Upcoming : Summer Outing, Ormond Castle 10/08/25

 

Ormond Castle has been described as a gem of Tudor architecture in Ireland. Built on a prominent site on the banks of the River Suir at the east side of Carrick-on-Suir, it is considered the finest example of an Elizabethan manor house in Ireland. Thomas 'Black Tom' Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond, built it in 1565 to honour his distant cousin Queen Elizabeth. The magnificent great hall, which stretches almost the whole length of the building is decorated with some of the finest 16th century stucco plasterwork in the country. The plasterwork features portraits of Queen Elizabeth and her brother Edward VI and many motifs and emblems associated with the Tudor monarchy.

Ormond Castle has recently re-opened following an extensive conservation programme which was featured in RTE's 'Great Irish Interiors' TV programme. We will be shown around the Castle by an OPW guide.

Please note that there is an entry fee of €4, which should be paid individually.

The final WAHS outing of Summer 2025 is a visit on Sunday August 31st to the restored nineteenth century Phelan's Mill in Mullinavat.

Upcoming : Summer Outing to Lismore 27 /07/25

The second outing of the season will take place in Lismore on Sunday, July 27 2025.

Meeting at 2:00 pm at St Carthage's Church of Ireland Cathedral, Lismore (Eircode P51 VX65). Please note there is also a Catholic Church with the same dedication in the town!

The outing will include a tour of the Cathedral, its memorials, and the historic Cotton Library with Margaret Quinlan and Bláithín Hurley.

All welcome, non-members €5.00

 

First Summer Outing of 2025 : MOTHEL with guide John Tierney on June 22nd

 The first WAHS summer outing of 2025 is to historic Mothel, near Clonea Power. Mothel is noted for the remains of its medieval Augustian abbey which is located in a historic graveyard containing many fine memorials. Our guide will be John Tierney from Historic Graves. John has worked with the local community in Mothel in recent years to record the graveslabs in the cemetery. As part of the outing John will give a demonstration of techniques that can be used to record historic grave memorials without damaging them.

Summer outing to East Cork on July 6th.

Members are reminded to reserve their places on this outing. In order to secure a place we'd be grateful if tickets were reserved by Thurs. June 26th.

Outing to Cappoquin 11 August 2024

 The society's next summer outing will be  this coming Sunday, August 11th, to Cappoquin where we will be guided around the Historic Town by local historian Kevin McCarthy.

We'll meet at 2.30 in the public carpark adjacent to Cappoquin Community Centre, Eircode P51E2NV.

Outing to Ballygunner 11 July 2024

 The next Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society summer outing is on Thursday July 11th when Joe Falvey, our chairperson and well-known local historian, will lead us on a stroll around the Ballygunner and Knockboy area. We will hear about the archaeology and history of this area and hear tales of some of the personalities connected with it.

Meet at Ballygunner Church carpark at 7 pm.

All welcome. Non members €5.

Outing to Glenville 13 June 2024

 Join us for the first outing of 2024 for a walk and talk in the Glenville area led by chairperson Joe Falvey and PRO James Eogan  .

Meet at 7 pm at Glenville Centre car park (nearest Eircode X91 R7YV).

Outing to Kilbarry Church with Dave Pollock 27/08/23

 Join us at Kilbarry at 2pm on Sunday afternoon for our last Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society outing of the summer when Dave Pollock, local archaeologist, will show us around Kilbarry church and graveyard in Waterford's western suburbs.

We meet on Sunday, August 27th at 2pm in the Lacken Road Business Park (X91 YK49)

 

Kilbarry is best known for the remains of its medieval church, which was controlled by the Knights Templar in the 12th and 13th century. However, this part of Waterford has a rich heritage stretching from the earliest Neolithic farmers to the late medieval period which has been revealed in a series of archaeological excavations directed by Dave Pollock in the vicinity of the church.

Members Free, & €5 for Non-Members.

