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By Waterford City & County Council

Recruitment : Project Support Coordinators

Waterford City & County Council is recruiting a number of Project Support Coordinators to assist in the co-ordination of the response in and between the emergency accommodation shelters. The role will involve assisting with planning, monitoring and reacting to the needs of Ukrainian refugees as they arrive.

The Project Support Coordinators will ensure all premises, supplies and resources are used effectively, to the maximum benefit of those using the shelters.

For full details please see Information Booklet. Completed applications must be submitted through this link.

The latest date for accepting fully completed Application Forms via online link is Thursday, 14th April at 13:00.

By Waterford City & County Council

Recruitment : Project Support Coordinators

Waterford City & County Council is recruiting a number of Project Support Coordinators to assist in the co-ordination of the response in and between the emergency accommodation shelters. The role will involve assisting with planning, monitoring and reacting to the needs of Ukrainian refugees as they arrive.

The Project Support Coordinators will ensure all premises, supplies and resources are used effectively, to the maximum benefit of those using the shelters.

For full details please see Information Booklet. Completed applications must be submitted through this link.

The latest date for accepting fully completed Application Forms via online link is Thursday, 14th April at 13:00.

By Waterford City & County Council

Make-A-Wish Ireland mark 30th anniversary with Light Up Blue campaign

Make-A-Wish Ireland

On April 29th, Make-A-Wish Ireland will mark their 30th anniversary of granting over 2,770 wishes to children living with life threatening illnesses.  This coincides with the 42nd anniversary of the wish that inspired the founding of the organisation responsible for granting more than 520,000 wishes worldwide.

In honour of the anniversary, Make-A-Wish is celebrating World Wish Day®, the charity’s annual donation day, and a week of festivities celebrating their Wish recipients. Make-A-Wish put out the call to corporations and public offices around the country to celebrate with them by lighting up well-known landmarks with the Make-A-Wish blue, and in doing so, aim to show the country the symbol of hope by harnessing the power to light up the darkness for every eligible child through the power of a wish. The campaign also shines a light on children waiting for their wishes to come true.

Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr Joe Kelly, has given his full support to the initiative, and is delighted to announce that Waterford civic buildings will Light Up Blue on the eve and day of World Wish Day, 28th and 29th April.

Mayor Kelly says, “We were delighted to be one of the first counties in Ireland to offer our full support to Make-A-Wish and help this excellent organisation to celebrate their 30th Anniversary.”

He goes on to say, “Over the past few years so many children here in Waterford, living with serious illnesses, have been the recipients of wishes. These wishes have helped give hope to their families and in many cases have helped greatly in the children’s medical journeys.”

Susan McQuaid O’Dwyer, CEO of the charity says, “Make-A-Wish receives no government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of the general public. We are organising a large campaign called “Wish Week” from the 24th April and culminating in Wish Day on the 29th April. During this week we will revisit some of our wish children and their families over the last 30 years through the help of the media so as you can hear their stories and learn of the impact Make-A-Wish has had on their lives.” O’Dwyer continues, “We are asking the public to support the charity with one week of fundraising to help a child in their local communities.”

Ways to get involved include setting up a fundraiser with your friends, family or colleagues; for schools, have a non-uniform day where the children wear blue to represent a Wish; or host a quiz night, or a community event to have some fun and make wishes come true. The public can get behind Make-A-Wish by donating what they can online at http://www.makeawish.ie/donate

With hope, a child with a critical illness finds light in the darkness of their current circumstances. It transforms their perspective, replacing feelings of trauma with hope for tomorrow. They have renewed motivation to persevere and heal. A wish begins with hope, and hope begins with you.

-Ends-

By Waterford City & County Council

Traffic & Travel Update : Friday 8th – Monday 11th April

Urgent pavement repairs will take place on the N25 tomorrow Friday 8th April & Monday 11th April, 2022 at Kildermody between Carrolls Cross & Ballyduff

There will be two separate sets of Traffic Management in place.  Please expect significant delays on the N25, Please proceed with caution.

Waterford City & County Council wishes to apologise for any inconvenience caused

By Waterford City & County Council

Ukrainian Refugee Community Response

A Community Response Forum has been established in Waterford and aims to put in place the necessary structures and supports that are required for Ukrainian refugees that may come to Waterford.

The forum aims to source and provide accommodation for refugees and to enable the necessary community support at local level.

Outlined below is our ask of our Waterford communities, together with online links to feed back TWO requests for vital information required, namely:

1.     Call to set up of Ukrainian Refugee Response Group in each community/area:

We are asking that every community set up a Ukrainian refugee response group – either as a sub-group of an existing registered organization/voluntary group, or nominate a main group within the community to act as the lead and liaison with Waterford Council.   Communities and parishes can join up with neighbours if needed but the important thing is that every community within Waterford is covered geographically by the refugee response groups.

