I loved the story from Kilkenny last week about the local artist who had the last laugh in a parking fine row. Mr Ramie Leahy, described as the most famous and best recognised living artist in the county, was locked up by Gardai for a short period in August under controversial circumstances. Apparently, the situation...
Views from the Brasscock
Local Cupcake couple
Local Cupcake couple
This week I want to sweet-talk you as I tell you all about delicious confections called cup cakes! Simply devine, I hear people say about these confectionary delights by Kevin and Fiona Lonergan living down Maypark way. They market their cakes under the rather apt title of Cupcake Heaven which encapsulates this...
Glenville – other days, other ways
Glenville – other days, other ways
Sometime ago, my attention was directed to a book about Glenville, off the Dunmore Road, entitled “Walled Gardens”- scenes from an Anglo-Irish childhood, by Annabel Davis-Goff. The book proved a delightful and insightful read giving a glimpse into a world and way of life that has almost disappeared as the...
Tall Ships, Ahoy!
Tall Ships, Ahoy!
From today onwards Waterford is en fete and agog with excitement and a welcome break from all that talk of doom and gloom- we are in party mood! The focus, of course, is all those beautiful Tall Ships, so let’s learn a little more about them so you can impress your friends with a few Tall Stories! Let’s start with...
Giving the place a good name
Giving the place a good name
Away from matters nautical this week to do a bit of name-calling especially with reference to our own townland hereabouts. The origin of placenames is a particular interest of mine. I think people have a curiosity has to what lies behind local names. I think that most who give it any thought, would agree that names...
The Grand Quays, Part Two
The Grand Quays, Part Two
This week we continue the story of the development of the Grand Quays of Waterford to set the scene for the arrival of the Tall Ships. We discover that in the medieval period the quays were located only on the south side of the Suir, in the area between Turgesius Tower at the mouth of the present Barronstrand Street...
The Grand Quays
The Grand Quays
In just a few weeks time, the Waterford Quay will once again be the centre of ‘universe’ as many thousands flock there in even greater numbers than last time to marvel at all the Tall Ships which will be gathered there. 150 years ago, it would not have been uncommon to see up to 60 sailing trading ships in the...
Walking Tall
Walking Tall
Last weekend saw the arrival of The Eagle and visitors eagerly flocked to view her and were welcomed on board by the crew who expressed their pleasure in being back in Waterford. It was a foretaste of things to come, of the big event itself later this month when over 50 Tall Ships gather for our Festival of Sail when...
St Declan’s NS – A Model of Excellence
St Declan’s NS – A Model of Excellence
There was much talk last week of positive affirmation, of new understandings, of a new maturity, of different traditions working in a spirit of harmonious cooperation. Well it can be proudly said that Waterford was showing the way here back as early as 1932. So, in that spirit, I thought it appropriate to bring you...
A parking incident in the city
A parking incident in the city
Today, I leave my perch at the Brasscock and head town-wards to comment on an incident that ‘got my gander up’. We are all painfully aware of the fragility of our economy generally but today I speak in particular of the fragility of city-centre retailing. For that sector to survive, never mind thrive, they need our...
Dunmore/Tobacco Road
Dunmore/Tobacco Road
Believe it or not part of the DMR could well have been renamed or popularly dubbed Tobacco Road back in the 30’s and 40’s of the last century. I came across this in a publication entitled ‘Reminiscences of Waterford’ where I read that the first plantation of Tobacco ever grown commercially in this country was sown by...
Ballygunner Townlands
Ballygunner Townlands
Ballygunner is one of the best known place-names in this area and indeed, one of the oldest. In recent decades its name has become synonymous with a proud tradition of hurling and will be forever associated with its inspirational progenitor, the great late Master Jimmy McGinn. All the paisti scoile in Mr. McGinn’s...