep in touch with Clare, All-Ireland champions for two of the previous three years, but when Paul Flynn fired a free to the net with the match entering injury time to level the scores, Waterford had a golden opportunity to win it from a 100 metre free. Flynn’s effort drifted wide but the replay was much anticipated by a crowd enthralled by the draw. The replay was an unpleasant affair, a chaotic throw-in eventually leading to the suspension of Clare hurler Colin Lynch, a decision that would leave much bad feeling between the two counties,^[4] and the sending off of Brian Lohan and Micheal White early in the game set the tone for the match itself. Clare would eventually run out comprehensive 2-16 (22) to 0-10 winners, and Waterford had to play Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-finals a week later.

On the back of two hard matches on the previous Sundays, Waterford were underdogs against Galway. But Waterford dominated from start to finish, ending up easy winners by 1-20 (23) to 1-10 (13). This set up a first championship meeting with Kilkenny in 35 years, and a low-scoring game saw Waterford battle back from being six points down midway through the second half to only lose by a point. Incredibly, Waterford had scored five more points over the course of their four championship ties with Kilkenny, yet the record was 3-1 to the Cats. The season ended with Tony Browne winning his first All Star and also the Hurler of the Year award.

Expectations were once again high in Waterford in 1999. They seemed to be justified when they secured a narrow one-point win over Limerick, their first win over Limerick since 1982. Waterford found themselves in the unusual position of being favourites against Cork, but a poor Waterford effort and a spectacular eight points from play from Michael O’Connell in the Cork midfield left Waterford losers on a score of 0-24 to 1-15 (18). Another good run in the 2000 National Hurling League ended once again in the semi-finals, this time to Galway, and Waterford went out of the Munster championship with a whimper, beaten 0-17 to 0-14 by Tipperary. The Gerald McCarthy era, which had promised so much, ended in a cruel manner against Limerick in 2001. Waterford raced into a 2-6 (12) to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes, but Limerick hung in and scored three goals in the last ten minutes to break Waterford’s resistance, winning in the end by 4-11 (23) to 2-14 (20).

Munster Breakthrough (2002 to present)[link]

2002[link]

It was with this unpromising setup that another former All-Ireland winner with Cork, Justin McCarthy became manager. An unremarkable League performance did not suggest Waterford were ready to topple Cork, but despite having a five point second half lead eroded to nothing late in the game, Waterford held their nerve to score a late point from Ken McGrath and a 1-16 (19) to 1-15 (18) victory. The reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions Tipperary were warm favourites in the Munster final that followed. A spectacular display of shooting from Waterford gave the Déise a 2-23 (29) to 3-12 (21) victory that was more impressive than the final margin of eight points suggested. Waterford were confident of adding the All-Ireland crown to this first Munster title in 39 years. Despite a flying start in the semi-final against Clare, they eventually faded to lose by three points. The season was still a success from a Waterford perspective, and Fergal Hartley, Eoin Kelly and Ken McGrath were selected for All Star awards.

2003[link]

Waterford began the defence of their sixth Munster title with an easy win over Kerry before meeting Limerick a match where, unusually among modern GAA championship matches, no cameras were present due to a fire safety issue at Thurles, thus ensuring only those who were there got to enjoy a thrilling tie, with Waterford as in 2001 racing into an early lead only to be hauled back by Limerick. The match ended level, 4-13 (25) each, but the televised replay was an anti-climax, with Waterford hanging on for a 1-13 (16) to 0-14 victory. The Munster final against Cork featured a hat-trick of goals from a player on the losing team, in this case John Mullane of Waterford. They had failed to make a first half breeze count and, despite the heroics from Mullane, Cork won by four points, 3-16 (25) to 3-12 (21). John Mullane’s performance would be pivotal in him securing Waterford’s sole All Star for the year, as the season petered out in the All-Ireland series with a disappointing 1-20 (23) to 0-18 defeat in Waterford’s first ever championship match with Wexford.

