From On Board Swan Hellenic in Western Europe: Ireland

#expeditioncruising . 

Vessel: SH Diana (IMO: 9921740)

Itinerary: Western Europe cruise from Ireland to Portugal

Location: Waterford, Ireland

Yesterday I was reunited with Swan Hellenic Diana in Dublin for their Western Europe cruise from Ireland to Portugal. While it may not be “expeditionary” in the classic sense, it is nevertheless a superb small ship experience with expeditionary elements. I had a couple of days scuttling around Dublin before boarding, enjoying this historic city. Our first stop after Dublin was Waterford, a brand as much as a town in this ancient European republic.

For anyone outside of Ireland, the mention of Waterford is automatically associated with the famous crystal creations that adorn everything from kitchen cabinets to world champions’ trophy rooms. Sure, these exquisite, handcrafted items have put Waterford on the world map, but in reality, as Ireland’s oldest city, Waterford was first set foot by the Viking Ragnall more than 1,000 years ago. Or so the legend goes.

Replica Viking longship (RE)

As we file out of our tour bus onto the rain-sodden streets, Toni, our local guide, reminds us that Waterford and indeed Europe as a whole has just come off the back of a record-breaking heat wave. That wave is certainly over.

As I unfold the little visitor guide, I see there are at least 20 sites of historical interest in the city, with much of it paying homage to the Viking past. Garishly painted houses, street art, flags, statues and even a small Viking longboat decorate this town of around 60,000 inhabitants.

Here are some interesting facts about Waterford beyond the obvious crystal decanters and golf trophies

• Ireland’s oldest city: Waterford was founded as a permanent settlement by Vikings in AD 914, more than 60 years before Dublin became Ireland’s principal Viking city. Its Norse name was probably Veðrafjǫrðr, generally interpreted as “windy fjord” or “ram fjord.” Waterford Treasures
• The Viking Triangle is literal: Waterford’s historic quarter takes its name from the triangular outline of the original fortified Viking settlement. Today, roughly 1,000 years of history can be explored within about 1,000 paces.
• Reginald’s Tower is not actually Viking: A wooden Viking fortification once occupied the site, but the substantial stone tower visible today was built by the Anglo-Normans during the 13th century. It is considered Ireland’s oldest civic building and has remained in continuous use for more than 800 years. Reginald’s Tower
• A marriage here changed Irish history: After Waterford was captured in 1170, the Norman warlord Richard de Clare, better known as Strongbow, married the Irish princess Aoife MacMurrough in the city. Their union became a defining episode in the Norman conquest of Ireland.
• Waterford Crystal dates from 1783: Brothers George and William Penrose established the city’s first major glassworks that year. The original business closed in 1851, but the Waterford name was revived almost a century later. Visitors can still watch blowing, cutting and engraving at the House of Waterford Crystal. Waterford Crystal history
• The famous crystal trophies have a Waterford connection: Waterford Crystal has produced or designed trophies for major sporting and entertainment events, including tennis, golf, horse racing and the annual Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball.
• Waterford possesses exceptionally rare medieval vestments: The Medieval Museum displays magnificent 15th-century cloth-of-gold church vestments. They survived partly because they were hidden from Cromwellian soldiers in the 17th century. Medieval Museum
• Henry VIII left behind his hat: The museum also holds a ceremonial “Cap of Maintenance” presented to Waterford by Henry VIII in 1536. It is described as the only surviving item of clothing associated with the Tudor king.

• 

  Thomas Francis
  Meagher

  Ireland’s tricolour was first flown here: Revolutionary Thomas Francis Meagher publicly unveiled the green, white and orange flag in Waterford in 1848. Meagher later escaped exile, went to the United States and became a Union general during the American Civil War. Waterford Treasures
• Waterford has its own bread roll: The floury, soft-centred blaa is closely associated with the city and believed to have developed from bread introduced by Huguenot settlers. The Waterford blaa now enjoys protected European geographical status.
• Newfoundland helped build Georgian Waterford: During the 18th century, a vigorous trade in salted cod and other commodities linked Waterford with Newfoundland. The resulting wealth helped create the handsome Georgian streets and houses around The Mall. Tourism Ireland
• Its old railway became a major cycling trail: The 46-kilometre Waterford Greenway follows a former railway between the city and Dungarvan, passing viaducts, tunnels, castles and coastal scenery. Ireland’s Greenways
• County Waterford has globally important geology: The nearby Copper Coast is a UNESCO Global Geopark, recognised for cliffs and rock formations recording roughly 460 million years of geological history.
• It has museums devoted to time and death: Alongside its Viking and medieval collections, Waterford has an Irish Museum of Time and the Irish Wake Museum, which explores the rituals, customs and superstitions surrounding death in Ireland.

Perhaps Waterford’s greatest curiosity is how compactly all these layers coexist: Viking walls, Norman towers, medieval vaults, Georgian mansions and glittering modern crystal are clustered within a surprisingly small city centre.

As a footnote to this post, Day 3 in Kinsale, which included a visit to the famous Blarney Castle with its legendary Stone, was cancelled due to unfavourable weather, so Europe's sunshine now appears to be over. Next stop, Roscoff in France.

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