Skip to content

Tourism

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford Treasures re-opens with a brand new ‘Freedom of Waterford’ Tour

Photo by Colin Shanahan – DigiCol Photography (c) 2021 – http://www.digicolphotography.com

Waterford’s collection of museums has now re-opened to the public and there is a brand new tour available offering visitors the ‘Freedom of Waterford’.

Visitors can now enjoy a guided walking tour experience with one of the expert guides at Waterford Treasures taking in the insights into the 1,000 years of history of Waterford all within 1,000 paces. The tour highlights include an opportunity to learn of the City’s Vikings foundations, be inspired by medieval wonders and experience elegant Georgian architecture.

Following the walking tour, the Freedom of Waterford Tour ticket enables each visitor to take a deep dive into their favourite era of Ireland’s heritage with complete access to the Medieval Museum, Bishop’s Palace, and the brand new Irish Museum of Time (officially opening and accessible on June 14th) and the Irish Silver Museum (officially opening on June 24th and currently accessible).

At the Medieval Museum visitors can take a step back into 13th and 15th century Waterford and explore the atmospheric underground Choristers’ Hall and the 15th century Mayors Wine Vault. An exhibition highlight includes the medieval Cloth-of-Gold Vestments and the 1373 Great Charter Roll of Waterford – viewed by Queen Elizabeth II on her 2011 visit to Ireland.

The Bishop’s Palace Museum is an authentic 18th-century Georgian grand residence built in 1743 which is also home to the oldest surviving piece of Waterford Crystal in the world. A spectacular 4D ‘Masterpieces in Glass’, the story of glassmaking is included in the ticket.

The two new museums have only been completed over the last number of weeks and while are presently open from pre-views both of which are set to be officially opened to the public in early June. Speaking of the upcoming occasions Museum Director Eamonn McEneaney says, “We are delighted to be welcoming visitors back to our museums again and we are very excited to unveil the two new experiences, a fascinating Museum of Time which hosts the largest collection of timepieces in Ireland and a showcase of science and technological development and at the Irish Silver Museum we have the grandeur of Ireland’s past from exquisite coffee collections to rare and ancient coins.”

The Irish Silver Museum offers a journey through Irish history using beautiful, intimate and personal objects as a guide to the fascinating story of Ireland and its ostentatious past.

The Irish Museum of Time at Greyfriars gothic-style church is a fitting home for what is beyond doubt the finest collection of Irish timepieces in the world. It features the oldest Irish-made grandfather clocks, table clocks and watches in the world and celebrates the incredible skills of the virtuoso craftspeople who, since the seventeenth century, created timepieces of remarkable beauty and technological genius.

ENDS

By Waterford City & County Council

Ardmore and Tramore approved for Fáilte Ireland Platforms for Growth 2 – Facility Centres for Water Sports Activities Funding Scheme

Waterford City & County Council is delighted to welcome the news that two seaside locations in Waterford have been approved under the Fáilte Ireland Platforms for Growth 2 – Facility Centres for Water Sports Activities funding scheme. The funding was announced earlier today by Minister Catherine Martin at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and will see the delivery of world class Facility Centres for Water Sports in both Ardmore and Tramore. The facilities will provide secure changing facilities, hot showers and orientation space for activity providers will add to the overall tourism appeal of County Waterford.

The national funding scheme, to the value of €19million, will enable the development of a network of 22 Facility Centres for Water Sports across Ireland which will all align with an exemplar design commissioned by Fáilte Ireland. These Facility Centres will assist in highlighting the strength of the coastal and activity offering we have in Waterford, encouraging visitors to stay longer and enjoy water sports activities as part of their stay. The Facility Centres will also be of benefit to many locals who enjoy a variety of water sports and add to the outstanding quality of life offering in Waterford. Local water sport activity providers will benefit from and have access to the facilities in both Ardmore and Tramore and will be consulted with regard to the development of both facilities.