2004[link]

The 2004 National League saw Waterford reach their seventh final, secured by finishing top of a second phase of group games thanks to a late equalising point from Paul Flynn against Tipperary. There was more disappointment though as Galway were convincing 2-15 (21) to 1-13 (16) winners. To regain the Munster title, Waterford were going to have to do it the hard way by beating Clare and Tipperary just to reach the final. A measure of revenge for 1998 was secured against Clare as Waterford sensationally trounced the Banner County by 3-21 (30) to 1-8 (11), a performance illuminated by a hat-trick of goals from Dan Shanahan. The semi-final was a much tighter affair, with a late goal from sub Paul O’Brien needed to beat Tipperary by 4-10 (22) to 2-15 (21). The final against Cork was hailed to be one of the best Munster finals with a match that ebbed and flowed turned on an audacious dipping medium range free from Paul Flynn that surprised the Cork backs for a goal. Waterford secured their seventh Munster title with one point, 1-21 (24) to 3-15 (25), win. The All-Ireland semi-final saw another clash with Kilkenny and another three point defeat, a first half salvo of three goals giving Waterford a mountain that proved too difficult to climb. Gallingly for Waterford, Kilkenny had come through the All-Ireland series, and would lose out in the final to Cork who themselves had come through the ‘back door’. Paul Flynn’s tally of 0-13 against Kilkenny would copperfasten his first All Star award, with Dan Shanahan getting his first and Ken McGrath winning his second, only the second Waterford man after John Galvin to win multiple All Stars.

2005 and 2006[link]

For the most part, 2005 and 2006 saw Waterford go backwards under Justin McCarthy. A narrow defeat to Cork in the Munster semi-final left Waterford in a round robin group in the All-Ireland qualifiers, where facile wins over Dublin and Offaly were rendered moot by a 4-14 (26) to 0-21 defeat to Clare in the final group match in Ennis. This left Waterford with a more difficult quarter-final against Cork, in which stout Waterford resistance was ended five minutes from the end by a Brian Corcoran goal, Cork eventually winning by 1-18 (21) to 1-13 (16). An eight point defeat by Tipperary in the 2006 Munster championship, Waterford’s largest championship defeat in eight years, suggested Waterford were in decline, but a 1-25 (28) to 2-20 (26) win over Galway in the qualifiers, allied with comfortable wins over Westmeath and Laois, gave Waterford another shot at Tipperary in the quarter-finals. This time they took their second chance, surviving a late Tipperary rally to win by 1-22 (25) to 3-13 (22). Cork stood between Waterford and the final, and another tension-filled match saw Cork overhaul Waterford in the last ten minutes. Waterford kept in touch to the point where a late Ken McGrath free from his own half could have given Waterford a draw, but Cork goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack took the risk of blocking the ball from going over the bar and Cork held on for a one point win. Eoin Murphy won his first All Star award, while Dan Shanahan and Tony Browne both won their second award, Browne his first in eight years.

2007[link]

Justin McCarthy secured another year in charge on the back of the performance in 2006, and after an indifferent run in the group stages of the 2007 National League which say Waterford just qualify for the quarter-finals, there was little to suggest a successful year. But tight wins over Tipperary and Cork saw Waterford into another League final, and with the scores level going into injury time in the final against Kilkenny, two late points gave Waterford a 0-20 to 0-18 victory and only their second National League title. Waterford’s winning ways continued with a three point win over Cork in the Munster semi-final in a game overshadowed by the suspension of three Cork players in a brawl that took place before their first round win over Clare. In the final against Limerick, Dan Shanahan scored three second half goals as Waterford won the Munster title for the eighth time. The Intermediate hurling team also won the Munster title for the very first time, although they would eventually lose to Wexford in the All-Ireland final.

A shock loss by Cork at the hands of Tipperary in the qualifiers meant Waterford had to face a full-strength Cork in the quarter-finals. Ahead for most of the game, Waterford once again found themselves behind as the match entered injury time, but a Stephen Molumphy goal and a controversial pointed free from Eoin Kelly, after Donal Óg Cusack was penalised for lying on the ball in the small square gave Waterford a second chance. A week later, two Dan Shanahan goals proved instrumental in giving Waterford a 2-17 (23) to 0-20 win. Waterford had only one week to prepare for an All-Ireland semi-final rematch with Limerick and this time it was Limerick who got off to a flying start, leading by ten points inside the first ten minutes. Waterford would cut the gap to a point late in the second half but frailties in the full back line were punished by Limerick with late goals to give them a 5-11 (26) to 2-15 (21) win, condemning Waterford to their fifth All-Ireland semi-final loss in ten years. The season ended on an upbeat note with a record five All Star awards, Tony Browne and Ken McGrath winning their third awards, Dan Shanahan his third also, and Stephen Molumphy and Michael Walsh their first. Shanahan was further rewarded by being named undisputed Hurler of the Year.

