Ardmore, County Waterford
Encyclopedia
Ardmore is a fishing village in County Waterford
, Ireland, not far from Youghal
on the south coast of Ireland, with a population of around 330, although this varies with the tourist season. It is believed to be the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland. Saint Declan lived in the region at some time in the period 350–450 AD and Christianised the area before the coming of Saint Patrick
.
. At the Synod of Rathbreasail
in 1111, it enjoyed the status of a bishopric in its own right due to the esteem in which St. Declan's monastery was held.
The present parish church is the main church in the parish of Ardmore and Grange, however, due to a lack of priests in the area, the Parish Priest, Father Milo, serves that parish. The church is often the site of parish bazaars and markets, along with the community centre, Saint Declan's hall.
There is also an old Church of Ireland
church in the village which is part of the parish of Youghal
.
and the ruins of a Cathedral and oratory dating from the 13th and 8th centuries respectively. One of the outer walls of the Cathedral features some stone carvings retrieved from an earlier 9th-century building. The carvings include a very early image of a harp, images of Adam and Eve
in the garden and a representation of "Solomon's judgement". The Cathedral also contains two Ogham
stones, which rest in small alcoves. Some elements of the original structure can still be seen within the building. The present Church of Ireland
church (St. Paul's) is close to this complex.
to Malta
. Its wreck is now a popular diving spot. There are many other older wrecks in the bay area including the Marechal de Noailles, Bandon, Peri, Scotland, Sextusa and Peg Tranton, and more recently Anne Sophie and Fee des Ondes. The remaining keel of the latter wreck may still be seen at low tide on the main beach.
, and one store. There are also one or two sports clubs and a primary school. It boasts a mile-long beach, commonly termed the Main Beach, and several other beaches, such as Goat Island, Ballyquin, the Curragh, and Whiting Bay. Ardmore is a popular seaside resort, but has had difficulty maintaining its Blue Flag beach
status due to an outdated sewage system (early works on updating the system commenced 2006) and modern farming practices which result in run-off from fields and subsequently into the bay, especially at the village end of the beach. Paradoxically, the absence of an adequate modern sewerage system has slowed down the pace of housing development in Ardmore compared with some other seaside villages in the southeast thus preserving much of its charm. Recently a new hotel was completed, replacing the older Cliff Hotel .
In 1992 this village was the overall winner of the Irish Tidy Towns Competition
.
lookout from 1939/45 and another, much older, lookout tower, further along there is another well with stone canopy, known as Fr. O'Donnells Well. The Round Tower Complex is atop the hill above the village. This is a very scenic and popular walk much frequented by locals and visitors to the village.
The Thurston family of writers were once owners of the house "Maycroft" and a plaque to this effect is mounted on the wall there. Some of their novels were set in places very similar to Ardmore.
club is Ardmore GAA
. Three members of the club, Clinton Hennessy
, Declan Prendergast
and Seamus Prendergast
are also members of the Waterford
hurling team and Wayne Hennessy is a member of the county football panel. A number of other players also play at intercounty level at U21.
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
, Ireland, not far from Youghal
Youghal
Youghal is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Sitting on the estuary of the River Blackwater, in the past it was militarily and economically important. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout...
on the south coast of Ireland, with a population of around 330, although this varies with the tourist season. It is believed to be the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland. Saint Declan lived in the region at some time in the period 350–450 AD and Christianised the area before the coming of Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
.
Ecclesiastical history
The parish is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Waterford and LismoreRoman Catholic Diocese of Waterford and Lismore
The Diocese of Waterford and Lismore is a Roman Catholic diocese in southern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Cashel and is subject to the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly. The diocese is in the secular province of the same name - Munster...
. At the Synod of Rathbreasail
Synod of Rathbreasail
The Synod of Ráth Breasail took place in Ireland in 1111. It marked the transition of the Irish church from a monastic to a diocesan and parish-based church...
in 1111, it enjoyed the status of a bishopric in its own right due to the esteem in which St. Declan's monastery was held.
The present parish church is the main church in the parish of Ardmore and Grange, however, due to a lack of priests in the area, the Parish Priest, Father Milo, serves that parish. The church is often the site of parish bazaars and markets, along with the community centre, Saint Declan's hall.
There is also an old Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
church in the village which is part of the parish of Youghal
Youghal
Youghal is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Sitting on the estuary of the River Blackwater, in the past it was militarily and economically important. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout...
.
Ecclesiastical ruins
On a hill above the village is a well-preserved 30-m-high, 12th-century round towerIrish round tower
Irish round towers , Cloigthithe – literally "bell house") are early medieval stone towers of a type found mainly in Ireland, with three in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man...
and the ruins of a Cathedral and oratory dating from the 13th and 8th centuries respectively. One of the outer walls of the Cathedral features some stone carvings retrieved from an earlier 9th-century building. The carvings include a very early image of a harp, images of Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve were, according to the Genesis creation narratives, the first human couple to inhabit Earth, created by YHWH, the God of the ancient Hebrews...
in the garden and a representation of "Solomon's judgement". The Cathedral also contains two Ogham
Ogham
Ogham is an Early Medieval alphabet used primarily to write the Old Irish language, and occasionally the Brythonic language. Ogham is sometimes called the "Celtic Tree Alphabet", based on a High Medieval Bríatharogam tradition ascribing names of trees to the individual letters.There are roughly...
stones, which rest in small alcoves. Some elements of the original structure can still be seen within the building. The present Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
church (St. Paul's) is close to this complex.
