Waterford Tourism

Harry Palmr · 18-08-2018 1:59pm

azimuth17 wrote: »

In the Bilberry landscape, the apartments at the Greenway entrance, are reasonably well designed and well kept. They are hardly objectionable except those who take exception to everything that's not two storey semi detached.. The Stanley plant was demolished three years ago. If you could see the apartments and not miss the Stanley foundry demolition....

Well duh, the site is still there, an eyesore and the Watergate carbuncles are exactly where they shouldn't be. Love to know who thought granting PP for an isolated cluster of flats on that road made ANY sense.

mooseknunkle · 18-08-2018 2:02pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Well duh, the site is still there, an eyesore and the Watergate carbuncles are exactly where they shouldn't be. Love to know who thought granting PP for an isolated cluster of flats on that road made ANY sense.

Its privately owned and the council were in talks with the owner to bring the greenway along the river and up to bilberry,but thats over a year ago and nothing heard about it since.

They are a mixture of houses and apartments,and not really isolated anymore are they,they look like a great place to live to be honest.

Chiparus · 18-08-2018 2:03pm

mooseknunkle wrote: »

And as others have said from the quay to bilberry looks terrible they really need to get started on the route along the riverside if thats ever going to happen,also hotels should start doing 3 day packages with bike hire etc get people into the city and spending money,its good to see the old court hotel back open as the greenway manor hotel so maybe they are going to start things like that.

Also the route for cyclists from the city is poor, and worse coming back, to cycle back to one of the Quay hotels a cyclist has either the cross the river negotiate a dangerous roundabout and then cycle back over the bridge , or turn right at the distillary and follow a circuitious path through the city.
Waterford city is really missing out on the greenway potential.- but the city is not very cycle friendly , all you have to do is look at how poorly the Manor street contraflow cycle lane design is .

Harry Palmr · 18-08-2018 2:16pm

Was thinking about that. Gratten Quay could be widened as it approaches the bridge it could be widened and drop down so you cycle under the Rice Bridge, obviously the quay on the other side would need to be filled in and swept down as well.

edit - I've just looked at the pix - there isn't enough hight between river level and bridge underside to cycle under unless the cycle path was isolated within a large concrete culvert structure which would cost a lot.

Chiparus · 18-08-2018 4:56pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Was thinking about that. Gratten Quay could be widened as it approaches the bridge it could be widened and drop down so you cycle under the Rice Bridge, obviously the quay on the other side would need to be filled in and swept down as well.

edit - I've just looked at the pix - there isn't enough hight between river level and bridge underside to cycle under unless the cycle path was isolated within a large concrete culvert structure which would cost a lot.

Far simpler to have a cycle lane that allow the cyclist to go straight across the road, plenty of them in Dublin. Cycled on one today that allows cyclists to cross from ST Stephens green west to the bus/cycle lane on Lower Leeson street.

Cabaal · 19-08-2018 4:14pm

Chiparus wrote: »

Waterford city is really missing out on the greenway potential.- but the city is not very cycle friendly , all you have to do is look at how poorly the Manor street contraflow cycle lane design is .

Have to agree, the situation around the bridge is not very cycle friendly at all and they seriously need to focus on solving this, especially if they want to make Waterford more welcoming to cycling families,

Squidvicious · 19-08-2018 11:38pm

To be fair, there hasn't been a whole lot of Kilkenny v Waterford stuff on this thread. The obvious thing to my mind is to market the two together. Okay, domestic tourists on a weekend break will probably go for one or the other but there is scope to bring foreign tourists to the south east by combining the two. There's a hell of a lot to see between the two. It's hard for either on their own to compete with the likes of Kerry or Galway but put the two together and it could be quite a package.

One key for Waterford though would be to upgrade hotel facilities. There's nothing in the City or Tramore that's got enough of a wow factor. Hopefully, that will change.