2008[link]

Waterford started off the year with a Munster Championship first round clash with Clare GAA at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick on 1 June 2008. Waterford, missing a number of first team regulars such as Ken McGrath, Eoin Kelly and Eoin Murphy succumbed to a youthful Clare team on a scoreline of Waterford 0-23 Clare 2-26.^[5] Soon after the game, manager, Justin McCarthy was fired from his position by the Waterford County Board. It was rumoured at the time that player unrest had a lot to do with the decision.^[6] The Waterford County Board acted quickly and appointed former Clare goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald as new Waterford manager on 10 June 2008.^[7] The loss to Clare sent Waterford into the All-Ireland Qualifier Series. The first round match against Antrim GAA saw the return of both Ken McGrath and Eoin Kelly. Davy Fitzgerald started his Waterford managerial career with the unusual decision of placing Ken McGrath at full back in order to strengthen the full back line. The decision paid off and the match turned out to be a complete mismatch, with Waterford running out winners on a scoreline of Waterford 6-18 Antrim 0-15.^[8]

Waterford were then pitted against Offaly GAA in their Phase 4 Qualifier on 19 July 2008 at Semple Stadium, Thurles. After a stern test in the first 60 minutes, Waterford eventually pulled away towards the end winning on a scoreline of Waterford 2-18 Offaly 0-18.^[9] This resulted in Waterford reaching the All-Ireland Quarter Finals and a match-up against Leinster runners-up Wexford GAA. This was a competitive match which tooed and froed from one side to the other. However, a late barrage of points saw Waterford over the line by 2-19 to 3-15.^[10] The win against Wexford lead Waterford to their sixth All-Ireland Semi-Final since 1998. The opponents would be a highly fancied Tipperary GAA, who were reigning National Hurling League and Munster champions. Waterford started a blistering page, going 6 points to nil up after only 10 minutes. However, Tipperary were level going in at half time. Both teams scored goals in rapid succession in the 2nd half. Waterford's nerve held and they managed to win by two points on a scoreline of Waterford 1-20 Tipperary 1-18.^[11] It was Waterford's first semi-final win since 1963 and brought to an end a run of 5 consecutive semi-final defeats. They met an inspired Kilkenny team in the all-Ireland final, who ran out 3-30 to 1-13 winners, which saw them complete the 3 in a row. The inter-county year ended with Eoin Kelly being named as the Déise's only all-star.

2009[link]

Waterford played Limerick in the Semi Final of the Munster Championship in Thurles on June 14. The game was not a good game with players referring to the sliotar as being like a bar of soap. The match ended in a draw 1-8 to 0-11 and is said to be the worst Munster Championship game in modern times. The replay took place the following Saturday evening. Waterford were comfortable winners on a scoreline of 0-25 to 0-17. Waterford played Tipperary in the Munster Final on July 12 in Thurles, having agreed to play the game there to mark the 125th anniversary of the foundation of the GAA in the town. Waterford never looked like they were going to win and lost by four points on a scoreline of 4-14 to 2-16. A positive result on the day was the Waterford minor hurlers' victory over Tipperary, the county's first Munster championship success in the grade since 1992.

Waterford went into the All-Ireland Quarter-Final again Galway as outsiders. Having struggled throughout the game, with John Mullane not scoring until the last minute, Waterford eventually emerged one-point winners in an exciting finish. Dan Shanahan came on as a sub with 4 minutes to go and proved to be Waterford's saviour, setting up fellow substitute Shane Walsh to score the only goal of the game before winning a vital free for Eoin Kelly to convert. Mullane's point set up a semi-final clash with reigning three-time champions Kilkenny. Despite two goals from Shane Walsh, Kilkenny led for most of the game and eventually won by five points before going on to win their fourth title in a row.^[12]

2010[link]

Waterford started out by winning the Waterford Crystal Cup, their first since 1998. They defeated Clare in the Munster Semi-Final^[13] and won their ninth Munster title when they defeated Cork after extra time with a cracking goal from Dan Shanahan in a replay in Thurles.^[14][15] The All-Ireland semi-final saw them lose at that stage for the seventh time in thirteen years, beaten by seven points by Tipperary.^[16]

Honours[link]

• All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships: 2
  • 1948, 1959

• All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championships: 1
  • 1992

• All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championships: 2
  • 1929, 1948

• All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championships: 2
  • 1931, 1934

• National Hurling Leagues: 2
  • 1963, 2007

• Munster Senior Hurling Championships: 9
  • 1938, 1948, 1957, 1959, 1963, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2010

