Fieldtrip to Lismore

Our first Summer outing of 2017 saw members and guests making the trip to Lismore. We visited the impressive Heritage Centre and then took a walk through the Heritage Town accompanied by Alice, the knowledgeable guide from the Heritage Centre. Among the historic sights we saw were St Carthage’s Cathedral where members were impressed by the well maintained interior which contains among other treasures a 16th century chest tomb of the McGrath family and an exquisite stained glass window by the noted pre-Raphaelite artist Sir Edward Burne-Jones. Other places visited were the gateway to Lismore Castle and the historic ice-houses on the Ballyduff Road. The ice-houses were originally built for the commercial salmon fishery that thrived on the River Blackwater in the 19th century, they have recently been conserved and made accessible to the public by Lismore Tidy Towns Committee in partnership with Waterford City and County Council. Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society members had a very enjoyable afternoon in Lismore and the couple of light showers didn’t dampen our members’ enthusiasm.