Waterford My Home
Filed under: Scenic Waterford, Waterford City, Waterford Culture, Waterford GAA, Waterford Songs
Just came across two versions of Waterford my Home on youtube, thought people might be interested in hearing them.
The first is by the Gillespies and the video contains a lovely series of Deise Images
The second is by Bedoboy, who explains all about hurling and then gives My Lovely Deise socks and Serenades is with Waterford My Home
Good man bedo boy boi!!!
Here’s the words if anyone wants to learn it off!
WATERFORD MY HOME
CHORUS
Waterford, My Crystal City fair,
Waterford, there’s no place to compare,
Near or far, no matter where I roam,
My heart is always with you Waterford my home
VERSE 1
Where the mighty Atlantic roar
Falls to silence on Tramore
Where the Comeraghs sweep down Majestically
Where the Barrow, Suir and Nore
Combine close to Dunmore
They’re between the nicest spot so dear to me
CHORUS
VERSE 2
From Lismore to Cappoquinn
Through Dungarvan on to Ring
Round Gaultier Passage and Cheekpoint
Where our lovely waters meet
In a picturesque retreat
They’re all part of a spot so dear to me
CHORUS
Coumshingaun – Europe’s Finest Glacial Lake
The magical setting at Coumshingaun is full of beautiful surprises. When I visited I was presented with a small pond (see image below) with sheep on a rock and a haunting mist all around. The pond had flowers growing on it. Quite beautiful but it didn’t prepare me for the surprise beyond the ridge.
To get to the lake take the main Cork Road from Waterford to Cork and take the right turn for the Mahon Falls about 20 miles from the City. Keep going on this road until you hit the right hand turn to Carrick on Suir (just beyond the shop). Drive up this road and park in the car park in Kilclooney wood. There are information sheets posted here to take you through the various routes to the lake.
Basically you need to head between the two peaks in the mountain toward a ridge. It is a common walk for local people so it should be reasonably easy to find your way to the lake by following tracks through the wilderness. It is advisable to bring a compass and a map to help you out and make sure you have the correct footgear and rain clothes. The walk to the lake takes about 45 minutes at an average pace but it is so worth it once you get there.
Ardmore
Up Declan and the Déise!
Ardmore is situated West of Dungarvan and is one of Ireland’s most beautiful towns. It has a fabulous series of beaches and amazing cliff walks; a quaint town centre and the most fantastic 12th century round tower built on the grounds of the Beannachán (St. Declan’s burial place). Ardmore beach was one of the first in Ireland to be awarded the EU Blue Flag award and the village has won the accolade of Ireland’s Tidiest Village.
Ardmore has no less than six sandy beaches in the immediate vicinity with bright sand and is a very safe place to swim. The coast has some spectacular views along its cliff walks with some beautiful wild flora (over 113 species). There are many beautiful scenic spots to enjoy a picnic and take in the breath taking views. Along the cliffs there are many man made points of interests such as the ‘Samson’ ship wreck, St. Declan’s Well and Church, The Lookout Post, Fr. O’Donnell’s Well, The Castle, St. Declan’s Stone and more. The area also boasts some fantastic sea bass fishing.
History
Saint Declan brought Christianity to the area between 350 and 450 AD and is buried near the Cathedral and Round tower. On this site you can visit and view the engravings on the façade of the Cathedral and the Ogham stones (stones marked with messages in the language of the ancient Irish). The 30 metre tall Round Tower, built in the 12th century is beautifully proportioned and is divided on the outside into four storeys marked off by projecting string courses. The entrance doorway is some 4 metres above ground level. The purpose of The Round Tower was to serve as a belfry and as a place of refuge for the ecclesiastics, and for the safe custody of their books, chalices, shrines and relics.
Ardmore is a fabulous place to visit. As well as all the attractions, it is a very safe place for kids and has a great selection of restaurants serving up freshly caught sea-food.
How to find it
On the N25 from Waterford to Cork, follow the well marked out signs West of Dungarvan.
Interesting Fact: Old Parish is the oldest Christian parish in Ireland, pre-dating St. Patrick!
Waterfall on the River Araglin, Ballysaggart
A Wonderful Series of Waterfalls in a Secluded Forest
This is one of Waterford’s best kept secrets. A series of beautiful Waterfalls on the River Araglin hidden in [find woodland name] wood. The erosion here is something to behold varying from angular cuts to perfectly formed natural slides (bring your swimming togs). With beautiful views down the valley this is an adventure anyone interested in scenic Waterford should take.
The colour of the rocks is a rich brown which make photographs of the main Waterfall look spectacular. The main Waterfall is over 20ft in height and has a strong flow all year round, though after heavy rain it is far more impressive. There are many other waterfalls and slides dotted around this very unusual valley.
How to find it
The Waterfalls are quite difficult to find and to get down to them requires a bit of manoeuvring. From Lismore, take the R666 (not the road to hell I can assure you) towards Fermoy. Take the right hand turn where the Lismore golf course crosses the road and head for Ballysaggart. A few miles up this road at a crossroads you will see a sign post for Araglin, take the right turn here and head for [woodland name]. Once in the woods, the real journey begins. Drive through the wood veering left at fork junctions, the road will get progressively worse and is more suitable for SUV type vehicles. A mile or two in there is a fork in the road backwards leading up hill. The rest of the journey is on foot. Walk up the hill and continue along the walkway. When you get to the stream continue through (make sure you bring suitable foot gear). Keep walking along the path and when you eventually reach what look like Christmas trees on your left hand side you are almost there. Head left when you can hear the Waterfall and the valley will present itself. There are lovely birds eye views of the Waterfall at this point. To get down to the Waterfall, stay left and walk down using the railing as a guide, then find the best route down (probably marked out for you by the ovine inhabitants). Enjoy.
