A glimpse of Waterford, Ireland and its Layers of History

Waterford, the oldest city in Ireland has a fascinating history, and thanks to the Waterford Chamber of Commerce, which has its own stories since its inception 225 years ago, we were treated to a tantalizing glimpse of its layers. The Vikings first settled near Waterford in 853 and after an exchange of various raiders, resettled at Waterford in 914. Over the centuries various visitors, including invaders and even royalty have influenced and shaped the city to what it is today. One of the oldest and most distinctive buildings in Waterford is the circular Reginald’s Tower, reported to be built at the beginning the 13th century. Nearby, and of great interest to we visitors from New Zealand, was a round blue plaque on one of the old buildings which stated that this was where William Hobson, the first Governor of New Zealand was born.

These days most people relate to Waterford because of the Waterford Crystal brand, so it was natural that we should visit this factory. Founded in 1783, the mission of Waterford Crystal was to have crystal ‘as fine a quality as anywhere in Europe.’ Along the way there was a financial downfall and Waterford Crystal and its crystal making techniques were dormant for around a century until, in the 1940’s and 1950’s a group of businessmen revived the industry. In 2009 the business was forced into receivership and after much negotiation the current Waterford Crystal factory visitor center was opened in Waterford. It is most interesting for visitors to view the beechwood molds, named after people such as Justin Timberlake, the crystal craft exhibitions, crystal blowers and the dramatic crystal trophies and artifacts they were producing. After visiting Waterford Crystal we then explored the Viking Triangle and other historical buildings in Waterford, feeling most grateful to have the opportunity to capture a mere glimpse of the history and architecture of this most intriguing city, before moving on to our next adventure in Ireland.