We ask now that you provide your details by completing the following online survey by close of business on Tuesday 5th April.

We will hold a meeting of the Ukrainian Refugee Response Groups on Thursday evening 7th April – details to be issued to primary contacts as submitted on the survey above.

2.     Identify available and potentially available accommodation/community facilities that can be used to provide emergency shelter or accommodation to Ukrainian refugees within your communities:

We ask that you compile a list of available and potentially available accommodation and community facilities that could be used to provide emergency shelter or accommodation to Ukrainian refugees within your communities.   We ask that you complete this survey as soon as is possible.  This link will remain open until further notice.

By Waterford City & County Council

Tree planting to mark National Tree Week 2022

National Tree Week 2022 was marked with a tree planting in the Six Acres park in Farronshoneen by the Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Joe Kelly.

This year the National Tree Week theme was ‘More Forests for a Greener Future’, which aims to highlight the many benefits of forests for Ireland’s climate and biodiversity agendas, for green recreation spaces and for sustainably grown wood.

A number of native species such as Ash, Beech, Rohan, Birch, Oak and Alder were supplied to Waterford City and County Council by the Tree Council of Ireland and these saplings were distributed to schools across County Waterford.

Each year National Tree Week sees events organised across the country celebrating all things trees, from the more hands-on community tree planting experiences to taking some time out to learn more about trees. National Tree Week is an ideal time to learn more about the important role trees play in helping to stop climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air, storing carbon in the trees and soil, and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.

Mayor of Waterford City & County Council Councillor Joe Kelly explained, “I’m delighted to take part in this tree planting. Trees are such an important resource in tackling climate change. National Tree Week is all about communities coming together to celebrate trees and it’s great that people can once again get together to plant trees and celebrate all the many benefits trees that have to offer.”

-ENDS-

Images: John Power

By Waterford City & County Council

CLOSING SOON: Local Waste Prevention Grant 2022

Are you part of a group that wants to help to take steps on waste prevention, re-use and repair activities in your local area?

Waterford City and County Council invites submissions from community groups, youth groups, schools or other community development organisations, based in County Waterford, who are interested in receiving funding for initiatives regarding waste prevention, reuse and repair.

The main focus for projects this year should be on food waste prevention and projects to promote a circular economy. Maybe you want to cut down on disposable coffee cups in your town, promote refilling water bottles or have a project to reuse items locally. Why not apply for funding to help you carry this project out?

How to apply
The application form for this grant is available here : https://bit.ly/WastePreventionGrant2022

The grant application form should be completed and submitted for consideration by the closing date 5pm Friday, 1st April 2022.

By Waterford City & County Council

CLOSING SOON : Local Anti Graffiti & Anti Litter Awareness Grant 2022

Have you noticed litter in your area and want to prevent it? Are you part of a group that wants to help to put a stop to graffiti in your community?

Waterford City and County Council invites submissions from community groups, youth groups, schools or other community development organisations, based in County Waterford, who are interested in receiving funding for initiatives regarding litter or graffiti.

The main focus for projects this year should be on coastal litter, roadside litter and dog fouling. Applications for projects under these themes will be prioritised for funding, however all relevant applications will be considered. Closing date for completed applications is 5pm Friday 1st April 2022. The applications form and terms & conditions for this grant are available below.

How to apply:
1. The application form for this grant is available from here : https://bit.ly/AntiLitterGrant2022
2. The grant application form should be completed and returned to the Environment Section for consideration by the closing date 5pm Friday, 1st April 2022.

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford St. Patrick’s Day festival attracts record crowds

The return of the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade to Waterford since 2019 saw record crowds in attendance on March 17th. The spectacular Parade was the main event for the inaugural three-day Waterford St. Patricks Festival which generated a real carnival atmosphere throughout the City Centre.

With a total of over 70 contributors, including Spraoi, drama societies, community groups, sports clubs, youth groups and more, the organisers say they were delighted to see the number of diverse groups taking part.

Johnny Codd, Festival Director from Waterford City & County Council, explained that “We only had a few months to prepare for St. Patricks Day, and we honestly didn’t know what to expect, given that it takes time to design & create a parade entry. We were blown away by the enthusiasm of the participants and by the standard of entries”.

The parade also included the Waterford-Ukrainian community who received a warm welcome and great applause from the crowds.

After the parade spectacle, the crowds dispersed from the parade route and into John Roberts Square and the Cultural Quarter where music, song & dance entertained the large numbers of festival-goers in the City Centre.