• Munster Under-21 Hurling Championships: 3
  • 1974, 1992, 1994

• Munster Minor Hurling Championships: 4
  • 1929, 1948, 1992, 2009

• Munster Junior Hurling Championships: 3
  • 1931, 1934, 1936

• Munster Intermediate Hurling Championships: 1
  • 2007

• Waterford Crystal Cups:3
  • 1998 2010 2011

• McGrath Cups:1
  • 1981

Waterford Hurling Team[link]

• Manager: Michael Ryan (Ballymacarbary)
• Selectors: Nicky Cashin (Abbeyside), Br. Philly Ryan ( Mount Sion)

Squad as per Waterford vs Clare (Munster Semi Final 2010)^[17]

Club Hurling[link]

Ballygunner are the current Waterford Senior Hurling Champions after beating Lismore 1-17 to 0-19 in the 2009 final replay.

• Waterford Senior Hurling Championship
• Waterford Minor Hurling Championship
• Waterford Intermediate Hurling Championship
• Waterford Junior Hurling Championship
• Waterford Under-21 Hurling Championship

Football[link]

The Waterford Senior Football Team's greatest achievement is reaching the All-Ireland Final in 1898, losing to Dublin on a scoreline of 2-08 to 0-04. They were represented by Erins Hope Dungarvan. In recent times, the county has twice won the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship. In 2003, it created a major shock in winning the Munster Under-21 Football Championship, beating Kerry in the final. On 20 May 2007, the Waterford Senior Team broke a 19-year run without a championship win, defeating challengers Clare at Fraher Field, Dungarvan by 1-06 to 0-07. The starting team fielded by manager John Kiely consisted of: Tom Wall; Justin Walsh, Thomas O'Gorman, Shane Briggs: John Phelan, Edmond Rockett, Paul Ogle; Mick Ahern, John Hurney; Brian Wall, Gary Hurney, Ger Power; Wayne Hennessy, Andy Hubbord and Liam O'Lonain.

League Promotion In 2010, after going so close to promotion in previous years Waterford went unbeaten in the league (beating Leitrim, London, Kilkenny, Limerick, Clare and Wicklow and secured draws against Longford and Carlow), but in the final had to give second best to Limerick at Croke Park.

Honours[link]

• All-Ireland Senior Football Championships: None

• All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championships: None

• All-Ireland Minor Football Championships: None

• All-Ireland Junior Football Championships: 2
  • 1999, 2004

• National Football Leagues: None

• McGrath Cup: 1
  • 1981
• Munster Senior Football Championships: 1
  • 1898

• Munster Under-21 Football Championships: 1
  • 2003

• Munster Minor Football Championships: None

• Munster Junior Football Championships: 3
  • 1948, 1999, 2004

Waterford Football Team[link]

• Manager: John Ownes
• Selectors: Ger Power (Rathgormack), Tom Condon (Sliabh gCua)

Squad as per Waterford vs Cork (Munster Quarter Final 2009)

Club Football[link]

The Nire are the current Waterford Senior Football Champions after beating Ballinacourty by 0-12 to 0-8 in the 2008 final.

• Waterford Minor Football Championship
• Waterford Under-21 Football Championship
• Waterford Intermediate Football Championship
• Waterford Junior Football Championship

Camogie[link]

Waterford hosted the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship final of 1945, at a time Cork were in dispute with the Central Council of the Camogie Association. They won the All-Ireland Junior Camogie Championship of 2011.^[18] Notable players include soaring star award winners^[19] Karen Kelly and Áine Lyng.

Under Camogie’s National Development Plan 2010-2015, “Our Game, Our Passion,”^[20] five new camogie clubs are to be established in the county by 2015.^[21]

Ladies Gaelic Football[link]

Waterford has been very successful in Ladies Gaelic Football. The county was dominant in the 1990s winning the Brendan Martin Cup five times.

Honours[link]

• All-Ireland Senior Ladies' Football Championship: 5
  • 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998

• All-Ireland Junior Ladies' Football Championship 1
  • 1986

• All-Ireland Under-18 Ladies' Football Championship: 5
  • 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2001

• All-Ireland Under-16 Ladies' Football Championship: 5
  • 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998

• All-Ireland Under-14 Ladies' Football Championship: 1
  • 1998

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• A Story of Hurling in Waterford - compiled and written by Dickie Roche
• Working on a Dream - A Year in the Life of the Waterford Footballers - compiled and written by Damian Lawlor

External links[link]

• Waterford on Hoganstand.com
• National and provincial titles won by Waterford teams
• Club championship winners
• Waterford GAA site
• www.UpTheDeise.com - Waterford GAA Fans Website
• Come on the Déise
• Gaelic Survival - Player Profiles Every Inter County Hurler and Footballer, Fantasy GAA Game