Cabaal · 20-08-2018 8:36am

Squidvicious wrote: »

To be fair, there hasn't been a whole lot of Kilkenny v Waterford stuff on this thread. The obvious thing to my mind is to market the two together. Okay, domestic tourists on a weekend break will probably go for one or the other but there is scope to bring foreign tourists to the south east by combining the two. There's a hell of a lot to see between the two. It's hard for either on their own to compete with the likes of Kerry or Galway but put the two together and it could be quite a package.

One key for Waterford though would be to upgrade hotel facilities. There's nothing in the City or Tramore that's got enough of a wow factor. Hopefully, that will change.

Def should be a push to market Kilkenny & Waterford together, one example is cycling.

Push to make the old N9 road a more cycle friendly route, as it stands its actually not a very busy road from Knocktopher to Waterford already so it wouldn't take much.

This would create a cycle network between Kilkenny City - Waterford City, you'd then have a cycle route from Waterford to Dungarvan and eventually Waterford to New Ross once that greenway opens.

Three county's connected by a cycle network very easily, this can benefit everyone!

hardybuck · 20-08-2018 1:39pm

Cabaal wrote: »

Def should be a push to market Kilkenny & Waterford together, one example is cycling.

Push to make the old N9 road a more cycle friendly route, as it stands its actually not a very busy road from Knocktopher to Waterford already so it wouldn't take much.

This would create a cycle network between Kilkenny City - Waterford City, you'd then have a cycle route from Waterford to Dungarvan and eventually Waterford to New Ross once that greenway opens.

Three county's connected by a cycle network very easily, this can benefit everyone!

I used to dread driving on that road, cycling on it could be very stressful and dangerous for tourists. You'd end up competing with tractors, lorries and farm machinery...if you wanted to push cycling maybe something to encourage people to bring their bikes on the train between Kilkenny and Waterford.

While I'm no history scholar, I would have thought there was quite a lot of Norman history which both counties would share. Americans go nuts for castles - you could see a little 2-3 day tour package working out nicely for them.

fargojones123 · 20-08-2018 2:19pm

Cabaal wrote: »

Def should be a push to market Kilkenny & Waterford together, one example is cycling.

Push to make the old N9 road a more cycle friendly route, as it stands its actually not a very busy road from Knocktopher to Waterford already so it wouldn't take much.

This would create a cycle network between Kilkenny City - Waterford City, you'd then have a cycle route from Waterford to Dungarvan and eventually Waterford to New Ross once that greenway opens.

Three county's connected by a cycle network very easily, this can benefit everyone!

They shouldn't have given up on the Three Sisters idea

greenspurs · 20-08-2018 3:01pm

Apart from the Crystal showrooms and the Viking triangle .
Is there anything else for foreign visitors to see in Waterford town centre though?

Whats they point complaining about them not coming, if theres nothing for them to see/do after 2hrs in the town, and they then have to move onto somewhere with more places of interest.

Deiseen · 20-08-2018 3:05pm

greenspurs wrote: »

Apart from the Crystal showrooms and the Viking triangle .
Is there anything else for foreign visitors to see in Waterford town centre though?

Whats they point complaining about them not coming, if theres nothing for them to see/do after 2hrs in the town, and they then have to move onto somewhere with more places of interest.

Whats there to do in Cork city, Limerick City, Kilkenny City, Galway City?

Dublin is the only place really where you have endless amounts of stuff to do.

Waterford actually has a decent amount of history to see and absorb compared to the other cities.

azimuth17 · 20-08-2018 5:00pm

The Greenspur's post is exactly what |I had in mind Deiseen. One could make the point that visitors to Kilkenny (it being a town I understand) see the castle, walk down the main street see the Tholsel, see Rothe House, on to St Canice's cathedral and that's that. What to do then? Walk back? All small cities in Ireland have limited thing sto see. In Waterford there is a decent coastline and seaside near at hand to offer some sort of alternative. Waterford city has a reasonable spread of historic things to see and do. A recent media article about Galway suggested that its main attraction was public drinking in Shop street. I find it hard to understand why every initiative or hope for the future is reacted to by Kilkenny posters suggesting it wont work or what ever. I see no such Waterford posts on teh Kilkenny pages which in general are lifeless.

