Waterford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Waterford Port Láirge
City
From top, left to right: Waterford Marina, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Reginald's Tower, a piece of Waterford Crystal, Waterford City by night
Coat of arms
Nickname(s):  The Déise
Motto(s):  Latin: Urbs Intacta Manet Waterfordia "Waterford remains the untaken city"
Waterford Location in Ireland Show map of Ireland Waterford Location in Europe Show map of Europe
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
Region	Southern (South-East)
County	Waterford
Founded	914 AD
City Rights	1215 AD
Area
• Total	50.4 km2 (19.5 sq mi)
Population  (2022)
• Total	60,079
• Rank	5th
• Density	1,191.7/km2 (3,086/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Waterfordian, Déisean
Time zone	UTC±0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (IST)
Eircode Routing Key	X91
Telephone Area Code	051(+353 51)
Vehicle Index Mark Code	W

Waterford is a city in the south-east of Ireland. It is located in County Waterford, within the Munster province. The city sits at the top of Waterford Harbour.

Waterford is the oldest city in the Republic of Ireland. It is also the fifth largest city by population. In 2022, about 60,079 people lived in the city and its nearby areas.

The city was first settled by Vikings. Its old walls and buildings include Reginald's Tower, built in the 13th or 14th century. Waterford is famous for its glassmaking history, especially Waterford Crystal. The factory closed in 2009 but reopened in 2010.

Waterford's motto is Urbs Intacta Manet, which means "The Untaken City". This name came about after the city successfully defended itself from attacks in the 15th century.

Discovering Waterford's Past

Waterford Quay at night

The name 'Waterford' comes from an old Viking word, Veðrafjǫrðr. This means "ram (wether) fjord". A fjord is a long, narrow sea inlet. The Irish name, Port Láirge, means "Lárag's port".

Viking Beginnings

Viking raiders first settled near Waterford in 853. They left around 902 but came back in 914. This time, they were led by Ottir Iarla and later by Ragnall ua Ímair. They built what became Ireland's first city.

Norman Arrival

In 1167, Diarmait Mac Murchada, a king from Leinster, tried to capture Waterford but failed. He returned in 1170 with soldiers from Wales and Normandy. They successfully took the city after a tough fight.

King Henry II of England arrived in Waterford in 1171. He declared Waterford and Dublin to be royal cities. Dublin then became the capital of Ireland.

The Untaken City

Reginald's Tower was built after the Normans arrived. It was one of the first buildings in Ireland to use mortar. Waterford was Ireland's second most important city after Dublin for a long time.

In the 15th century, Waterford fought off attacks from people who wanted to be king of England. Because of this, King Henry VII gave the city its motto: Urbs Intacta Manet Waterfordia. This means "Waterford remains an untouched city".

Later Conflicts and Growth

After the Protestant Reformation, Waterford stayed a Catholic city. It was part of an independent Catholic government from 1642 to 1649. However, Oliver Cromwell brought the country back under English rule. His son-in-law, Henry Ireton, finally took Waterford in 1650.

The 18th century was a time of great success for Waterford. Many beautiful buildings were built then. In the 19th century, industries like glass making and shipbuilding grew.

In July 1922, Waterford saw fighting during the Irish Civil War. This was between soldiers of the new Irish Free State and Irish Republican troops.

Waterford's Location and Weather

Map of Waterford

Harbour and Port Life

Waterford city is located at the top of Waterford Harbour. The River Suir flows through the city. This river has been important for Waterford's long history with the sea.

Where the River Nore and the River Barrow meet the River Suir is called Cumar na dTrí Uisce. This means "The meeting of the three waters". Waterford Port has been a major port in Ireland for over a thousand years. In the 19th century, shipbuilding was a big industry here.

Waterford's Climate

Waterford has a mild and changing climate, like the rest of Ireland. It gets plenty of rain, but the temperatures are not extreme. The counties in the Waterford area are often called the 'Sunny Southeast'.

The warmest months are June, July, and August. Average daytime temperatures are around 17 to 22 degrees Celsius. Rain falls throughout the year. However, late October to late January is usually wetter and cloudier.

People of Waterford

In 2022, Waterford had a population of 60,079 people. This makes it the fifth largest city in Ireland.

Waterford's population has grown a lot over the centuries. It went from 1,555 people in 1653 to over 60,000 today.

Culture and Fun in Waterford

Scotch Quay

Arts and Entertainment

Waterford has several theatre groups. Red Kettle is a professional company, and Spraoi is a street theatre group. Spraoi also puts on the popular Spraoi festival. Waterford Youth Arts helps young people get involved in drama. The Theatre Royal Waterford has been around since 1785.

The city has four public libraries. The Central Library, opened in 1905, was one of the first in Ireland funded by businessman Andrew Carnegie. It was renovated for its 100th birthday in 2004.

The Waterford Collection of Art has over 500 artworks. It includes pieces by famous Irish artists like Paul Henry and Jack B. Yeats.

Exciting Events

Tall Ships lined up on the quays in Waterford for the festival

• The Waterford Film Festival started in 2007.
• Waterford Music Fest is a big outdoor music event in summer.
• The Spraoi festival is a street art festival. It happens in the city centre on the August Bank Holiday Weekend. It attracts huge crowds.
• The Waterford International Festival of Light Opera is an annual music event held in November.
• Waterford hosted the Tall Ships Festival in 2005 and 2011. These events brought hundreds of thousands of visitors.
• The St. Patrick's Day parade happens every year on March 17.
• The Imagine Arts Festival in October and The Fringe Arts Festival in September celebrate different arts.
• Waterford Winterval is a Christmas festival in the city centre.
• Waterford Walls is an annual event since 2014 where street artists create amazing murals around the city.