Waterford Port Láirge
From top, left to right: Waterford Marina, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Reginald's Tower, a piece of Waterford Crystal, Waterford City by night.
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Urbs Intacta Manet Waterfordia  (Latin) "Waterford remains the untaken city"
Waterford
Coordinates: 52°15′24″N 7°7′45″W / 52.25667°N 7.12917°W / 52.25667; -7.12917Coordinates: 52°15′24″N 7°7′45″W / 52.25667°N 7.12917°W / 52.25667; -7.12917
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
County	Waterford
Founded	914 A.D.
Government
• Type	City Council
• Mayor	Pat Hayes
• LEAs	3
• Dáil Éireann	Waterford
• European Parliament	South
Area
• City	41.58 km2 (16.05 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• City	46,747
• Density	1,100.2/km2 (2,850/sq mi)
• Urban	51,519
• Metro	64,000
• Demonym	Waterfordian,Déisean
Time zone	WET (UTC0)
• Summer (DST)	IST (UTC+1)
Area code(s)	(051)
Car plates	W
Website	www.waterfordcity.ie

Waterford (from Old Norse: Veðrafjǫrðr meaning "ram fjord" or "windy fjord"; Irish: Port Láirge, meaning "Lárag's port")^[1] is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country^[2] and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city. The population of the city in 2011 was 51,519; of which 46,747 lived within the city limits, and 3,465 lived in the suburbs in County Kilkenny.^[3] The metropolitan area figure is not official as it includes Tramore, Dunmore East, Passage East and Cheekpoint

History[link]

Waterford Quay at night.

Viking raiders first established a settlement near Waterford in 853. It and all the other longphorts were vacated in 902, 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 and the Uí Ímair dynasty, and built what would be Ireland's first city. A list of the city's rulers from this date to the mayors of the present day can be found in Rulers of Waterford. Among the most prominent kings of Waterford was Ivar of Waterford.

In 1167, Diarmuid MacMorrough, King of Leinster, failed in an attempt to take Waterford. He returned in 1170 with Norman mercenaries under Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (Strongbow); together they besieged and took Waterford after a desperate defence. This was the introduction of the Anglo-Normans into Ireland. In 1171, Henry II of England landed at Waterford. Waterford and then Dublin were declared royal cities, Dublin was declared capital of Ireland.

Throughout the medieval period, Waterford was Ireland's second city after Dublin. In the 15th century Waterford repelled two pretenders to the English throne: Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck. As a result, King Henry VII gave the city its motto: Urbs Intacta Manet Waterfordia (Waterford remains the untaken city).

After the Protestant Reformation, Waterford remained a Catholic city and participated in the confederation of Kilkenny – an independent Catholic government from 1642 to 1649. This was ended abruptly by Oliver Cromwell, who brought the country back under English rule; his nephew Henry Ireton finally took Waterford in 1650 after a major siege.^[10]

The 18th century was a period of huge prosperity for Waterford. Most of the city's best architecture appeared during this time. In the 19th century, great industries such as glass making and ship building thrived in the city.

In the early 19th century, Waterford City was deemed vulnerable and the British government erected three Martello towers on the Hook Peninsula to reinforce the existing Fort at Duncannon.

The city was represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1891 to 1918 by John Redmond MP, leader (from January 1900) of the Irish Parliamentary Party. Redmond, then leader of the pro-Parnell faction of the party, defeated David Sheehy in 1891. In 1911, Br. Jerome Foley, Br. Dunstan Drumm and Br. Leopold Loughran left Waterford for Malvern, Australia. Here, they founded a Catholic college which is still in existence today.^[11] In July 1922, Waterford was the scene of fighting between Irish Free State and Irish Republican troops during the Irish Civil War.

Notable features[link]

The city is situated at the head of Waterford Harbour (Irish: Loch Dá Chaoch or Cuan Phort Láirge).^[2] The city motto Urbs Intacta Manet Waterfordia ("Waterford remains the untaken city") was granted by King Henry VII of England in 1497 after Waterford refused to recognise the claims of the pretenders Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck to the English throne.^[2] Waterford was subjected to two sieges in 1649 and 1650, during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. It withstood the first siege but surrendered during the second siege to Henry Ireton on 6 August 1650.^[10][12]

Reginald's Tower is the oldest urban civic building in Ireland, and the oldest monument to retain its Viking name. To this day, it remains Waterford's most recognisable landmark. It is believed to be the first building in Ireland to use mortar. The River Suir, which flows through Waterford City, has provided a basis for the city's long maritime history. The place downriver from Waterford where the Nore and the Barrow join the River Suir 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.^[1]

Today, 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.^[13] The Waterford Crystal visitor centre in the Viking Quarter opened in June 2010^[14] after the intervention of Waterford City Council and Waterford Chamber of Commerce.