Fishing History
Within the last few decades, Ardmore has lost its status as a fishing village as fishing laws became more restrictive and the traditional way of life was given little consideration by the EU and national lawmakers. Vital harbour development remains unfunded and larger fishing vessels are unable to utilise the present docking facilities due to a lack of water depth. However, a small number of fishermen maintain some of the old fishing practices as they continue to fish from Ardmore. The Samson, a crane ship, was wrecked on Ram Head, near the village, during a December storm in 1987 as it was being towed from LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. Its wreck is now a popular diving spot. There are many other older wrecks in the bay area including the Marechal de Noailles, Bandon, Peri, Scotland, Sextusa and Peg Tranton, and more recently Anne Sophie and Fee des Ondes. The remaining keel of the latter wreck may still be seen at low tide on the main beach.
Features
The village includes two hotels, a number of pubs and restaurants, a petrol station, a pier and slipwaySlipway
A slipway, boat slip or just a slip, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats. They are also used for launching and retrieving small boats on trailers and flying boats on their undercarriage. The...
, and one store. There are also one or two sports clubs and a primary school. It boasts a mile-long beach, commonly termed the Main Beach, and several other beaches, such as Goat Island, Ballyquin, the Curragh, and Whiting Bay. Ardmore is a popular seaside resort, but has had difficulty maintaining its Blue Flag beach
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
status due to an outdated sewage system (early works on updating the system commenced 2006) and modern farming practices which result in run-off from fields and subsequently into the bay, especially at the village end of the beach. Paradoxically, the absence of an adequate modern sewerage system has slowed down the pace of housing development in Ardmore compared with some other seaside villages in the southeast thus preserving much of its charm. Recently a new hotel was completed, replacing the older Cliff Hotel .
In 1992 this village was the overall winner of the Irish Tidy Towns Competition
Irish Tidy Towns Competition
Tidy Towns is an annual competition, first held in 1958, organised by the Irish Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in order to honour the tidiest and most attractive cities, towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland...
.
Features
There is a cliff path beginning near the Cliff House Hotel and ending back in the main street. The walk which has marker posts erected along the route, passes an old remodelled Coastguard Station, St Declan's Cell and Holy Well,a ruined church,the Samson Wreck, an abandoned coast guardIrish Coast Guard
The Irish Coast Guard is part of the Department of Transport. The Irish Search and Rescue Region, which includes most of the Republic of Ireland and parts of Northern Ireland is the area over which the coast guard has authority. This area is bounded by the UK Search and Rescue Region...
lookout from 1939/45 and another, much older, lookout tower, further along there is another well with stone canopy, known as Fr. O'Donnells Well. The Round Tower Complex is atop the hill above the village. This is a very scenic and popular walk much frequented by locals and visitors to the village.
People
- The Anglo-IrishAnglo-IrishAnglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
novelist Molly KeaneMolly KeaneMolly Keane was an Irish novelist and playwright . She grew up at Ballyrankin in County Wexford and was educated at a boarding school in Bray, County Wicklow . She married Bobby Keane, one of a Waterford squirearchical family in 1938 and had two daughters...
lived in Ardmore for many years and was buried there after her death in 1996. She is buried beside the Church of Ireland church. - The American novelist Nora RobertsNora RobertsNora Roberts is a bestselling American author of more than 209 romance novels. She writes as J.D. Robb for the "In Death" series, and has also written under the pseudonym Jill March...
has based three of her books in Ardmore, making it a popular destination for American tourists. - The distinguished writer and journalist Fergal KeaneFergal KeaneFergal Patrick Keane , is an Irish writer and broadcaster. For many years, Keane was the BBC's correspondent in Southern Africa. He is the nephew of Irish author John B. Keane....
spent many family summer holidays in Ardmore, which he describes as "heaven on earth". - The English writer and radical journalist Claud CockburnClaud CockburnFrancis Claud Cockburn was a British journalist. He was well known proponent of communism. His saying, "believe nothing until it has been officially denied" is widely quoted in journalistic studies.He was the second cousin of novelist Evelyn Waugh....
moved to Ardmore in 1977.
The Thurston family of writers were once owners of the house "Maycroft" and a plaque to this effect is mounted on the wall there. Some of their novels were set in places very similar to Ardmore.
Sport
The local Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
club is Ardmore GAA
Ardmore GAA
Ardmore GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the West Waterford town of Ardmore, Ireland. The club plays both hurling and gaelic football, although it is generally thought to focus more, on gaelic football, having won 2 Senior Football Championships in 1965 and 1977...
. Three members of the club, Clinton Hennessy
Clinton Hennessy
Clinton Hennessy is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ardmore, and was a member of the Waterford senior inter-county team from 2005 to 2011.-Club:...
, Declan Prendergast
Declan Prendergast
Declan Prendergast is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ardmore and with the Waterford senior inter-county team. He is a brother of Waterford hurler Seamus Prendergast.-Club:...
and Seamus Prendergast
Seamus Prendergast
Séamus Prendergast is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ardmore and with the Waterford senior inter-county team. He is a brother of fellow Waterford player Declan Prendergast.-Club:...
are also members of the Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
hurling team and Wayne Hennessy is a member of the county football panel. A number of other players also play at intercounty level at U21.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland