The Wonders of Waterford

IT MAY be the country’s oldest city — celebrating its 1,100th birthday this year — but as a tourist destination Waterford city has, perhaps unfairly, suffered from a perception as the poor cousin of the likes of Dublin and Cork.

An airport with very limited connections means it does not get tourists dropped on its doorstep to anywhere near the same degree as its rivals. Furthermore, as a county with some of the country’s finest beaches, many visitors to the Deise are drawn to the wonders of the sea rather than the city.

Yet dig a little deeper — literally below street level in some places — and you will quickly find Waterford City has a fascinating history — as well as a team of experts who are more than willing to recount it in a fashion that is friendly for all ages.