What is the oldest place in Ireland?
Waterford City was Founded in 914 AD by Viking invaders from Norway,making it Ireland’s oldest City, over 1100 years old..
Waterford – Ireland’s Oldest City:
Waterford has a Christian parish that predates even St Patrick and has a rich history of Viking tales, architecture, finery and folklore.
In 914,the great Viking adventurer and pirate, Regnall, a grandson of Ivor the Boneless, established a base in Waterford and proceeded to build a Longphort or ships haven, which would in time become a modern city. In 918,
Regnall took a fleet of ships and left Waterford sailing for York and he became the first Norse ruler of York and held the title ‘King of Waterford and York’.which he possibly bestowed on himself. The name Waterford is derived from its Viking origins – Vadrarjfordr which has two possible meanings; ‘haven from the windswept sea’ or ‘fjord’ of the rams’. In 1170 the Anglo Normans captured the city and expelled the Vikings. After this capture, Waterford was escalated to the status of Royal City which owed allegiance to the Anglo Norman King of England, Henry I
A must visit is the trio of Museums called Waterford Treasures where you’ll find the exquisitely embroidered Cloth of Gold Vestments. The Waterford cloth-of-gold vestments are made from Italian silk woven in Florence and dates back to the 1460s The panels were embroidered in Bruges, Belgium which was the centre of the medieval embroidery industry.These priceless vestments depict various scenes from the Bible and from the life of the Virgin Mary. They are considered the greatest treasures of late medieval Ireland.
There are many other historical treasures you will no doubt unearth when you visit Waterford.
Modern Waterford is a vibrant and picturesque city that has managed to carefully maintain its important heritage, while also embracing its position as an important modern city in Ireland. Waterford has a lively and modern shopping area, filled with cafes, award winning restaurants and an excellent mix of traditional, local and contemporary pubs.
Looking for a cultural experience? The city i home to two theatres, the Theatre Royal and Garter Lane Arts Centre, as well as several art galleries, craft studios and boutique shops and n 2015, Waterford City was awarded a ‘Purple Flag’ – similar to the Blue Flag for beaches – the Purple Flag is granted to urban areas which reach excellence in their evening and night time economies. This is a great achievement and Waterford City is the first urban location in the South East to achieve the Purple Flag standard.
Waterford is the capital city of the SouthEast region of Ireland, also known as Ireland’s Ancient east and is within easy reach of Kilkenny, New Ross, Wexford, Tipperary and Cork.
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