20-08-2018 5:06pm

greenspurs wrote: »

Apart from the Crystal showrooms and the Viking triangle .
Is there anything else for foreign visitors to see in Waterford town centre though?

Whats they point complaining about them not coming, if theres nothing for them to see/do after 2hrs in the town, and they then have to move onto somewhere with more places of interest.

Take a tour to metalman brewery or waterford distillery. Walk along the viking and norman walls. Walk and explore Waterford Walls, blie plaque trail.

Visit a good pub such as phil grimes, downes or geoffs.

Take a river crusie with Traditional Boat Charters. Rent a bike from the various bike rental shops in the city centre and begin your trip on the greenway.

2 hours in town. You would be doing well to cover the medevil museum in 2 hours.

Golfing in the city, waterford golf club, waterford castle, municipal, just out the road, faithleg, dunmore and tramore.

While your post covers the centre only, I'll extend outside the city slightly, mount congreve, dunmore/tramore day trips. Lord Waterford (portlaw), waterford suir valley railway.

Joe Daly · 20-08-2018 7:44pm

Tourism is a regional thing in kilkenny you have the discovery park castlecomer which is drawing in huge crowds, the medieval mile, the new Butler gallery, as regards the greenway a Kilkenny man is supplying bikes his business has grown that he had to take on extra pair of hands summers like this help a lot. Some great places like Dunmore east, other places along the coast there in Waterford, Wexford, you have the v which is spectacular.

azimuth17 · 20-08-2018 8:16pm

I actually agree with most you say Joe. Tourism is a regional thing and people coming to the south east should be retained by the south east no matter where or what county they come to. What I don't understand is the destructive comment that seems to me to be emanating from Kilkenny posters against almost every policy initiative that Waterford tries to progress. I see no evidence of similar posting on the KK pages from Waterford based members. Wexford. Kilkenny and Dungarvan are all nice tourist towns but the Waterford agenda is geared towards bigger issues IE airport etc,all of which have spin off for every county ion the region

Harry Palmr · 20-08-2018 11:04pm

Hire a boat and go fishing with dunmoreboatrips.ie

greenspurs · 21-08-2018 7:55am

azimuth17 wrote: »

What I don't understand is the destructive comment that seems to me to be emanating from Kilkenny posters against almost every policy initiative that Waterford tries to progress.

I asked the question, After the Waterford Crystal gallery and the Viking Triangle bits and pieces are visited, What is there to do in the Town centre itself?
I don't see how that is a "destructive comment" ? :rolleyes:

If I was a tourist I wouldn't know what else is there to do/see.
Why isn't the Town/County doing more promotion?

Cabaal · 21-08-2018 8:17am

hardybuck wrote: »

I used to dread driving on that road, cycling on it could be very stressful and dangerous for tourists. You'd end up competing with tractors, lorries and farm machinery...if you wanted to push cycling maybe something to encourage people to bring their bikes on the train between Kilkenny and Waterford..

Except you don't find it stressful or dangerous , since the motorway the vast majority of the road is dead.

I've cycled and ran the route a number of times at various times of the day and various days of the week.

It tends to be a little busy at rush hour in certain parts but there's many times where I could go 30-60min without seeing any car etc.

It sounds like you may need to drive the road again, it's not dangerous at all. In fact it's a pleasure to be in now, even for a drive.

Deiseen · 21-08-2018 8:29am

greenspurs wrote: »

azimuth17 wrote: »

What I don't understand is the destructive comment that seems to me to be emanating from Kilkenny posters against almost every policy initiative that Waterford tries to progress.

I asked the question, After the Waterford Crystal gallery and the Viking Triangle bits and pieces are visited, What is there to do in the Town centre itself?
I don't see how that is a "destructive comment" ? :rolleyes:

If I was a tourist I wouldn't know what else is there to do/see.
Why isn't the Town/County doing more promotion?

