Dungarvan

Dungarvan is a small port and market town 30 miles west of Waterford City. The administrative centre of the county, it is situated at Dungarvan Harbour where the River Colligan enters the sea. The name comes from the foundation of a monastery by St.Garvan in the seventh century. The Norman Prince John came to the town in 1185 and as a result a castle was built, of which some still remains.

Dungarvan is an excellent fishing town. Deep-sea and in-shore angling are particularly good in this area. Other sporting facilities include the excellent 18-hole Golf Course and for the more active, yachting and windsurfing are also available.

As you travel into the town from the west, you will pass an impressive monument beside the road. This commemorates the champion greyhound "Master McGrath". This talented dog won the Waterloo Cup three times in the 1860s.

Seven miles south of Dungarvan is an area called Ring or, in Irish, An Rinn. It is the second most easterly Irish-speaking area in the country. This is an excellent opportunity to sample traditional Irish life, where regular Irish music sessions are held in the local pubs to entertain everybody. The Seanchaí pub on the Youghal road is one such example.

Travelling to and from Dungarvan is easy with regular express bus services to Cork , Waterford and Dublin . For the wine-lovers amongst you, you may be interested in taking a short journey to nearby Cappoquin. The Vineyard is a family run business open daily where you can sample some of the pure Irish grape wine produced from their 2000 vines.