Ardmore, County Waterford Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Ardmore Aird Mhór
Village
St. Declan's Round Tower and Oratory with Ardmore in the background
Ardmore Location in Ireland
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
County	County Waterford
Population (2022)	468
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid Reference	X188776

Ardmore (Irish: Aird Mhór, meaning great height) is a lovely seaside resort and fishing village. You can find it in County Waterford, Ireland, on the south coast. It's not far from Youghal.

In 2022, about 468 people lived in Ardmore. Many believe Ardmore is the oldest Christian settlement in all of Ireland. It's said that Saint Declan lived here in the early 5th century. He shared Christian teachings in the area even before Saint Patrick arrived.

In 2014, Ardmore was chosen as one of Ireland's best tourist towns. It's also home to a famous restaurant, The House, at the Cliff House Hotel. This restaurant has a special award called a Michelin star!

Ardmore's Rich History
What to See and Do in Ardmore
Getting Around Ardmore
Sports in Ardmore
Famous People from Ardmore
Images for kids
See also

Ardmore's Rich History

Early Christian Times

Ardmore Tower

Inside Ardmore Cathedral

An Ogham stone in the cathedral

Ardmore has a strong connection to Saint Declan. He was a saint from the 5th century. People believe he started a monastery here. Saint Declan is seen as a special saint for the Déisi people of East Munster. He is one of several saints who brought Christianity to Ireland before Saint Patrick.

A new church was built at St. Declan's Monastery in the 9th century. It replaced an older prayer building.

Ardmore was once important enough to have its own bishop. This was decided at a meeting in 1111. The last time an independent bishop of Ardmore was mentioned was in 1210. Today, the Catholic Church lists Ardmore as a "titular see." This means it's a historic bishopric, but it doesn't have a living bishop anymore.

The local Catholic parish is now called 'Ardmore and Grange'. The old Church of Ireland church in the village, St. Paul's, is part of the Youghal parish.

Ancient Buildings and Ruins

The Old Cathedral

On a hill above Ardmore village, you can see amazing old buildings. There's a tall, well-kept 12th-century round tower. It's about 30 meters high! You can also explore the ruins of a cathedral from the 12th and 13th centuries. Right next to it is an even older prayer building from the 8th century.

One of the cathedral's outer walls has cool stone carvings. These carvings were taken from an older building from the 9th century. They show a very old picture of a harp. You can also see images of Adam and Eve in the garden and a scene called "Solomon's judgement." Inside the cathedral, there are two Ogham stones. These are ancient stones with special carvings, resting in small spaces. You can still see parts of the original church building today. The current Church of Ireland church is also near this historic area.

Ardmore's Sea Stories

Ardmore used to be a busy fishing village. But in recent decades, it has become less focused on fishing. This is partly because fishing rules became stricter. Also, the harbor needs improvements to let bigger fishing boats dock.

Even so, a few local fishermen still keep some old fishing traditions alive. They continue to fish from Ardmore.

A large crane ship called the Samson was wrecked near Ardmore in 1987. It was being pulled from Liverpool to Malta when a big storm hit. Now, its wreck is a popular spot for divers! Many other old shipwrecks are in the bay area too. These include the Marechal de Noailles, Bandon, and Peri. You can sometimes see parts of the Fee des Ondes wreck on the main beach when the tide is low.

What to See and Do in Ardmore

Ardmore village and waterfront

Ardmore peninsula

Ardmore village has two hotels, several pubs, and restaurants. There's also a petrol station that opens during certain seasons, a pier, and a shop. The village also has sports clubs and a primary school. Ardmore won the national Irish Tidy Towns Competition in 1992 for being so well-kept!

Ardmore is a great place for a seaside holiday. It has a long beach, about a mile long, called the Main Beach. Other nearby beaches include Goat Island, Ballyquin, the Curragh, and Whiting Bay. Ardmore's Main Beach received a special award, the Blue Flag beach status, in 2018. This means its water quality is excellent. This improvement happened after a new wastewater treatment plant opened in 2015. The beach still had its Blue Flag status in 2020.

In 2006, a new hotel called the Cliff House Hotel opened. It replaced an older hotel. Near this hotel, you can start a lovely cliff path walk. This walk takes you along the coast and ends back in the main street. Along the way, you'll see marker posts that guide you. You'll pass an old Coastguard Station that has been updated. You'll also see St. Declan's Cell and Holy Well, a ruined church, and the wreck of the Samson. There's also an abandoned 20th-century coast guard lookout and an even older lookout tower. Further along the walk, you'll find a well with a stone roof, known as Fr. O'Donnells Well. The old monastery buildings are on the hill above the village.

Getting Around Ardmore

Bus Éireann route 260 serves Ardmore every day. This bus connects Ardmore to places like Youghal, Midleton, and Cork city.

Sports in Ardmore

The local Gaelic Athletic Association club is Ardmore GAA. This club plays traditional Irish sports like hurling and Gaelic football. Ardmore also has a watersports center, a soccer club, and a club for young athletes.

Famous People from Ardmore

Molly Keane (1904–1996), a novelist, lived in Ardmore for many years and is buried there. Her home is now a place where writers can stay and work.
Séamus Prendergast and Declan Prendergast are famous hurlers from Waterford.
Nora Roberts, an American novelist, has set three of her books in Ardmore. This has made Ardmore a popular place for American tourists to visit.
Claud Cockburn, a British journalist, moved to Ardmore in 1947.
Olivia Wilde, an actress and Claud Cockburn's granddaughter, spent her summers in Ardmore when she was a child.