The Mayor of the City and County of Waterford, Councillor Damien Geoghegan, welcomed this funding announcement for Waterford saying “I am delighted that Waterford has attracted funding for two world class facilities in both Tramore and Ardmore locations. To have water sports facilities of such calibre in the East and West of the County will highlight our spectacular coastal offering and encourage visitors to explore the pristine Waterford coastline from new perspectives. It will be a brilliant amenity for locals too and will also provide opportunities for job creation.”

The Covid 19 pandemic has increased interest in holidays with a solid outdoor offering and Fáilte Ireland research has shown that visitors on activity holidays spend more and stay longer. Waterford is well known for its spectacular Waterford Greenway, the rugged Comeragh Mountains and its pristine coastline which includes five Blue Flag beaches and the impressive Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark. Waterford also has a network of almost 40 accredited walking and cycling trails across the county and St. Declan’s Way, a 100km pilgrim path from Ardmore to the Rock of Cashel, will be a unique addition to this list when it opens in the summer.

The new facility centres will make water sports more appealing and accessible for a longer season, combining with the existing outdoor proposition in the County to further increasing the profile of Waterford as an activity tourism destination.

By Waterford City & County Council

Rediscovering Ireland’s Railway Routes: Iarnród Enda with former Taoiseach Enda Kenny

Rediscovering Ireland’s Railway Routes: Iarnród Enda with former Taoiseach Enda Kenny

Waterford features heavily in the first episode – RTÉ One Monday 5th April at 8.30pm

Programme One: ​Waterford to Dungarvan – The Waterford Greenway in the ‘Sunny South East’ has brought a new lease of life to this beautiful region, yet before the railway line closed it helped encourage a vibrant commercial and farming environment, as well as making a strong contribution at the end of the 19th​ Century to growth and development of the newly formed GAA.

This programme has contributions from historian Donnchadh O’Ceallacháin, Tom Hartery, Garvan Cummins, Mary Crowley, PJ Maher – the last station master before the line closed, and renowned chef Paul Flynn cooks up a barbecue for Enda.

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford Council Celebrates World Wetlands Day

This year celebrates  the 50th anniversary of  the Ramsar Convention  on Wetlands -the first modern day environmental treaty signed in Iran on February 2nd in 1971. The Ramsar Convention was established to raise awareness about the value of wetlands  in our environment. Two of Ireland’s 45 Ramsar Sites are in Waterford– Dungarvan Harbour and Tramore Bay.

You  can also put your photographic skills to the test and enter the Irish Ramsar Wetlands  Committee Photo Competition.  Find out  more on irishwetlands.ie

By Waterford City & County Council

Déise’s clean waterways a welcome retreat during Covid-19 restrictions

With so many people taking a holiday at home this year, it’s not surprising that Waterford was one of the first places on many people’s list as their top go-to destination. Ireland’s oldest city with its stunning natural harbour and the county’s expansive coastline welcomes thousands of water sport enthusiasts every year. Catching the perfect wave, learning how to kayak or just letting the kids or the dog paddle in the clean Déise waterways is an experience to savour.

But it wasn’t always that way. In 2014, raw sewage from the equivalent of 12,000 people was being discharged from Waterford into the Celtic Sea every day, impacting on tourism and the environment.

Working in partnership with Waterford City and County Council, Irish Water has eliminated the discharge of raw sewage in Waterford through the construction of new wastewater infrastructure in Ardmore and Dunmore East. The works also ensured that the water quality in the county’s rivers and lakes improved, it safeguarded human and environmental health while also protecting marine life. The works also ensured compliance with European and national regulatory standards.

The Mayor of Waterford, Councillor Damien Geoghegan sees the significance of the improvement even more so as the pandemic continues to enforce itself on the country. “With the latest Covid-19 restrictions meaning we must stay within our own counties; you begin to appreciate more what you have on your own doorstep. We are blessed in Waterford that we have so many fantastic locations where people can enjoy the sea and waterways with their families all year around and now that we can boast they are free from raw sewage; it is an extra feather in our cap”

Michael Tinsley, who is Wastewater Portfolio Delivery Manager for Irish Water outlined what the works delivered. “The investment of €24 million delivered seven new wastewater treatment plants in towns and villages across Co. Waterford. including Ardmore, Ballyduff/Kilmeadan, Cappoquin, Dunmore East, Kilmacthomas, Stradbally and Tallow. These areas have benefitted from these works and although Covid-19 has restricted business this year, there is no doubt that these locations are well positioned by way of wastewater infrastructure to plan for the future.”