Well there are the Viking walls all over the city, numerous ruins outside of the viking triangle and inside there are 2 substantial museums with another small one so it's more than 2 hours. But I agree, we need more and hopefully the North Quays can fill this void, not to mention the plans for the Art Quarter in O'Connell street.
You did come across like you were trying to say that there was nothing to do in Waterford as a statement of fact, apologies if not.
Anyway my previous point is that most of Ireland's tourism revolves around food/drink. In Waterford City alone there are about 150 Restaurants/Bars, Kilkenny has around 180 in the entire county. After that, if people have a few days they can do the Copper Coast, Lismore, Dungarven, Greenway, Comeraghs so there is lots to do.
Out of interest, could someone tell me how much of Kilkenny's tourism figure are made up by the city itself and how much is made up in the rest of the county?

TheQuietFella · 21-08-2018 9:16am

Viking/Norman walls my a**e! This is not Rome that we're living in!

https://www.waterfordcivictrust.ie/the-beach-tower-project

Why was the above never opened or anything else done with it?

Deiseen · 21-08-2018 9:57am

Lads is there not an ignore function? This guy is really getting on my nerves..

Johnboy1951 · 21-08-2018 10:05am

TheQuietFella wrote: »

Viking/Norman walls my a**e! This is not Rome that we're living in!

https://www.waterfordcivictrust.ie/the-beach-tower-project

Why was the above never opened or anything else done with it?

Open? It is a tower .... how many could squeeze into it?

What else done with it?

TheQuietFella · 21-08-2018 10:15am

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Open? It is a tower .... how many could squeeze into it?

What else done with it?

My point exactly but why after the investment is it being left there?
The last time I was in that area it has become overgrown with weeds
and litter! The usual bottles, cans and empty cigarette boxes!

And I'll say it again and again! Why would ANYONE want to invest in this City
when the WCC cannot maintain it to some degree!

tonc76 · 21-08-2018 10:15am

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Open? It is a tower .... how many could squeeze into it?

What else done with it?

Maybe get the Romans back to rebuild it :P

TheQuietFella · 21-08-2018 10:17am

tonc76 wrote: »

Maybe get the Romans back to rebuild it :P

We've had a few Roma ns so the less said there the better!!!

21-08-2018 10:32am

TheQuietFella wrote: »

Viking/Norman walls my a**e! This is not Rome that we're living in!

https://www.waterfordcivictrust.ie/the-beach-tower-project

Why was the above never opened or anything else done with it?

Correct its not Rome, but it is Ireland's oldest city and thankfully is steeped in history. I have brought a few tourists around our City Walls and they are amazed by them especially the Americans (considering they come from a county with a 150 years of history or so, and we have buildings/walls close to 1000 years old)

One of the hottest TV shows around at the moment is the vikings. Viking/medevil is the in thing at the moment and we have plenty of it on offer.

That combined with the three museum's, Reginalds Tower, Viking VR experience. Metalman brewery in Tycor (who offer tours), waterford Distillery, the 150 pubs/restaurants. That about covers out food/drinking experience.

Christ Church cathedral, and the cathedral in JRS, waterford Walls, river cruise that about covers our curtral/urban scene.

Moments from the city, waterford greenway, suir valley railway, mount Congreve, lord Waterford, passage east beach, woodstown, dunmore and tramore.

Nothing to see or do in Waterford, oh wait I didn't even mention our biggest attraction, the crystal.

I agree with your post, the towers should be open. I think in time this will happen. Waterford has really only entered the tourism maket in the past 5-6 years and before that we relied heavily on industrial industry such as Waterford Crystal.

Would love to see the towers open and have an ar/vr experience in each one or have Déise medevil present at each one re enacting how things were, providing photo ops for tourists.

Would love to see tourism figures from before the Viking Triangle and see how we have come on in leaps and bounds.

There is plenty more that can be done and will be done. The upgrade of the tower hotel to a 4 star and expansion is evidence of a growth in tourism.