Outing to Passage East with John Burke 10/08/2023

Join us for an outing to historic Passage East, on the west shore of Waterford Harbour. Passage East's location has meant that over the centuries it has been a fishing port, fortress and ferry point. The village's rich heritage reflects these various functions. 

Our outing will be led by John Burke, noted local historian and author.

Outing to Inistioge & Woodstock 30/07/2023

 On Sunday 30 July 2023, at 2.00pm, join us for an outing to picturesque Inistioge, on the banks of the River Nore in south Kilkenny. The town's rich heritage reflects its medieval origins and shows the influence of the Tighe family of Woodstock House in the 18th and 19th centuries. 

Our outing will be led by Ben Murtagh, expert on Inistioge's archaeology and medieval history, and John Kirwan, who has extensively researched the role the Tighe family played in the later development of the town.

Outing to Creaden Head 23 July 2023

 For many years the late Noel McDonagh explored the archaeology of Creadan head, the striking peninsula at the mouth of Waterford Harbour. In recent years the Portalis Project, based in SETU, brought together a multidisciplinary team to build on this work researching the archaeology, geology and social history of the headland. On our outing next Sunday afternoon we have an opportunity to meet members of the team and hear about the research that they have been carrying out.

As parking is limited on the headland, and out of consideration for local residents, the Portalis Project have kindly organised a mini-bus to transfer members from the carpark at Holy Cross Church, Killea, Dunmore East to Creadan Head at 1:30 pm. 

Outing to Newtown School, 13 July 2023

 This year marks the 225^th anniversary of Newtown School.

Please Join us for a historical stroll around the School and Grounds with Joe Falvey, historian and former teacher. 

Meet at Newtown School (X91 XR20) at 7pm, Thursday, July 13th .

Upcoming Outing : Tramore, with Paul Brent on 11th June 2023

Our first Summer Outing will take place in Tramore on Sunday 11th June 2023.

Meet near The Coast Guard Cultural Centre (Eircode X91 HP63) at 2pm

Our guide Paul Brent will tell members and guests the history of the following as we walk.

• The Doneraile family and the Walk named after them
• The Tramore Coastguard building
• The Wrecks of Tramore Bay
• The Metal Man
• The Harbour in Lady Elizabeth's Cove
• Lady Doneraile's Cove
• The Officer's tombstone on the Doneraile walk
• The Coastguard Gun Battery
• Abraham Denny Architect and his home
• The Coastguard Iron Armstrong Coastal Defence Gun on the Doneraile

We will visit Christ Church to view the Sea Horse Monument before walking back by Albion House and Tramore Tennis Club.

Members free, non-members €5.00

Upcoming Outing to St Mullins Sunday 28th August 2022

 The last of our summer outings will take place on Sunday 28th August in St Mullins, County Carlow.

We will be shown the historic sites of St Mullins by Ann Doyle of St Mullins Heritage Centre.

Meet at 2.30 pm at the graveyard gate.

Upcoming Outing Sunday 7th August : Stradbally with Cian Flaherty and Ben Murtagh

Join us this Sunday afternoon for a guided visit of beautiful Stradbally Village.

We will be shown around by archaeologist Ben Murtagh and historian Cian Flaherty. 

Starting in the Square, we will learn about the development of the present village in the late 18th/early 19th century, before heading up Church Lane for a tour of the medieval parish church and adjoining graveyard. This will be followed by a visit to the Woodhouse Museum, after which we will return to the village via Stradbally Cove.

Meet in The Square, Stradbally at 2:30 pm

Upcoming Summer Outing Thursday 14th July : the Siege of Waterford 1922

 

A hundred years ago... 

On the18th of July 1922 the Irish Civil War reached Waterford. The high ground on both sides of the river was dominated by opposing forces. 

Historian James Doherty will lead a guided tour through the Ballybricken area of Waterford city and explore how Waterford became a focal point of the conflict over a balmy July weekend in 1922.