Tourism plays such a pivotal role in the economy of the county too. 2018 was a record year for tourism in the county with 797,000 tourists generating €163 million in revenue. Orna Holohan is Tourism Officer with Waterford County Council; she believes the works have helped the industry immensely.

“Almost 90% of international tourists consider an unspoilt natural environment and beautiful scenery important when choosing a holiday destination. The pristine coastline of Waterford, which includes five Blue Flag beaches, six Green Coast sites and many more hidden gems, is an invaluable tourism asset for the County. Recent improvements in water treatment ensured Ardmore attained Blue Flag status and that further holiday homes and tourism infrastructure could be built in our picturesque towns & villages. When you interlace Waterford’s coastal splendour with meandering rivers, friendly urban centres, rugged mountains and the famous Waterford Greenway, the important role water quality plays in creating a world class tourism destination is clear.”

Since 2014, Irish Water has built new wastewater infrastructure for 16 towns and villages across the country, ending the discharge of raw sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas; the equivalent of 100,000 people’s worth, every day. Across the bay from Waterford, Irish Water will commence works to eliminate raw sewage entering the sea at the Barrow, Nore, Suir estuary in 2021 with a new wastewater treatment facility being built to serve Arthurstown, Ballyhack and Duncannon in Wexford. Half of the raw sewage entering waterways in Ireland has now been eliminated and there is a plan to remove the remainder.

Good news in uncertain times.

By Waterford City & County Council

Explore a brand new Nature Trail at Mount Congreve Gardens

The seventy acres Mount Congreve Gardens in Waterford have launched a brand new seasonal Nature Trail for children.

The trail offers families an abundance of nature to explore and to ensure that younger visitors engage with the flora and fauna on offer and has been created offering the little ones 15 different questions and challenges as they meander the walking trails amongst the world-famous gardens located just outside Waterford City.

The new looped Nature Trail walk will keep everyone happy, with a buggy-friendly path smaller tots can snooze while older ones enjoy the series of questions for them to solve along the way. In total, the Nature Trail is a 1.5km walk and can be completed in approximately 40 minutes. The little ones can fill in their nature trail answers on the back of their map along the way in order to complete the challenge.

The gardens at Mount Congreve consist of intensively planted woodland gardens, a four-acre walled garden with 16 km of walking trails. The gardens are located 10 minutes from Waterford City Centre overlooking the majestic River Suir.

The new Nature Trail is included in the Mount Congreve Gardens ticket price. The gardens are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 5.30 pm. Last entry to the gardens at 4.00 pm. Tickets must be booked in advance, for further details see www.mountcongreve.com

By Waterford City & County Council

Abbeyside Coastal Walk Opens

Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. John Pratt was delighted to be on hand to officially open a new extension or ‘walking spur’ off the Waterford Greenway at Abbeyside earlier this week. The project consists of the upgrade of a walking path linking the Greenway behind Sea Park to White Strand, and Landsend to the Cove Beach.

Works include improving the existing trail surface, the installation of directional and interpretative signage, the erection of fencing to protect wildlife in the salt marsh and the planting of native species. With pathway construction now complete the remaining ancillary works will continue throughout the summer and early autumn. The project will complement greatly works that were carried out previously as part of the Dungarvan Smarter Travel project and the development of Waterford Greenway itself.

The project was funded under the 2019 Outdoor Recreation infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) which is administered at national level by The Department of Rural and Community Development in collaboration with Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority.  The Scheme provides funding for the development and maintenance of outdoor amenities such as trails, walkways, cycleways and blueways.

