County Waterford
Waterford, in the south-east of Ireland, was an original settlement in Ireland by the original pre-Celtic nomads who came across the then-short channel from Europe. Followed successively by The Celts, and The Vikings and the Normans, Waterford with its naturally deep and safe harbours (like Dunmore East, shown here) was the obvious port-of choice for all trade and invasions.
The first metal using people settled in this part of Ireland some 4,500 years ago. They brought the stone, box like structures tapering to one end, known as wedge tombs. They also had cist burials in stone lined pits, tumulaus burials and barrows. About 500 years ago the warrior aristocracy considered to be Celts settled here, building strongly defended settlements in the hills and on promontories over looking the sea. Waterford contains two hill forts and over twenty promontory forts. More common are the lightly defended iron age farmsteads known as raths, fairy forts or lio's. These were usually circular enclosures, frequently tree covered, about fifty metres in diameter.
Today Waterford still boasts a large Irish fishing fleet, at Dunmore east, and also some of Ireland's most pristine beaches. The towns that dot the coast, from Waterford city itself to tiny Woodstown, boast great restaurants, quaint pubs, antique and curio shops and much, much more. The world-famous Waterford Crystal has its home here.