Anna Jordan was involved in organising the entertainment in the City Centre and she commented that “the atmosphere in John Roberts Square was just wonderful. The sun even popped out to greet us, and the bands attracted crowds who sang, danced and laughed and the whole weekend was the celebration that we all craved after the two year hiatus”.

Mayor of Waterford City & County, Cllr. Joe Kelly highlighted the great atmosphere in the City, by saying that “I was honoured to be Mayor at the return of the St. Patricks Day parade, and to witness the coming together of Waterford people from all sections of society. I also welcome the introduction of the three-day festival, as it definitely added to the occasion. It was wonderful to see people enjoying the activities and the music in the City Centre, at the heart of Ireland’s Best Place to Live”.

Waterford’s St. Patricks Day Festival took place from Thursday March 17th to Sunday 20th and included a Jazz concert, an Open-mic Comedy night, musical performances across the 4 days, fairground attractions and a spectacular fireworks display.

-ENDS-

Photo credit: Digicol Photography

By Waterford City & County Council

Tramore student takes honours at 2022 Waterford Student Enterprise Awards

Handy Hurleys from Ard Scoil na Mara in Tramore has won the Senior category of the Waterford Student Enterprise Programme and qualified for the National Student Enterprise Competition. Charlotte Balfe is the founder of Handy Hurleys, a convenient and cost-effective way to store hurleys in the home or club. The Tramore student was announced as the winner at the Local Enterprise Office’s Student Enterprise Programme Virtual Awards earlier this month.

Charlotte describes the business, “The idea was to make hurley stands that would be convenient and easy to use whilst not being bulky and in the way. I came up with the idea because I have played camogie my whole life and so have the rest of my family, therefore there are so many hurleys in my house. I tried to find a hurley stand that could hold all our hurleys without being bulky. I just couldn’t find one, so I decided to make my own. That’s how Handy Hurleys was born.”

The students all took part in the Waterford Final on Thursday March 10th which was held virtually and streamed live on the Local Enterprise Office’s Facebook page. An estimated nine hundred students from eleven schools through-out the county took part in the annual programme this academic year.

The enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country, saw over 29,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2019 / 2020.  The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Final.

Special guests at the County Final, hosted by FM104’s Trishauna Archer included his worship the Mayor Cllr Joe Kelly, Head of enterprise for Waterford Local Enterprise Office Richie Walsh, and special guest, Waterford native and Olympian Jessie Barr.

Speaking at the county final, Richie Walsh of Local Enterprise Office Waterford congratulated the students, “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Waterford, with over 750 students from 11 local schools taking part this year. We were delighted to receive more entries this year than any previous year of the programme.

“Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme, and we wish them the very best of luck in the finals and we’ll all be logged on to support them.  In what has been another challenging year for students the programme has offered them an outlet outside of the usual school demands.  What our students are learning from the programme is that with the right supports and encouragement, they can take an idea from the classroom and develop it into a real-life business. The skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and team-work, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers.”

The Tramore student will be competing against other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland in the Student Enterprise Programme National Final, which culminates in a live event taking place on May 18th, 2022. Further information about May’s National Finals is available through www.studententerprise.ie, which also has free resources and video tutorials for students and teachers for the programme.

For more information, please contact your Local Enterprise Office at 35 the Mall in Waterford City or Civic Offices in Dungarvan. Alternatively, you can email info@leo.waterfordcouncil.ie . 

Photo by Noel Brown; Maria Malone, teacher at Ard Scoil na Mara; Charlotte Balfe Waterford Student Enterprise County Winner; Jacqui Gaule, Local Enterprise Office Waterford.

By Waterford City & County Council

Sun shines for warm Royal welcome in the Déise

Arriving under blue skies and warm sunshine, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall arrived in Waterford City to a warm Déise welcome.

The royal couple were greeted upon arrival at Reginald’s Tower by the Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Joe Kelly, Mary Butler TD, Minster for Older People and Mental Health, Michael Walsh, Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council, and Director of Waterford Treasures, Eamonn McEneaney.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla commenced their walk through Bailey’s New Street at the base of Reginald’s Tower, Waterford’s landmark monument and Ireland’s oldest civic building.

A performance by Waterford’s Viking Re-enactment group was set against the backdrop of the Viking Longboat, proudly emblazoned with ‘Verdrafjordr’ (Waterford’s Viking derived place name).

As Their Royal Highnesses continued their walkabout, they paused at the world’s longest wooden sword sculpture at 23 metres, crafted by local wood sculptor, John Hayes. The ‘Dragon Slayer’ sword is perfectly housed in the heart of the Viking Triangle and in the shadow of the 13th century Franciscan Friary, which was founded by King Henry III in 1394.  In 1399, King Richard II held court here and it was closed by Henry VIII in 1536 and made into the Holy Ghost Hospital by charter.