Combine all that with the cities various festivals, Spraoi, waterford walls, Day Tripper, Waterford Harvestfest, Viking Festival, Waterford Viking Marathon, waterford City Artbeat, the imagine arts festival, waterford film festival, winterval. Just outside the city, bluegrass, dunmore east festival of food, promenade festival tramore, ska fest tramore, all together now portlaw.

I could expand further into the west of the county but I would be typing all day. Waterford City and County has plenty to offer.

21-08-2018 10:35am

TheQuietFella wrote: »

And I'll say it again and again! Why would ANYONE want to invest in this City
when the WCC cannot maintain it to some degree!

I don't know ask the lads in North Quays/Michael Street who are investing €300 million the largest investment in the state outside of Dublin.

Max Powers · 21-08-2018 10:37am

Christ almighty, the idiocy....the tower underwent some maintenance by in large part, some volunteers to do general maintenance...i.e....prevent it from falling down anytime soon and basically preserve it as a historical site as part of old city walls.

Deiseen · 21-08-2018 10:44am

914 wrote: »

TheQuietFella wrote: »

Viking/Norman walls my a**e! This is not Rome that we're living in!

https://www.waterfordcivictrust.ie/the-beach-tower-project

Why was the above never opened or anything else done with it?

Correct its not Rome, but it is Ireland's oldest city and thankfully is steeped in history. I have brought a few tourists around our City Walls and they are amazed by them especially the Americans (considering they come from a county with a 150 years of history or so, and we have buildings/walls close to 1000 years old)

One of the hottest TV shows around at the moment is the vikings. Viking/medevil is the in thing at the moment and we have plenty of it on offer.

That combined with the three museum's, Reginalds Tower, Viking VR experience. Metalman brewery in Tycor (who offer tours), waterford Distillery, the 150 pubs/restaurants. That about covers out food/drinking experience.

Christ Church cathedral, and the cathedral in JRS, waterford Walls, river cruise that about covers our curtral/urban scene.

Moments from the city, waterford greenway, suir valley railway, mount Congreve, lord Waterford, passage east beach, woodstown, dunmore and tramore.

Nothing to see or do in Waterford, oh wait I didn't even mention our biggest attraction, the crystal.

I agree with your post, the towers should be open. I think in time this will happen. Waterford has really only entered the tourism maket in the past 5-6 years and before that we relied heavily on industrial industry such as Waterford Crystal.

Would love to see the towers open and have an ar/vr experience in each one or have Déise medevil present at each one re enacting how things were, providing photo ops for tourists.

Would love to see tourism figures from before the Viking Triangle and see how we have come on in leaps and bounds.

There is plenty more that can be done and will be done. The upgrade of the tower hotel to a 4 star and expansion is evidence of a growth in tourism.

Combine all that with the cities various festivals, Spraoi, waterford walls, Day Tripper, Waterford Harvestfest, Viking Festival, Waterford Viking Marathon, waterford City Artbeat, the imagine arts festival, waterford film festival, winterval. Just outside the city, bluegrass, dunmore east festival of food, promenade festival tramore, ska fest tramore, all together now portlaw.

I could expand further into the west of the county but I would be typing all day. Waterford City and County has plenty to offer.

You can get all the tourist figures on Failte Ireland but tourist numbers declined this year.

TheQuietFella · 21-08-2018 12:06pm

Max Powers wrote: »

Christ almighty, the idiocy....the tower underwent some maintenance by in large part, some volunteers to do general maintenance...i.e....prevent it from falling down anytime soon and basically preserve it as a historical site as part of old city walls.

And why did they take so long to do that Max?
And the word you used was volunteers to do it!
This to me just shows how important our Viking/Norman history is to WCC!
They wouldn't pay to preserve Waterford's heritage!

Everything was great when we had The Glass but those days are long gone
when we had tens of thousands pouring into our city and now we're trying to
re-invent ourselves. But we're a pauper in the grand scheme of things.
We're like a beggar now sitting on the side of a street with an empty coffee cup
in our hand asking for spare change!