Important Buildings and Museums

• The Waterford Museum of Treasures is in the Waterford Viking Triangle. It has items from 1700 to 1970 in the Bishop's Palace. Another museum nearby shows the city's Medieval history.
• Reginald's Tower is the oldest public building in Ireland with its Viking name. It's now a museum.
• A museum at Mount Sion tells the story of Brother Edmund Ignatius Rice. He founded the Christian Brothers.
• The Waterford Gallery of Art holds the city's art collection. It's in a beautiful old bank building from 1845.
• The Theatre Royal was built in 1876. It's a Victorian theatre that seats about 600 people.
• Garter Lane Arts Centre is in two old 18th-century buildings. It has a gallery and a theatre.

Religious Sites

Waterford has many Christian churches. These include the Catholic Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity and the Church of Ireland Christ Church Cathedral. There are also Methodist, Baptist, Quaker, and Russian Orthodox churches.

Media in Waterford

RTÉ, Ireland's national broadcaster, has a studio in Waterford.

Waterford Local Radio (WLR FM) is the local radio station. Beat 102 103 is a regional youth radio station based in Waterford.

The Waterford News & Star and The Munster Express are local newspapers. There are also free newspapers like the Waterford Mail and Waterford Today.

Cool Places to Visit

Reginald's Tower

Waterford has several special areas. The oldest is the Waterford Viking Triangle. This area is shaped like a triangle and was protected by the city's original walls. It has narrow streets and old buildings.

Waterford has more of its old city walls left than any other city in Ireland, except Derry. You can take tours to see them.

The Quay is a long riverside area. It was once called 'the noblest quay in Europe'. Near Reginald's Tower is the William Vincent Wallace Plaza, named after a composer born in Waterford.

John Roberts Square is a pedestrian area in the city's shopping centre. It's often called Red Square because of its red paving.

Ballybricken, just outside the old city walls, was likely where the Irish and Vikings lived after the Norman invasion. Today, it's a green space.

Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity on Barronstrand Street

The Mall is a street with beautiful Georgian buildings. The People's Park, the city's largest park, is nearby.

The Apple Market area is known for its nightlife, with bars and restaurants. Part of it is now a pedestrian area with a large outdoor roof.

Ferrybank is Waterford's only suburb north of the river.

In 2003, an old Viking settlement was found at Woodstown near the city. It seems to be even older than other Viking towns in Ireland.

Waterford is famous for Waterford Crystal. This beautiful glass was made in the city for many years. You can see Waterford Crystal in places like Times Square in New York City, Westminster Abbey, and Windsor Castle. A new visitor centre opened in 2010.

Waterford's oldest pub is T & H Doolan's on George's Street. It has been a pub for centuries, and part of an original city wall, almost 1,000 years old, can be seen inside.

Waterford's Economy

Waterford is the main city in Ireland's South-East Region. It has always been an important trading port, which brought wealth to the city.

Waterford Port is Ireland's closest deep-water port to mainland Europe. This means it's very important for trade.

Farming has also been a big part of Waterford's economy. Kilmeadan, near the city, was home to a very successful dairy co-operative. Kilmeadan cheese became a famous brand worldwide.

The economic recession from 2008 had a big impact on Waterford. Some large companies closed, like the original Waterford Crystal factory. However, Waterford Crystal later reopened.

Getting Around Waterford

Roads

The M9 motorway connects Waterford to Dublin. The N24 road goes to Limerick, and the N25 road goes to Cork. The N25 crosses the River Suir on the River Suir Bridge, which is the longest single bridge span in Ireland.

Trains

Waterford railway station is the only train station in County Waterford. You can take trains to Dublin and Limerick Junction. From Limerick Junction, you can connect to other cities like Cork and Galway. The station also handles freight trains.

Buses

Several bus companies, like Bus Éireann and JJ Kavanagh and Sons, provide bus services around the city and to other towns and cities. There are also plans for special bus lanes in the city centre to make travel easier.

Greenway and Airport

The Waterford Greenway is Ireland's longest greenway. It's a path for walking and cycling that connects the city to towns like Dungarvan.

Waterford Airport is located just outside the city. Interestingly, Ryanair, one of the world's largest airlines, started its first flight from Waterford to Gatwick Airport.

Learning in Waterford

Waterford has 21 primary schools, nine secondary schools, a further education college, and a university.

Secondary Schools

• Mount Sion Secondary School was founded by Edmund Ignatius Rice.
• Newtown School is a Quaker boarding school.
• Waterpark College was Waterford's first classical school.
• De La Salle College is the biggest all-boys school in the county.
• St. Angela's Secondary School is a Catholic all-girls school.

South East Technological University, Waterford campus

Further Education

Waterford College of Further Education offers courses after secondary school. It was founded in 1906.

University

South East Technological University has a campus in Waterford. This university was formed in 2022 by joining Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology, Carlow.

Sports in Waterford

Waterford Boat Club, c.1915

Waterford has a strong sports scene.

• Waterford Boat Club is the oldest active sports club, started in 1878. They compete in rowing championships.
• There are three athletics clubs: West Waterford AC, Waterford Athletic Club, and Ferrybank Athletic Club. The Waterford Viking Marathon is held every June.
• Waterford is home to several association football clubs, including Waterford FC. Famous footballers from Waterford include John O'Shea.
• There are two rugby union clubs: Waterford City R.F.C. and Waterpark R.F.C.
• Other team sports include Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) with many local clubs. There are also cricket, inline hockey, and American football clubs.

Famous People from Waterford

See also

In Spanish: Waterford para niños