Local government[link]

Per the Local Government Act 2001, Waterford City Council is a tier 1 entity of local government with the same status in law as a County council. The Council has 15 representatives (councillors) who are elected from one of three electoral areas. Residents in these areas are restricted to voting for candidates located in their ward for local elections. The office of the Mayor of Waterford was established 1377. A mayor is then elected by the councillors every year, and there is no limit to the number of terms an individual may serve. Mary O'Halloran who was mayor during 2007–2008 was the first woman to hold the post. The current mayor is Pat Hayes.

For the purposes of elections to Dáil Éireann, the city is part of the Waterford constituency, which includes the county of Waterford except for those parts of the county that lie in Tipperary South (Dáil Éireann constituency) near Clonmel."^[15] The constituency returns four deputies to Dáil Éireann. There are no such ward restrictions for these elections and voters are entitled to vote for any candidate throughout the city and county.

Climate[link]

The climate of Waterford is, like the rest of Ireland, classified as a maritime temperate climate (Cfb) according to the Köppen climate classification 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 hottest months of the year are June, July and August with temperatures of around 17 - 22 degrees. Waterford gets rainfall all year round and the wettest months are October, November, December and January.

Culture[link]

Public buildings[link]

Christ Church Cathedral

• Waterford Museum of Treasures, previously in the Granary on Merchant's Quay, is being split up to accommodate two new museums on the Mall area of the city. The first is housed in the 19th-century Bishop's Palace, on the Mall, which holds items from 1700-1970. This was opened in June 2011. The second museum will be located next to Bishop's Palace displaying the Medieval history of the city.^[16]
• Viking Triangle which combines a number of the city's tourist attractions in one place. By 2012, the Mall will contain the two new museums, Reginald's Tower, The House of Waterford Crystal, Christchurch Cathedral, the Theatre Royal, Waterford amongst various other historical landmarks.
• 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.
• A new museum at Mount Sion (Barrack Street) is 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 café and a new chapel. The new museum was designed by Janvs Design^[17]
• 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.
• The Theatre Royal^[18] 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^[19] 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.
• 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.^[20]

Arts[link]

• Theatre companies. There are three theatre companies, Red Kettle, Spraoi and Waterford Youth Arts. Red Kettle^[21] is a professional theatre company based in Waterford that regularly performs in Garter Lane Theatre. Spraoi^[22] 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),^[23] 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. Notable playwrights include Jim Nolan, who co-founded Red Kettle Theatre Company.^[24]
• Libraries There are three public libraries in the city, all operated by Waterford City Council: Central Library, in Lady Lane; Ardkeen Library, in the Ardkeen shopping centre on the Dunmore Road; and Brown's Road Library, on Paddy Brown's Road. Central Library, or Waterford City Library, opened in 1905. It was the first of many Irish libraries funded by businessman Andrew Carnegie (Carnegie funded 2,509 libraries across the world). It was renovated in 2004 for its centenary.
• The Barrack Street Concert Band A band established in 1870 and is one of the only bands in Ireland to have unborken service through a civil war and two World Wars. They have a long and rich history. In 1982 they changed their name to The Barrack Street Concert Band which is sononimous throughout Waterford and Ireland today. The new name reflected a change in instrumentation including flutes,saxophones,oboes and a full percussion section which led to more members joining and a wider variety of music being played. In 1994 the band won the All Ireland Senior Military Band Championships in Wesley collage Dublin under the Baton of Mr Niall O’Connor and 10 years later, in 2004, the band won the South of Ireland Senior Military band Championships in Clonakilty Co Cork under the Baton of the bands current musical director Mr Mark Fitzgerald.
• Waterford Film For All (WFFA)^[25] is a non-profit film society whose aim is to offer an alternative to the cineplex experience in Waterford. WFFA conducts much of its activities on the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) campus.
• Cinema - Storm Cinema in the Railway Square complex.^[26]

Events[link]