The 'New Development' will never get off the ground because we don't have the pulling power of the bigger cities of Ireland.
€300 million down the tubes!

Azatadine · 21-08-2018 12:28pm

Deiseen wrote: »

Well there are the Viking walls all over the city, numerous ruins outside of the viking triangle and inside there are 2 substantial museums with another small one so it's more than 2 hours.

In fairness though I don't think you can compare walls to Kilkenny castle. The castle is a huge draw to Kilkenny. I'm not sure if there is much else to visit in Kilkenny city itself but the castle alone carries a lot of weight.

21-08-2018 12:53pm

TheQuietFella wrote: »

And why did they take so long to do that Max?
And the word you used was volunteers to do it!
This to me just shows how important our Viking/Norman history is to WCC!
They wouldn't pay to preserve Waterford's heritage!

Everything was great when we had The Glass but those days are long gone
when we had tens of thousands pouring into our city and now we're trying to
re-invent ourselves. But we're a pauper in the grand scheme of things.
We're like a beggar now sitting on the side of a street with an empty coffee cup
in our hand asking for spare change!

The 'New Development' will never get off the ground because we don't have the pulling power of the bigger cities of Ireland.
€300 million down the tubes!

I think you are forgetting one major issue here. Waterford was decimated during the recession. Not helped by the lack of government policy or support.

The council have begun reinvited the city. The crystal was to leave waterford completely. The council acted on this and moved it onto the mall. The created the viking triangle and are currently completing a €19 million euro redevelopment of the city centre.

They also completed the greenway linking the city to dungarvan. It looks as if the €300 million euro development will go ahead into the city.

Not everything is going to happen over night. But we are getting there. Would like to see more done to the walls myself and in time that will happen as we continue to get our name out there as a tourism destination.

As I highlight the positives there I would also have plenty negitives about councils of past and present. Presentation and general maintenance being a major fault, but it is possible that this is beginning to change.

Things are changing for the better in Waterford and we are beginning probably for a first time to see more positives than negitives.

Deiseen · 21-08-2018 2:21pm

Cortecs wrote: »

Deiseen wrote: »

Well there are the Viking walls all over the city, numerous ruins outside of the viking triangle and inside there are 2 substantial museums with another small one so it's more than 2 hours.

In fairness though I don't think you can compare walls to Kilkenny castle. The castle is a huge draw to Kilkenny. I'm not sure if there is much else to visit in Kilkenny city itself but the castle alone carries a lot of weight.

Can't argue with that in fairness but overall I think there is just slightly more to see in Waterford but yes hands down, the Castle is the cream of the crop.

azimuth17 · 21-08-2018 2:41pm

Will someone tell me please why anyone pays any attention to the god awful remarks of that troll the quiet fella? They are characterised by utter ignorance of almost everything to do with Waterford that he/she comments on.

greenspurs · 21-08-2018 2:44pm

Did anyone mention parking, and the redeveloped Quay yet ??

:P

Harry Palmr · 21-08-2018 2:58pm

Move the parking to the shop side and run the road along the outer part, though build a cycle path as a discreet lane on the water side. The new footbridge should come ashore on an "island" at the Clock Tower and then drop below the road level and re-emerge in Broadstreet under a fancy canopy

Max Powers · 21-08-2018 3:14pm

TheQuietFella wrote: »

And why did they take so long to do that Max?
And the word you used was volunteers to do it!
This to me just shows how important our Viking/Norman history is to WCC!
They wouldn't pay to preserve Waterford's heritage!

Everything was great when we had The Glass but those days are long gone
when we had tens of thousands pouring into our city and now we're trying to
re-invent ourselves. But we're a pauper in the grand scheme of things.
We're like a beggar now sitting on the side of a street with an empty coffee cup
in our hand asking for spare change!

The 'New Development' will never get off the ground because we don't have the pulling power of the bigger cities of Ireland.
€300 million down the tubes!

Answer to your question is so obvious a twelve year old could answer it, go ask one, then more random gibberish, when will you put together a well thought, balanced sentence together.