Meet at the Bandstand on Ballybricken at 6.30 pm Thursday 14th July 2022

Upcoming Summer Outing to Tintern Abbey & Colclough Walled Garden

The second outing of this summer - a combined visit to Tintern Abbey and the adjoining garden

Sunday 3rd July at 2.30pm

WAHS outing to Tintern, Co. Wexford, July 3rd

The next outing of the Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society is to Tintern Abbey and the Colclough Walled Gardens where we will be shown around by the very knowledgeable OPW and garden staff. 

Tintern Abbey was founded by the William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, about 1200. Legends say that when the Earl of Pembroke encountered a life-threatening storm during a sea voyage, he vowed to establish an abbey if he reached land safely. The abbey is often referred to as Tintern de Voto, or Tintern of the Vow as a result.

Following the dissolution of the monasteries the Colclough family acquired Tintern and converted the remains of the abbey into their residence, member of the Colclough family lived at Tintern until the 1950s. The walled garden was built by the Colclough family in the early 19th Century. The picturesque 2.5 acre garden is bisected by a river, crossed by five bridges, providing a centrepiece to the designed landscape. It contains separate ornamental and kitchen gardens.

The combined admission charge is €6, please note only cash is accepted. 

 

Walk & Talk 23 June 2022 at The People's Park with Joe Falvey

 Since it was brought to our attention that  Eugene Broderick's launch of his new book  Thomas Meagher: Forgotten Father of Thomas Francis Meagher was to take place at the same time as our upcoming walk and talk,  we have decided to postpone the talk by one week as many people would wish to go to both events. 

So instead of Thursday June 16th , our own Walk and Talk will now take place on Thursday June 23rd.  


We look forward to seeing many of you on that day.  All arrangements remain the same except for the date.

Meet at the bansdstand at 6.30 pm. 

Summer Outing: St Mary's Church, New Ross

On our first summer outing of 2018 members of Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society visited St Mary’s Church in New Ross on a balmy Thursday evening. The existing St Mary’s Church of Ireland parish church dates from the early 19th century. It was built within the shell of what was one of Ireland’s largest 13th century medieval parish churches. Our guide on the evening was Wexford-based archaeologist Emmet Stafford  who showed members many of the original features of the medieval church, including some very well preserved gothic-style mouldings carved in Dundry stone, quarried near Bristol. St Mary’s also has a fine collection of medieval and later burial monuments. These include a number of medieval effigies, one of which is the ‘New Ross bambino’ an effigy of a baby in swaddling clothes. Unusually for a medieval parish church in Ireland there is a vaulted crypt which members had the opportunity to visit. This is very atmospheric and is not normally accessible to the public. At the end of the tour we were treated to refreshments , including scones with strawberries and cream thanks to the generosity of the Select Vestry who look after the church so well.

Thanks to Emmet Stafford for showing us around on the evening and Olive Thorpe representing St Mary’s Select Vestry for her generous welcome.

SUMMER OUTING: St. Mary's Church & Graveyard, New Ross

SUMMER OUTINGS AND EVENTS 2018

Thursday 7th June (evening) ~ St. Mary’s Church and Graveyard, New Ross

St. Mary’s is one of the finest medieval parish churches in Ireland. Its graveyard is the last resting place of many notable Ross families. Our guide will be archaeologist Emmet Stafford whose company has been supervising a recent survey and conservation project at St Mary’s. Meet at St. Mary’s Church and graveyard at 18:45. St Mary’s Church is located on Church St., New Ross. Once you cross the bridge in New Ross continue straight on along Quay St and go up the hill (Mary’s St.), Church St. is the second left. There is ample on-street parking. There is no entry for cars from Mary’s St into Church St.

Thursday evening fieldtrips are free to members. Non-members €5.00.

PICTURES: Exploring Waterford City's Late Medieval Defences with Ben Murtagh