• Waterford Music Fest, launched in 2011, is an outdoor, one day music event which takes place in the heart of Waterford City during the summer. In 2011 Waterford Music Fest, organised by Music Events Ireland, was headined by 50 Cent and G-Unit, with support from Faithless Sound System, The Original Rudeboys, Shayne Ward and many more. Over 10,000 people attended the 2011 event.^[27] Details of the 2012 Waterford Music Fest are due to be revealed in early summer 2012.
• Spraoi festival, (pronounced 'Spree')^[22] organised by the Spraoi Theatre Company, is a professional festival and street arts organisation which takes over the city centre of Waterford on the August Bank Holiday Weekend. It attracts audiences in excess of 80,000 people to the city.
• Waterford International Festival of Light Opera^[28] is an annual event that has been held in the Theatre Royal since 1959. It has recently been rebranded as the Waterford International Festival of Music and now takes place in November.^[29]
• 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 (up to 90) 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. Waterford hosted the start of the Tall Ships race again in 2011, with an entirely free festival of music, culture, food and from the 30th June to the 3rd July 2011. Race 1 saw the fleet race to Greenock in Scotland, from Waterford, Ireland.^[30]
• Waterford Harvest Food Festival takes place annually in September along the Quays and in 2010 saw the South Quay closed off to traffic two successive Sundays and a free concert on the Saturday night. The festival offers visitors demonstrations, workshops and tours of local producers, numerous markets, tastings and dinners. Local restaurants design special Festival Menus. A feast for the senses, for all the family.
• St. Patrick's day Parade takes place annually on the 17th March.
• There are two Arts Festivals of note in the city; The Imagine Arts Festival^[31] in October and The Fringe Arts Festival^[32] in September.

Media[link]

Broadcasting[link]

Custom House Quay

RTÉ's south eastern studio is located in the City Square shopping centre, in the city. The local correspondents are Damien Tiernan (South East Correspondent) and Helen McInerny (South East Reporter). Waterford Report^[33] is a once weekly television programme on City Channel covering local news in Waterford. It is now presented by Mark Staunton. It is available only on cable and mmds from NTL (Channel 107). The programme is repeated twice every day. The service began on 1 November 2006, and broadcasts to homes across Waterford City and County. Previous presenters include: Aoibhin Fallon (WLR FM), Mary O'Neill and Janice Corrigan (Beat 102 103, WLR FM).

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. It serves a potential audience of 170,000 people, and 75% of all adults in Waterford tune in weekly. Beat 102-103 is a regional youth radio station broadcasting across the South East of Ireland, it is based at "The Broadcast Centre" in Ardkeen, along with sister station WLR FM. It serves a population of about 450,000, and in August 2006 it had a 49% share of the south east market.

Print[link]

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.

The Waterford News & Star is based on Michael Street in Waterford City. It covers Waterford city and county. It is now published in tabloid format.

Waterford Today is an advertising supported free newspaper. It is delivered to most homes in the Waterford city area and is also available in many shops across the east of the county. Its newly refurbished offices are at the Mayors Walk in the city.

The Munster Express, Waterford News and Star and Waterford Today are in the shops on Wednesdays. The Munster Express "Late Edition" comes out on Fridays.

Places of interest[link]

Reginald's Tower

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

The City of Waterford consists of various cultural quarters, the oldest of which is known 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.

Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity on Barronstrand Street.

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. 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.

The old Waterford Crystal visitor centre which closed in late 2009. A new centre opened in June 2010.

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. 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 County Waterford is Waterford's only suburb north of the river. It contains a village centre of its own. Waterford City 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.^[34]

Waterford Crystal is manufactured in Waterford but in early 2009 the company moved it operations to Europe after denying the workforce their entitlements, some workers lost many thousands in pension rights etc. A new Waterford Crystal visitor centre opened on June 22, 2010. Tours are conducted daily. It is the biggest Waterford Crystal store in the world. While on the tour you can see how the glass is manufactured. The centre is open seven days a week.

Waterford's oldest public house (pub) can be found just outside the old 'Viking Triangle'. T & H Doolans, of 31/32 George's Street, has been officially active and open to the public for over three hundred years. The official record of licences dates back to the eighteenth century but the premises is believed to be closer to five hundred years in age. A main element of the structure includes one of the original city walls, almost 1,000 years old, which can be viewed in the lounge area of the building.

Transport[link]

Waterford is connected by rail, bus, road, air and sea. Waterford is connected with Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Rosslare Europort, Wexford and Dungarvan. The M9 motorway was completed on September 9, 2010, connecting Waterford and Dublin.^[35] The City has rail connections to Dublin and other towns in the South-East such as Kilkenny, Carlow, Carrick on Suir, Clonmel, Cahir and Tipperary. Bus services operate throughout the city centre and across the region. Waterford Airport is located 9 km outside the city centre.