Max Powers · 21-08-2018 3:50pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Move the parking to the shop side and run the road along the outer part, though build a cycle path as a discreet lane on the water side. The new footbridge should come ashore on an "island" at the Clock Tower and then drop below the road level and re-emerge in Broadstreet under a fancy canopy

Nice thoughts Harry but to be fair, budget just isn't realistically there for that, not to mention the added complaints and disruption from/to the public/shops/traffic on quay.we all would like a rolls Royce bridge, an iconic one like say Newcastle or something but won't be funded, what will be funded and is committed to by govt is funding for well designed opening bridge, that is core of what we want.

Harry Palmr · 21-08-2018 4:02pm

The bridge would be whatever they have in mind - the exit/entrance area would just go under the traffic lanes rather than empty out into the car park (as currently configured). Nothing fancy (well unless digging a tunnel is now considered a bit out there!)

Lord Derpington · 21-08-2018 4:39pm

Cortecs wrote: »

Deiseen wrote: »

Well there are the Viking walls all over the city, numerous ruins outside of the viking triangle and inside there are 2 substantial museums with another small one so it's more than 2 hours.

In fairness though I don't think you can compare walls to Kilkenny castle. The castle is a huge draw to Kilkenny. I'm not sure if there is much else to visit in Kilkenny city itself but the castle alone carries a lot of weight.

I don't know why this opinion is being expressed so often Kilkenny is built on tourism, it has a lot more than the castle going for it. From the top of my head there is

Kilkenny Castle,
Butler National Craft Gallery
Rothe House
2 Cathedrals (St. Canices & St. Mary, plus the black Abbey)
St. Canices Round Tower
Medieval Mile Museum
Alice Kitler ghost tours
Smithwicks Tours
BallyKeefe Distillery Tours
High bank Orchards Distillery Tour

That's just the hard core touristy stuff, it also has two golf course (Kilkenny and the Pococke, the latter also has a foot golf course), Archery, Bubble soccer, paintball etc all at the https://kilkennyactivitycentre.ie/, an airsoft range and a fishing centre with cottage rental at Wallslough.
Then you have a some very high quality hotels (Lyrath is 5* and there are 5 4*'s), some very high quality restaurants (Campagne has a Michelin star and Ristorante Rinuccini, Annocht, Zuni and Foodworks were all awarded L'Assiette Michelin this year) and a great weekend nightlife.

This is all in the city centre before you include dunmore caves, Jenkinstown park, Castlecomer discovery park and the host of other attractions in the county.

Waterford is an untapped resource in this regards, it has a lot of potential but it needs the attention and dedication required to get it there. Kilkenny has survived on tourism for years, it has been decades building this brand.

Max Powers · 21-08-2018 4:42pm

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The bridge would be whatever they have in mind - the exit/entrance area would just go under the traffic lanes rather than empty out into the car park (as currently configured). Nothing fancy (well unless digging a tunnel is now considered a bit out there!)

Nothing too out there absolutely but moving traffic lanes, paths, services, making islands in the river and tunnels cost a lot of cash. Not a fan of underpasses myself, current traffic lights set up is satisfactory for this IMO, a bit of tweaking certainly, plus there will be a plaza at clock tower so it's not terminating in a car park which would not be great agreed.

TheQuietFella · 21-08-2018 10:45pm

914 wrote: »

I think you are forgetting one major issue here. Waterford was decimated during the recession. Not helped by the lack of government policy or support.

The council have begun to reinvent the city. The crystal was to leave waterford completely. The council acted on this and moved it onto the mall. The created the viking triangle and are currently completing a €19 million euro redevelopment of the city centre.

They also completed the greenway linking the city to dungarvan. It looks as if the €300 million euro development will go ahead into the city.

Not everything is going to happen over night. But we are getting there. Would like to see more done to the walls myself and in time that will happen as we continue to get our name out there as a tourism destination.