In late 2019/early 2020 Waterford received a total of over €330,000 under ORIS which as well as funding this project in Abbeyside will also fund projects such as St. Declan’s Way, Anne Valley Walk, Dungarvan campervan parking Facilities, the Waterford Greenway Play and Amenity Trail, Lady Louisa’s Walk, Waterford Cycling Trails, EuroVelo 1 and an innovative project to promote Waterford’s wonderful trails and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Speaking at the opening of this new amenity Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. John Pratt said ‘I am thrilled to be here today to mark the end of the construction phase of this project which will benefit not only for the local community here in Abbeyside and Dungarvan but all those who visit Waterford Greenway from further afield.

Projects like these have always been important for our towns and villages in facilitating and encouraging people to get outdoors and active. However, now more than ever, as we as a society navigate our way through this unprecedented pandemic, amenities like this are crucial to the health and well being of our people and communities’.

Cllr. Pratt also went onto to compliment Waterford City and County Council, in particular the team from the Environment Section and the main project contractor Richard Forristal, RFL Ltd who completed the construction phase of the project on schedule, despite the challenging circumstances currently faced by all involved.

The Abbeyside Coastal Walk is just one example of the ongoing evolution of Waterford Greenway. Work is also currently underway on a similar spur linking the village of Kilmeaden to the Greenway at Waterford & Suir Valley Railway Station.

This project is being funded under the Town and Village Renewal scheme and is part of a government’s broader Rural Development Investment Programme which is funded under Project Ireland 2040. The roll out of these rural development schemes in recent years has greatly benefitted the outdoor recreation offering right across County Waterford.

ENDS.

By Waterford City & County Council

Stay Local, Stay Apart & Stay Safe in the Outdoors

Agencies and organisations involved in the delivery and promotion of outdoor amenities have welcomed the recognition of the importance of the outdoor recreation in Phase 1 of the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.

Outdoor recreation plays an important role in supporting the physical and mental well-being of society and people are encouraged to enjoy the outdoors while adhering to Government protocols and public health guidelines.

One significant change in Phase 1 means that from May 18th, people can exercise using outdoor public amenities – either on their own or in a group of no more than 4 people – where social distancing can be maintained and where there is no contact with other people.

As part of a phased reintroduction of opportunities to be active in the outdoors, and recognising the over-riding principles of the Government’s Roadmap, a nationwide approach to participating in outdoor recreation has been adopted.

Agencies and organisations are advising members of the public to:

  • Follow Government protocols and public health guidelines
  • Stay local and within a 5km radius of your home for exercise
  • Exercise with members of your household or a maximum of 3 people from outside your household
  • Observe physical distancing by keeping at least 2 metres apart
  • Park legally and responsibly if driving to outdoor amenities
  • Keep dogs on a lead at all times
  • Respect the natural environment and dispose of waste properly

The outdoors is a valuable amenity for all members of society to enjoy. People are encouraged to take personal responsibility and adhere to the spirit of the guidance so that the outdoors remains accessible to all for the duration of restrictions.

For more information on being active in the outdoors, visit:

Sport Ireland Outdoors: www.sportireland.ie/outdoors

Forest Recreation : www.coillte.ie

National Parks : www.npws.ie

Heritage Sites : www.opw.ie

Leave No Trace Ireland : www.leavenotrace.org

Inland Waterways: www.waterwaysireland.ie

Beach Information : www.beaches.ie

This Statement is endorsed by:

  • Angling Council of Ireland
  • Athletics Ireland
  • Canoeing Ireland
  • CARA
  • Coillte
  • Comhairle na Tuaithe
  • Cycling Ireland
  • Dept. of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht
  • Department of Rural and Community Development
  • Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
  • Dublin Mountains Partnership
  • Fáilte Ireland
  • Fisheries Ireland
  • Get Ireland Walking
  • Irish Farmer’s Association
  • Irish Orienteering Association
  • Kildare County Council
  • Leave No Trace
  • Mountain Rescue Ireland
  • Mountaineering Ireland
  • National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Office of Public Works (OPW)
  • Rowing Ireland
  • Sport Ireland
  • The Heritage Council
  • Visitor Safety Group (VIS)
  • Waterford City and County Council
  • Waterways Ireland
  • Wicklow County Council
  • Wicklow Uplands Council

Ends

For Further Information:

David Gash,
Communications Manager
Sport Ireland

dgash@sportireland.ie

087-2277643

Notes to the Editor:

Sport Ireland has today published guidance on Exercising in the Outdoors From 18 May – 8 June (Phase One) this can be downloaded here.