Continuing their walkabout The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall enjoyed a lively performance from award-winning street art company, Spraoi.  The Royal visitors were treated to the musical talents of the Mount Sion Choir.  The choir is part of Foróige, Ireland’s leading youth organisation which celebrates diversity through music.

They met with artist James Kirwan, a visual artist and part of the Waterford Walls project, a creative arts agency regenerating urban spaces and excelling in the delivery of large scale artwork across Ireland and Europe.

On their walkabout in Waterford, TRHs The Prince of Wales & The Duchess of Cornwall met with Emergency First Responders and Front Line Workers and spoke with them about their first hand experiences of serving the people of Waterford during  the COVID-19 pandemic.  They also met and spoke with some of the large crowd who came to greet the Royal couple in Cathedral Square.

Before learning of Waterford’s history at the Medieval Museum, the Royal couple heard from local people about how they are securing their future.  They met with members of ACT Waterford, an initiative which engages communities in creative solutions to climate change.

The couple then visited Waterford’s Medieval Museum.  There, they learned about Waterford’s rich history as Director of Waterford Treasures, Eamonn McEneaney showed them The Great Charter Roll of Waterford, made in Waterford in 1373, it is regarded as one of the great treasures of medieval Ireland because of the number and quality of the illustrations.

They were also shown King Henry VIII’s Cap of Maintenance, which was a gift to the Mayor of Waterford from King Henry VIII in 1536. This gift was a significant mark of royal approval and is the only piece of Henry VIII’s wardrobe to survive anywhere in the world.  They also saw the Sword of King Henry VIII.  This civic sword was sent to the Mayor of Waterford by King Henry VIII in 1536.  On official occasions it was carried in procession in front of the mayor. The sword symbolised the fact that the mayor’s authority within the city came directly from the king.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall continued to the Large Room at City Hall for a Mayoral Welcome.  They met and spoke with a diverse range of groups representing Waterford’s wide and far-reaching achievements in entertainment, integration, community, sport, arts and enterprise and spoke with members of the Ukrainian community in Waterford.

Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr. Joe Kelly, warmly welcomed the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to Waterford.

“Our connections run deep, our connections span generations and our connections have shaped us.  And today we are honouring one of our most enduring and long-standing relationships with our closest friend and neighbour, the United Kingdom.

As Mayor of Waterford City and County it is my privilege to welcome the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to Waterford, Ireland’s Oldest City.”

He continued,  “While Waterford is a city of firsts, moreover it is shaped by the people who live here, work here, raise their families here and call Waterford home.  Our culture, our community and our connectedness burn bright and today we are surrounded by those who have shaped our community, enhanced our culture and fortified our connections throughout the world.”

Addressing the invited guests, The Prince of Wales said, “To be welcomed so warmly, not least by a Viking re-enactment, is a wonderful blessing and one that will certainly live long in our memory.  It is in places such as Waterford, Ireland’s Oldest City, where we are reminded so vividly of our ancient connections and how they have evolved over time toward a modern friendship.”

“From a Viking town to a city with a Royal charter, the place where the first Irish tricolour was flown, to the home of a new university and acclaimed best place to live in Ireland, Waterford is a city of promise and hope for the future.”

TRH The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were presented with a signed copy of “The Royal Charter of Waterford” by Julian Walton and a copy of “The History of Waterford and its Mayors”, published by Waterford Council and edited by Eamonn McEneaney.

The royal couple then signed the Mayor’s Visitors book in the Mayor’s Parlour and left City Hall to continue their Waterford visit with a tour of the House of Waterford Crystal, GIY, Fitzgerald’s Farm and home of Cheltenham Gold Cup Winner, Henry de Bromhead’s yard in Co. Waterford.

-ENDS-

Free to use images – Julien Behal Photography

By Waterford City & County Council

Road Closures – Traffic Update – Thursday 24th March 2022

An Garda Síochána have advised of the following road closures

  • The Mall will be closed from 3pm today (March 23rd) until tomorrow afternoon (March 24th)

The following road closures will take place from 6am tomorrow morning (March 24th):

  • From the roundabout at the GPO (junction of Keizer Street) to the junction of the Mall and Catherine Street
  • Lombard Street – from the junction of Rose Lane to the Mall
  • Adelphi Quay – from the junction of Rose Lane to Clyde Quay

Delays are expected so please allow extra travel time for your journey.

By Waterford City & County Council

Traffic Delays – Wed-Thurs 23rd-24th March 2022

An Garda Síochána have advised that there will be significant traffic restrictions with road closures and diversions in place in Waterford city from this evening, Wednesday (March 23rd) and Thursday (March 24th).

Delays are expected so please allow extra travel time for your journey.

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