As I highlight the positives there I would also have plenty negitives about councils of past and present. Presentation and general maintenance being a major fault, but it is possible that this is beginning to change.

Things are changing for the better in Waterford and we are beginning probably for a first time to see more positives than negatives.

I appreciate that Rome wasn't built in a day and a lot of work needs to be done
to improve the city on shall we say a very restrictive budget BUT why spend money on properties on Doyle Street and just leave them sit there?

To encourage growth and prosperity we need to show ourselves off, build
new fresh developments in the town for families, in turn who will spend their
money within the city centre and rejuvenate it!

And I mean developments that will be fit for purpose for generations to come!
I look at old photos of Waterford City on some sites and in my view for all it's
worth things haven't changed very much in one hundred years! People still living in tenements that should have been demolished!

21-08-2018 11:24pm

TheQuietFella wrote: »

I appreciate that Rome wasn't built in a day and a lot of work needs to be done
to improve the city on shall we say a very restrictive budget BUT why spend money on properties on Doyle Street and just leave them sit there?

To encourage growth and prosperity we need to show ourselves off, build
new fresh developments in the town for families, in turn who will spend their
money within the city centre and rejuvenate it!

And I mean developments that will be fit for purpose for generations to come!
I look at old photos of Waterford City on some sites and in my view for all it's
worth things haven't changed very much in one hundred years! People still living in tenements that should have been demolished!

Something similar to the houses that were redeveloped at Chairman's Arch off Cathedral Square 6 x 2 bed houses, 1 x 3 bed house & 4 x 1 bed apartments.

Granted this is small scale but they done a great job there. Its also hard to develop buildings if they are privately owned, that needs to be taking up with the owners.

Don't know what the story is with the houses on doyle street and I agree that is disgraceful. Unfortunately this is happening all around the country, we see it every day on the news. Houses lying idle and waiting lists that don't seem to end.

Looks like we all need to hammer out local representatives about doyal street amd hope the council get the finger out and sort the houses there.

21-08-2018 11:25pm

TheQuietFella wrote: »

I

To encourage growth and prosperity we need to show ourselves off, build
new fresh developments in the town for families, in turn who will spend their
money within the city centre and rejuvenate it!

And I mean developments that will be fit for purpose for generations to come!
I look at old photos of Waterford City on some sites and in my view for all it's
worth things haven't changed very much in one hundred years! People still living in tenements that should have been demolished!

Just out of curiosity. What area's would you develope and how would you develop them family based?

debok · 21-08-2018 11:35pm

Waterford wan just won rose of Tralee that's should give county a bit of promotion !!!!!!

PTH2009 · 21-08-2018 11:37pm

debok wrote: »

Waterford wan just won rose of Tralee that's should give county a bit of promotion !!!!!!

Yeah just heard

Congrats great for the girl herself and her family/friends

TheQuietFella · 21-08-2018 11:47pm

debok wrote: »

Waterford wan just won rose of Tralee that's should give county a bit of promotion !!!!!!

Great news! I was only talking to her a few weeks ago and forgot to wish her luck!
A Kilkenny lass all the same!

TheQuietFella · 21-08-2018 11:55pm

914 wrote: »

Just out of curiosity. What area's would you develope and how would you develop them family based?

I've said it before here and was pilloried for same but as they have purchased property in Doyle Street start there and I don't mean apartments/flats but houses
with a garden, front and back with a parking place for a car or two. That would then entail the culling of some streets!

The population has drifted to the outer city limits over the last thirty years and for good reason too but we need to bring life back to the heart of the city!

22-08-2018 8:05am

TheQuietFella wrote: »

I've said it before here and was pilloried for same but as they have purchased property in Doyle Street start there and I don't mean apartments/flats but houses
with a garden, front and back with a parking place for a car or two. That would then entail the culling of some streets!

Front/back garden with parking is important to families but you would never fit that kind of property where those houses are located on doyle street. At best removing one of the house and expanding the othere may allow for three bed terraced houses with back garden and on street parking.

Waterford Tourism

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