Education[link]

Waterford Institute of Technology.

The city is served by 21 primary schools^[36] and 9 secondary schools.^[37]

There is one third level institution in Waterford: Waterford Institute of Technology, which has applied for university status.^[38] Waterford College of Further Education previously called the Central Technical Institute (CTI), is a Post Leaving Certificate institute located on Parnell St., Waterford city. It was founded in 1906 and thus celebrated its centenary in 2005.^[39]

The Quaker co-educational boarding school, Newtown School is situated in Waterford, east of the city centre.

Waterpark College is a secondary school in the city of Waterford, Ireland. The school was established in 1892 on the banks of the River Suir as Waterfords' first classical school, and still provides a secondary education to boys from Waterford City, County and the surrounding area.

De La Salle College is a secondary school in the city of Waterford, Ireland. With more than 1000 students and over 70 staff it is the biggest in the county. It ranks as a highly sought after college within the city Founded by the brothers of the De La Salle in 1892, it now serves as a catholic school for boys. (http://www.delasallewaterford.com)

Sport[link]

Soccer[link]

Waterford United is a team in the League of Ireland First Division. Waterford United's origins are as Waterford Football Club which was formed in 1930 and joined the League of Ireland the same year. The Club which changed its name to United in 1982 played its games in the city's greyhound racing stadium at Kilcohan Park. At the end of the 1992/93 season, the Club were granted the use of the Regional Sports Centre, due to the absence of owning their own pitch. The Club has had mixed fortunes through its history, success peaking in a near decade spell of domination of the domestic game between 1965 and 1973 which led to games being played at European level against teams that included Manchester United and Celtic. The club's last trophy win was the First Division in 2003. Since then Waterford United has bounced between the two League of Ireland divisions changing managers frequently.

Successful Waterford born or raised football players include Jim Beglin, Alfie Hale, Eddie Nolan, Brian Murphy (footballer), John O'Shea, Daryl Murphy, Stephen Hunt and Noel Hunt.

John Delaney CEO of the Football Association of Ireland is a native of Waterford.

GAA[link]

Local Gaelic Athletic Associationclubs include;Mount Sion GAA, Erin's Own GAA (Waterford), De La Salle GAA, Roanmore GAA and Ballygunner GAA.

Skateboarding[link]

The skate scene in Waterford has grown substantially in the past 15 years. Two skate parks have been built recently, one in Tramore and one in the Peoples Park.

Rowing[link]

Waterford Boat Club is the oldest active sports club in Waterford established in 1878. Located on Scotch Quay the club has had great success in recent years with several national championships and numerous medals in Europe. Several Waterford rowers have been selected to row for Ireland recently.

People[link]

• 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".
• French Poet Laetitia Marie Wyse Bonaparte was born in 1831 in Waterford
• Professional Footballer John O'Shea grew up in the Ferrybank area.
• Acclaimed musician Gilbert O'Sullivan grew up in Waterford City.

Twinning[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Waterford is twinned with the following places:

• St. John's, Canada
• Rochester, New York, United States
• Waterford, Connecticut, United States
• Saint-Herblain, France

See also[link]

• Blaa – A doughy, white bread roll particular to Waterford City
• Deise – The colloquial term for the region
• John's River – A river that runs through Waterford City.
• List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland
• List of Waterford people
• Little Island – An island within Waterford City.
• The People's Park – Waterford's largest park and green space.
• The Three Sisters: The River Barrow, River Nore and River Suir
• Waterford Crystal – world famous glassware factory
• Waterford, CT, a town of the same name on the Connecticut coast.
• Waterford Museum of Treasures – Museum for historical artifacts associated with Waterford city
• Woodstown – Early Viking Settlement discovered near Waterford in 2003, on the banks of the River Suir

General[link]

• Official site – Waterford City Council
• Official site – Waterford County Council
• Official Tourism site - Waterford City Council
• Port of Waterford
• South-East GDP 2002
• Waterford Chamber of Commerce
• Waterford Colloquialisms at Wiktionary

Media[link]

• Munster Express newspaper
• Waterford Local Radio
• Waterford News & Star newspaper
• Waterford Today (free sheet)

Additional reading[link]

• Shipbuilding in Waterford 1820–1882, by Bill Irish, ISBN 1-869857-91-7
• History of Waterford, by Joseph Hansard, ISBN 0-9532022-0-8

References[link]