The Towers of Ballysaggartmore
A Magical Experience in a Fairy Tale Setting
The Towers of Ballysaggartmore are concealed in a wonderful woodland setting a few kilometres West of Lismore Town. What awaits the visitor is, in this author’s opinion, one of the most magical experiences they are ever likely to have. The Towers are found along a charming loop walk through an enchanting wood. Visitors should take the path to the left which takes them across a couple of small bridges and then upwards towards the Towers themselves. A very accessible and short ten minute walk up a mild incline, through a canopy of trees, passing many wild flowers and rhododendron, eventually leads the visitor to a tunnel. Once through this tunnel a marvellous spectacle awaits the visitor: ‘The Gates of Grandeur’ (see picture below).
Once at ‘The Gates of Grandeur’ the visitor should explore behind the picnic area as a beautiful secret waterfall awaits them. After the visitor has their fill they should follow the loop walk around to the right where they will be met with another spectacle: ‘The Entrance Gate.’ Attention should be given to the wonderful stonework and architecture of this gate. A short walk down a very steep hill will bring the fulfilled visitor back to the car park.
The Story of the Towers
The towers were built circa. 1850 by a notorious Landlord, Arthur Kiely-Ussher. His wife, Elizabeth, was jealous of Strancally Castle built by his brother John. Elizabeth urged Arthur to build a castle in Ballysaggartmore that would out shine his brother’s. After ‘The Entrance Gate’ and ‘The Gates of Grandeur’ were built they ran out of money.
Arthur Kiely-Usher treated the tenants of his land with unprecedented cruelty. During the height of the potato famine in Ireland, rather than helping the tenants that made him wealthy, he evicted them and knocked their dwellings. He put livestock on the lands in their stead, in the hope that he would raise the money to finish his wife’s mansion. They lived out the rest of their days on their half finished site. A clear case of what goes around comes back around.
Interesting Fact: The famine was first reported on the 6th of September 1845 in the Waterford Freeman Newspaper.
My Best Waterford Memories
by Railway Square
My best memories include the first swim in the sea – always Woodstown with a late tide warmed by the hot strand. Tramore, Dunmore, the Cove and maybe my favourite for swimming, Rathmoylan, were all face-able after that.
Others are Ring, Helvic Head, the much under-rated Passage East; Paddy Browne’s Long Road complete with “confession boxes” (before it was built up); Reginald’s Tower, and as a kid, remembering where the cannon ball lodged.
The People’s Park probably played a huge part in all of our up-bringings. How many families do NOT have photos of kids sitting astride the cannons? I even remember the Tramore Railway, and in later years, being able to hitch both safely and successfully virtually anywhere.
Delacato’s in Johnstown was the best chipper in town. A great feed for 6d (six old pence in the days when there were 240 to a pound the size of a bedspread) when you brought your own bowl.
Chucks, spare ribs and cabbage, dilisk, cockles, mackerel bought fresh at the pier and fried straight away, real lard and dripping, blaas (of course), settled pans, soda bread, Clover sausages (“Oxford” and “Countrystyle”, as a treat, I.C.M. the norm).
The more I think about this, the more I remember.
Going out John’s Hill, collecting blackberries before the days when traffic pollution made them impossible to eat, bringing them home and me Ma either making blackberry tarts (the absolute best), blackberry and apple tarts, nearly as good, or just washing them and mashing them in a saucer with sugar.
Then there was going out early September, even earlier mornings, and picking field mushrooms. I can almost taste them now. Could be fried, fried on toast, done in milk with loads of pepper but best of all, the heads placed on top of the range (forerunner of the Aga or Stanley for those of you reared on ceramic hobs etc,) with salt and pepper sprinkled over them.
Collecting watercress. Do any of you remember watercress sandwiches or blaas? Forget hang, Tayto or red lead. These were the real deal. The blaa, butter, watercress and salt. And how much did they cost? Word of warning. Nowadays, like most else, if any of you want to pick watercress, do so in streams not near fields with sheep who carry parasites that don’t do you a lot of good. A by-product of modern science.
Ok, obviously these activities were not unique to Waterford. But we had the opportunity to carry them out. And they were an integral part of our heritage.
I remember wet slack being put onto fires to keep a steady glimmer that didn’t cost a lot. I remember someone calling at the front door to collect potato and other vegetable peelings for the pigs. I remember turf bits, small pieces, that were sold cheap. I remember seeing the old ration books for butter and sugar, leftovers from the emergency.
What has this to do with the best memories of the Deise?
They were simple, hard times but the way they were handled, the way our people treasured and respected what we had and the occasional chances to revel in the beauty of our surroundings speaks volumes for our heritage. The same heritage that made many of us emigrants. But, other than jobs, did we find anything better? I don’t think so.
Last one, taking the bus to Woodstown, bringing a picnic, including tea and a teapot, sitting down in the dunes eating sandy sandwiches and drinking hot tea courtesy of the little shop who charged 3d for a pot of boiling water. Now THAT was convenience food!!!