Waterford, County, is a county in the province of Munster in Ireland, also called the Republic of Ireland. It lies on Ireland’s southeast coast, along St. George’s Channel. Nearly half of the county’s population lives in and around the city of Waterford, one of the largest cities in Ireland. The landscape of the county is varied, ranging from fertile agricultural lowland to rugged mountains. County Waterford has long been known internationally as the source of Waterford crystal glass.
Well over half of the county’s people live in urban areas, making County Waterford one of the most urbanized counties in Ireland. The majority of people in County Waterford are Roman Catholic. Many others belong to the Church of Ireland or claim no religious affiliation. The Cistercian monastery at Mount Melleray Abbey near Cappoquin was founded in the 1830’s. Cistercians are Roman Catholic monks and nuns.
English is the everyday language of most people in County Waterford. People in the Gaeltacht area of Ring speak Irish. Ring is a small coastal district near Dungarvan. Children visit the district to learn Irish. The city of Waterford has a strong musical tradition, which is continued in its annual Light Opera Festival.
Economy.
County Waterford is highly urbanized, but farming flourishes on its fertile land. Dairy farming and beef cattle production are the two leading types of farming. About a sixth of the farm land is used for crops, mainly feed barley, oats, potatoes, and wheat. The production of hogs and sheep is also important.
Manufacturing is important in the economy of County Waterford. For many years, the largest and best-known company was Waterford, a manufacturer and exporter of crystal glass. The glass industry thrived in the city of Waterford and neighboring Dungarvan. By the early 2000’s, however, the company had moved most of its production overseas, and most of the area’s glass factories had closed.
Other important types of manufacturing include engineering and food processing. The main industrial center is Waterford city. Companies in the city manufacture aircraft parts and other transportation equipment, chemical products, electronics, and health care equipment. Dungarvan is also an industrial center and has dairy-processing and pharmaceutical industries.
Service industries are major employers in County Waterford. The most important service industries include health care and social work, and retail and wholesale distribution. Others include education, finance, food services, professional services, public administration, and transportation. Waterford city is home to a campus of South East Technological University. County Waterford’s historic attractions draw many visitors. Tramore, which has a beach and recreation facilities, is a major Irish seaside resort.
Dunmore East is one of the major fishing ports in Ireland and has fish-processing industries. There has been much development of forestry in areas of the county with a higher elevation.
Waterford city is a center for transportation. Railroads radiate to Wexford, Dublin, and Limerick. Located on the deep and sheltered Waterford harbor and Suir estuary, Waterford city is one of the major seaports of Ireland. The city also has a small airport.
Land.
The Atlantic Ocean forms the southern boundary of County Waterford. County Wexford lies to the east, Counties Kilkenny and Tipperary to the north, and County Cork to the west. The greatest distances across County Waterford are 50 miles (80 kilometers) from east to west, and 25 miles (40 kilometers) from north to south.
The northwestern part of the county is mountainous. The land rises to more than 2,300 feet (700 meters) and lies on sandstone. The Comeragh and Monavullagh mountains are entirely within County Waterford, but the Knockmealdown Mountains are partly in County Tipperary. The northern flanks of the Comeraghs drop to the valley of the River Suir. The Suir forms much of the northern boundary of the county before entering the long inlet of Waterford harbor, which is the eastern boundary.
The lowland of the east lies on volcanic rocks, shale, slate, and sandstone. The west is mainly sandstone, but the valley that runs from Dungarvan, between the Knockmeal downs to the north and the Drum Hills to the south, lies on limestone. The River Blackwater enters the county from the west along this valley but turns south at Cappoquin. It is joined by the River Bride before flowing into Youghal Bay. There are some bays with beaches along the coast, but much of the land drops steeply to the sea.
History.
Burial sites and other remains from the Stone Age point to the long history of human settlement in what is now County Waterford. From Celtic monastic times, from about A.D. 500 to 800, there is a round tower and the ruins of a cathedral at Ardmore. One of the most important monasteries in Munster was at Lismore, which became the center of a diocese. The Vikings arrived in Waterford in the 800’s and established the town as an important trading center. Excavations have revealed much evidence of houses and other remains from the Viking settlement. Reginald’s Tower, which still stands in Waterford city, formed part of the defenses.
The Anglo-Normans captured Waterford in 1170. It became one of the main centers of Anglo-Norman power in Ireland and remained loyal to England throughout the Middle Ages. Under the Anglo-Normans, the de Poers (or Powers) family controlled the eastern part of the county, and the Fitzgeralds controlled the western part. In 1649, Waterford town withstood an attack by the English leader Oliver Cromwell, but it surrendered to his son-in-law in the following year.
Waterford town flourished in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s because of its export trade in agricultural produce and its glass and shipbuilding industries. Many fine houses date from this period. During the Great Irish Famine of the 1840’s, nearly one-fifth of the population died or emigrated, but this loss of population was less than in most Irish counties.
See also Ireland, History of.
