Waterford County Museum

05/06/2026

𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟏𝟐–𝟏𝟓 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞, celebrating the very best of travel writing, culture, storytelling, music and conversation in the beautiful surroundings of the historic heritage town. The programme includes author talks, walks, exhibitions, music and family events, continuing to position Lismore as one of Ireland’s most distinctive cultural destinations.
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Immrama Festival of Travel Writing is held in Lismore, County Waterford, Ireland, on a weekend in June annually since 2003.

05/06/2026

𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 – 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞, 𝟐𝐩𝐦 (𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭)

𝐋𝐚𝐟𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬, 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. A discounted guided Tour of the gardens for €7. Own transport required. Car sharing recommended, please let the museum know if you can provide a lift or if you might require one. We currently have one person looking for a lift, so don’t be shy if driving. We would appreciate if the group can gather by 1:45PM as the tour starts at 2PM. Please let us Comfortable footwear recommended. Café refreshments at own expense. Please ensure that full payment is made in person at the museum on or before Friday 12th June.

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲, 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲.
Dromana House, Cappoquin; a beautiful historic homestead with afternoon tea. More details to follow.

Current membership for both events required. Places are limited. Please book the Japanese Gardens as soon as convenient to avoid disappointment.

05/06/2026

𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦

This series takes a look at some of the more unusual items we have either on display or in storage at The Waterford County Museum, Dungarvan. A clue to this week’s curio is that it can be found in our maritime section.

Tapered and measuring approximately 46cm (18”) and (in this case) made of mahogany, this item appears like a fierce weapon. It is, in fact an antique sailors wooden ‘Marlin Spike’. Still used as a tool in marine rope work, they are today mainly made of metal. Shaped in the form of a narrow cone tapered to a rounded or flattened point, they can be used for tasks such as unlaying rope for splicing, untying knots, drawing tight using a marlinspike hitch, and as a toggle joining ropes under tension in a belaying pin splice (nautical hook that the halyards or sheets (ropes) would be tied to, often while under sail)

Marlin Spike on display at Waterford County

05/06/2026

𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲, 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲

The old stone bridge on the Woodhouse estate in Stradbally, County Waterford is a well-proportioned and by now restored three-arch rubble stone bridge. Spanning the tranquil River Tay, it serves as both a functional crossing and a historical landmark embedded within the 500-acre historic Woodhouse Estate.

You can view the museum collection of almost 8,500 old Waterford County photographs and drawings by accessing https://www.waterfordmuseum.ie/ and clicking on the ‘Images’ tab. From there you can filter by ‘location’, ‘subject’ and/or use a key word to search for a particular image or theme (remember to load the ‘next 15’) In this case the number in our photo archive is UK3692.

UK3692, Stradbally Woodhouse Bridge, photo taken circa 1953

05/06/2026

𝐄𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

Step into the past with Childhood Memories, a vibrant new exhibition now open at the museum. Discover a captivating collection of toys, dolls, antique 3D viewfinders, train sets, dolls’ houses, posters, clothing, and more—each piece offering a glimpse into the world of childhood through the ages.

Free to visit, this exhibition invites you to explore, reminisce, and reconnect with the enduring spirit of childhood—alive in memory, culture, and all of us.

Featured here is one of the drawings after artist Marianne Stokesmade that she produced in Lismore and Cappoquin that were presented for the English Illustrated Magazine 1890. In the 19th century lace making was encouraged as a suitable occupation for young girls so they could earn a living and gain some financial independence. Onward, as married women, it provided extra family income. In 1868 Miss Keane of Cappoquin, began to teach lace making to the local girls using Italian patterns. For about ten years thirty girls were employed. Miss Keane [Frances Annie Keane 1849-1920, Glenshelane House] and one of the women unravelled some old Venetian rose point, and so learned the method of working. Only Venetian laces and the finest kind of ‘Reticella’ were made at this school. (Reticella is an intricate style of geometric needle lace and cutwork originating in 15th-century Italy)

05/06/2026

𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬

Local historian Eddie Cantwell and the Dungarvan Library have recently assisted Barbara Long to trace her relatives who hailed from Affane and Cappoquin town, Co Waterford, over two hundred years ago.
Having called into the Waterford County Museum for a quick tour they are photographed here from left to right: Eddie Cantwell Dungarvan, Barbara Long with husband Jeff Hein Texas USA, Hughie Hallahan, museum staff and relative James O' Donoghue, Dungarvan.

28/05/2026

𝐄𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

Step into the past with Childhood Memories, a vibrant new exhibition now open at the museum. Discover a captivating collection of toys, dolls, antique 3D viewfinders, train sets, dolls’ houses, posters, clothing, and more—each piece offering a glimpse into the world of childhood through the ages.

Free to visit, this exhibition invites you to explore, reminisce, and reconnect with the enduring spirit of childhood—alive in memory, culture, and all of us.

𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐥) 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝟏𝟏 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝟗? 𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟗𝟔𝟗 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝟑𝐃 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐈𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲, 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐲𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐝!

28/05/2026

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 – 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞, 𝟐𝐩𝐦 (𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭)

Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore. A discounted guided Tour of the gardens for €7. Own transport required. Car sharing recommended, please let the museum know if you can provide a lift or if you might require one. Café refreshments at own expense. Please ensure that full payment is made in person at the museum on or before Friday 12th June.

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲, 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲.

Dromana House, Cappoquin with afternoon tea; a beautiful historic homestead with afternoon tea.. More details to follow.

Current membership for both events required. Places are limited. Please book the Japanese Gardens as soon as convenient to avoid disappointment.

28/05/2026

𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦

This series takes a look at some of the more unusual items we have either on display or in storage at The Waterford County Museum, Dungarvan. This week we take a look at a very unusual (and mostly redundant) metal object. Approximately 5.5” or 14cm long, it is made of brass and perhaps copper. With its decorative scallop, it may at first appear like a ladies hair adornment, but the positioning of multiple and visible levers suggest a pinching movement, which would be correct. It is also correct to say that this was indeed a more practical item than a mere ladies accessory.

It’s a 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐫𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 (1860’s to 1880’s) This device was for lifting a long skirt to avoid dirt or facilitate movement. It clamped on to the hem and was attached to a belt by a chord ribbon or a chain.

28/05/2026

𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲, 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏

𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐈𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝

Two men sitting on the bank of the River Suir with Sir Thomas’s Bridge, Kilsheelan in the background. photographer: Unknown. Date: Circa 1900. The bridge was named after Sir Thomas Osbourne in 1690 and features a five-arch (or six-arch) humpbacked design composed of irregular segmental arches and cut sandstone V-cutwaters. It uniquely features an additional smaller single arch (often called a 'dry arch' or underpass) originally designed to allow towpaths and pedestrians to pass underneath. The underpass now forms part of the popular Suir Blueway, providing a beautiful and peaceful scenic walking and jogging trail.

You can view the museum collection of almost 8,500 old Waterford County photographs and drawings by accessing https://www.waterfordmuseum.ie/ and clicking on the ‘Images’ tab. From there you can filter by ‘location’, ‘subject’ and/or use a key word to search for a particular image or theme (remember to load the ‘next 15’) In this case the number in our photo archive is UK7925.