By Waterford City & County Council

Survey: Waterford is looking to the future – Will you help?

Waterford is looking to the future – Will you help?

Waterford City and County Council is leading an initiative to plan and be ready for recovery from the impact of Covid-19 on Waterford society and business and the reopening of our Villages, Town and City Centres for tourism, retail, cultural and leisure activities.

One of the actions we are taking is to develop a brand that will be used to drive investment and business to Waterford and we need feedback for this investment brand.

Please have your say and take part in a short survey to shape how Waterford is promoted and presented nationally and internationally. Waterford City and County – a place for all Waterford people to be proud of and promote.

Please complete and upload our online survey by midnight Sunday 10th May 2020.

Link here: https://bit.ly/WaterfordBrandSurvey

By Waterford City & County Council

Waterford receives €350,000 from 2019 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme

Waterford receives almost €350,000 in funding under the 2019 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme

The Department of Rural and Community Development has recently (21st February) published details of projects to be funded under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme in collaboration with Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority.  The Scheme provides funding for the development and maintenance of outdoor amenities such as trails, walkways, cycleways and blueways.

A total of over €10 million has been allocated nationally to 153 projects, on foot of applications made in 2019 under of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.  The investment was approved by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring TD. The investment is a collaborative initiative between the Department of Rural and Community Development and Fáilte Ireland, with the Department providing €4.4 million of the total, complemented by €4 million from Fáilte Ireland.

Waterford City and County Council was awarded just under €350,000 in funding under this scheme having submitted applications for consideration in mid 2019. Of the applications that were submitted eight projects have been deemed successful and have been awarded funding of between €14,000 and €100,000 each.

The projects that have been awarded funding under Measure 2 (€20,000 to €200,000) include:

  • Saint Declan’s Way: Continued development and completion of this long distance pilgrim trail here in Waterford to include interpretative signage, trail brochure and minor works, in advance of its official opening in 2020.
  • Abbeyside Coastal Walk: Upgrade and development of a coastal spur off the Waterford Greenway at Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford.
  • Dungarvan Campervan Parking area and Enhancement of Waterford Greenway Play Trail: Waterford Greenway and other developments have led to an increase in demand for formal facilities to cater for Camper vans visiting Co. Waterford. In 2019 such a facility was approved at Part VIII Planning stage and this funding will allow its development in 2020 at Rignasillogue, Dungarvan.

Waterford Greenway itself will also see the improvement and addition of a number of play areas to add to its existing play trail.

Anne Valley Walk Upgrade Works: A number of trail improvement works are planned for the enhancement of the Anne Valley Walk which is currently one of the most popular recreational trails in Waterford.

The projects that have been awarded funding under Measure 1 (less than €20,000) include:

The continued development of the EuroVelo 1 on road cycling trails from Youghal Bridge to Passage East (including Waterford Greenway). EuroVelo is a network of 16 long distance cycle routes connecting and uniting the whole European continent. The routes can be used by cycle tourists as well as by local people making daily journeys. There are two EuroVelo route in Ireland and Waterford is located on EuroVelo 1 ‘The Atlantic Coast Route’.

The upgrade and improvement of the Waterford Cycling Trails, a network of five scenic on road cycling trails in County Waterford.

Improved promotion of all Waterford Recreational Trails including new brochure design, mapping, photography, videography and on line trail content, which will help promote the wonderful outdoor recreational opportunities that we have here in Waterford.

Upgrade and improvement works at Lady Louisa’s Walk, Lismore.

Welcoming this current round of funding Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr. John Pratt said that “not only will this funding benefit the recreational trails that are the subject of the current development, but more importantly it will be of a wider benefit to the local communities, economies and many visitors that will no doubt enjoy these amenities for many years to come”.

In 2018, 2.6 million overseas tourists to Ireland engaged in hiking or cross-country walking, spending an estimated €1.4 billion during their stay here.  A further 504,000 tourists took part in cycling activities. The projects announced under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme will contribute further to Ireland’s tourism offering, and will encourage visitors to extend their holidays in rural areas and explore the many attractions the regions have to offer.

By Waterford City & County Council

ESRI Ireland helps Waterford Council to improve public services for 116,000 citizens

  • Esri’s digital mapping technology used by local authority to manage housing, planning, finance, property management, roads, environment and customer service
  • Tech is enabling Council to complete double the number of housing inspections per year
  • Council has created a number of engaging story maps to promote tourism in the region

Dublin/Waterford, 27th January 2020 – Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), today announces that Waterford City and County Council has implemented Esri’s digital mapping software to help improve the delivery of local government and public services to more than 116,000* citizens in Waterford.

Esri’s GIS solutions are helping to digitally transform Waterford Council, by moving it away from many paper-based processes and leading to numerous efficiencies and benefits. The technology is being rolled out across many areas of the organisation, to help the Council to manage the wide range of services it delivers. These include housing, planning, finance, property management, roads, environment and customer service.

Pictured at the announcement that Waterford City and County Council has implemented Esri’s digital mapping technology to improve public services are (L-R): Dermot O’Kane, Head of Sales, Esri Ireland; Michael Walsh, CEO, Waterford City & County Council; and Jon Hawkins, GIS Projects Leader, Waterford City & County Council.

Esri’s digital mapping platform integrates with Waterford Council’s systems, transforming the way it manages numerous functions, such as housing and planning applications. Employees in the planning department have used the digital mapping platform to make faster and more informed decisions on 4,400 planning applications to date – based on easy access to accurate and complete information covering the entire county.

The mobile functionality of the technology is also transforming how the Council manages social housing throughout Waterford. Employees can now collect data in the field using smartphones and tablets with information immediately accessible in the main office, enabling it to complete double the number of housing inspections carried out each year.

Additionally, the mapping platform helps Waterford citizens to have a more active role in their social housing application. Applicants for choice based lettings can now view the location of properties they are interested in, as well as nearby amenities, all from online.

Waterford Council is benefitting from far greater efficiencies by digitising these previously paper-based processes. For example, the environment team have used the technology to complete more than 1,250 litter quantity and pollution surveys, removing unnecessary administration and the duplication of data to achieve an 80% time saving.

Waterford Council is also creating a number of publicly accessible interactive maps to make local information readily available and boost tourism in the region. Last year, approximately 790,000 overseas and domestic tourists visited Waterford, contributing more than €160 million to the local economy.

The maps developed by Waterford Council showcase attractions and upcoming events throughout the county, helping to attract more tourists to the area. One such series of maps explores the Waterford Greenway, a 46 kilometre off-road cycling and walking train along the old railway line from Waterford city to Dungarvan. Visitors can use the map on or offline to easily view car parks, bike hire shops, toilet facilities and highlights along the route, as well as viewing the local weather forecast.

Dermot O’Kane, Head of Sales, Esri Ireland, commented: “It’s great to see Waterford City & County Council embrace GIS throughout the authority. Councils across Ireland can leverage digital mapping to light up the data in their organisation – making information easily accessible for both their own staff and the wider public. While staff can make better decisions, complete tasks faster, study patterns and plan accordingly, the people of Waterford are also benefitting through improved access to local information and rich story maps highlighting the fantastic activities and attractions found across their county.”

Michael Walsh, CEO, Waterford City & County Council, said: “Waterford City & County Council is a local authority with responsibility for delivering local government and services to local businesses, citizens and visitors to Waterford. Esri’s GIS system has become a really important tool for us in terms of the effectiveness, the speed and hopefully the quality of decision-making within the Council.”

-Ends-

*Population of Waterford city and county is 116,176 according to CSO, 2016.
See: census link

By Waterford City & County Council

Dunmore East Coastal Walk – Temporary Closure for upgrade works

Due to essential maintenance works, Dunmore East Coastal Walk will be closed to the public from Monday 9th to Friday 13th December 2019. Works involved include upgrade and improvement of the steps which access this walk from the Dunmore East side. It is hoped that these works will greatly enhance the visitor experience for all those walking this wonderful coastal trail. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this temporary closure.

If you are looking for ideas for other walks in Waterford please check out the following Visit Waterford link to some of our fantastic walking trails right around the county: https://visitwaterford.com/things-to-do/?category=trails

By Waterford City & County Council

New website for Ireland South East

More than sunshine on offer for business and professionals in Ireland South East

A new website, www.irelandsoutheast.com, has been launched for investors and professionals to learn more about the South East region as a place to live, work and invest. The site offers practical information and case studies of successful businesses and professionals in the region such as Innovate, Eirgen Pharma, Cartoon Saloon and Alltech.

The website takes an innovative, story based approach in showing the benefits of the region through the people and businesses who are finding success here.

Seamus Kilgannon, founder of Schivo and owner of the WorkLAB office space in Waterford stated “Ireland South East is the sixth fastest growing region in the EU and the most affordable city region in Ireland. Globally renowned brands based here are offering really exciting and challenging careers, and all of this takes places in a beautifully scenic region with great communities. People can be employed by global companies and be cycling a Greenway ten minutes after they finish work.”

Alan Quirke, Director of the Ireland South East Development Office which created the website explains, “I think there is strong familiarity about the South East as an affordable and great place to live. What is less well known are the opportunities and benefits for businesses and professionals in a region with almost 600,000 people and where the key urban centres are all within close proximity of each other.”

“For businesses, we are one of the fastest growing regions in Europe, we are Ireland’s best value region and we also have a broad pool of talent. Equally importantly, we have a unique collaborative culture and we can make it easy for investors to start, grow and scale here. When you look deeper and hear of some of the dynamic stories, you get to see how Ireland South East offers such a great mosaic of global success stories, community and lifestyle that you can’t access as easily anywhere else.”

The new website is accompanied by an fast-paced video filmed around the South East in summer 2019 which serves as a whistle-stop tour of everything good the region has to offer, all accompanied by a high octane soundtrack from South East-based artist Rarely Seen Above Ground (RSAG).

The Ireland South East Development Office is a regional collaboration initiative of the five local authorities of the South East (Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford) and is the first office of its kind in Ireland.

Full details can be found at www.irelandsoutheast.com

By Waterford City & County Council

Heritage Council funding for Watchtower

Waterford Council have been successful in a recent funding application to the Heritage Council for conservation works funding on Waterford’s medieval Watchtower.  Waterford City and County Council have a proven track record in conservation works to the Medieval City walls and towers.

Over the past 15/20 years major roofing and repointing works were carried out on the towers. Waterford Council, with funding from the Heritage Council, commissioned a report by Southgate Associates to assess accessibility to the City walls and towers.

Based on this report, it is intended to carry out works, on a phased basis,  to make the walls more visible and to provide safe access for the public to towers in Council’s ownership. At the moment, the City walls are “hiding in plain sight”.  Thousands of people pass through the walls by the Watchtower and 2 adjacent towers without realizing they are entering the Medieval City of Waterford.

From a tourist perspective, it will add to the visitor offering connecting with the Museums in the Viking Triangle.  Phase 1 of the programme is facilitating access to the Watchtower which is sited on one of the main routes into the city.  The building is in good condition and in a highly visible location.  This year, the Heritage Council provided €10,000  towards the works on the Watchtower and these should be completed by the end of November 2019.

Latest News
Made in Waterford and hosted in the EU :)