T is for Tribes

Tribe Called The Deise 
(pronounced Day-Sha)

Around 300 A.D. a tribe known as the Deise were driven from Tara and made Dungarvan their home.  And with the passing of time the locals adopted the name of the tribe and Co. Waterford is known locally as 'An Deise.'

Photo: Veronika Sperling/Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

And why wouldn't the Tribe looking for a place to settle choose the Dungarvan area.  After all the Deise is as beautiful, as it is diverse. With the Comeragh Mountains overlooking the valley, the lakes, rivers and its breathtaking coastline and sheltered harbour.

Photo: Nigel Cox/Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

 The soil is fertile and the sea not mention the lakes and rivers offer a varied assortment of nourishment.

Photo: Dungarvan Photo Album Old and New

Photo: Colette's Deise Views

People of the Deise are proud of their heritage. The original coat of arms was lost in the 17th Century when the Charter of James II (1689) was allowed to lapse.  This coat of arms  was designed in 1863 by William Williams.

Photo: Bet I Can Get 5000 That Love Dungarvan

The castles of the shield are Dungarvan to the right and on the left the castle of Abbeyside.  Between the castles is a ship in full sail approaching the harbour.  Supporting the shield are two ancient Irish warriors wearing traditional costume and armed with the weapons of their day. On top of the shield is an anchor entwined with a dolphin. 

The motto:  'Ni Maraide Go Stiurtoir'- 'Not a Mariner Till a Steersman

Photo: WLRFM

One of the traditions the people of the Deise hold dear is Hurling. They are staunch supporters of their teams and travel in droves to attend the matches. 

Photo: Come On The Deise

The field reverberates with roars of, "Up The Deise," encouraging our boys in the white and blue.

Photo: Colette's Deise Views

The battle cry can be  seen in shop windows across the county,

Photo: Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

And on the sides of buildings as seen here on the Moorings.

Photo: Dungarvan Photo Album Old and New

Oh, and just a little side note. I have named one of the kingdoms in my historical fantasy, Deise. What can I say?!?

S is for Sandhills

Sandhills/ The Cunnigar/An Coinigear



Photo: John Foley Images

The Cunnigar is a long spit of land consisting of mud, silt and sand flats that dry out at low tide at the mouth of Dungarvan Bay.

Photo: John Foley Images

It is 49 acres and about 2.6 km (2Miles) long and stretches out from Ring peninsula, almost closing the harbor at its northern end.

Photo: Colette's Deise Views

A nature lovers paradise, with its diverse breeds of native birds. The presence of Eelgrass in the shallow waters on the landward side is conducive to large numbers of grazing waterfowl. The west side of the bank is marshy, a perfect spot for snipe, herons and cormorants to nest and breed.  

Photo: John Foley Images

Photo: Jill Saunders/Bet I Can 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

The Cunnigar is not safe for swimming due to the strong tidal currents, but a perfect spot for beach angling.

Photo: Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

In years gone by a favorite Sunday pastime was taking a boat out to the Cunnigar. Today it is a popular walk for locals on a sunny day. 

Photo: The Things You Miss About Dungarvan

R - Ring

An Rinn (Ring)

The official name of the area is An Rinn; Translated into English means:
'The Point' or 'Headland'. An Rinn is located on an east-facing peninsula that forms the southern arm of Dungarvan Bay. 

Photo: Sean O'Regain

Photo: An Rinn

An Rinn is located on an east-facing peninsula that forms the southern arm of Dungarvan Bay.

Photo: Bet I Can Get 5000 That Love Dungarvan

Both An Rinn and the anglicized form Ring were on the local road-signs until 2005, when the anglicized form ceased to have any official standing. Today, road signs show the Irish name only. An Rinn is situated 10K/6miles from Dungarvan.

Photo: An Rinn

An Rinn has always been, and is to this day, an Irish-speaking Gaeltacht. 
It is the only Gaeltacht in East Munster.  Coláiste na Rinne is a popular boarding Gaelscoil. Summer courses have been held in Colaiste na Rinne since 1905. Parents from all over the country send their children to Colaiste na Rinne to enhance their Irish language skills.   

Photo:  Eddie Cantwell, Abbeyside Heritage Archives

Séipéal San Nioclás (The Church Of Saint Nicholas),  was built in the form of a cross in the year 1841 and dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra. There were two earlier ruined churches in Ring of Norman origin.  The present day church overlooks the sea.

Photo:Pobal De An Rinn-an Sean Phobal

The busy fishing pier at Helvick Head, sits at the most easterly point on the headland and houses a lifeboat station.  A monument commemorating the Fenian landing of 1867 overlooks the pier.

Photo: Irish Shipping.com

An Rinn is also famous worldwide for its traditional musicians and singers. 

Photo: Mooneyspub Anrinn

Q is for Quay

The Quay, Dungarvan

The Quay as we know it today was part of the town   re-planning by the Duke of Devonshire in 1820 and replaced the existing two smaller quays,                       Georges Quay and Rodericks Quay.

Photo: Waterford Co. Museum

Photo: Waterford Co. Museum

A busy commercial centre in the 19th and much of the 20th Century for the import of coal and export of  grain, butter, cattle and fish. The Quay could accommodate ships up to 250 tons.

Photo: Dungarvan Photo Album Old and New

The walls of the Quay were constructed with coursed squared limestone. The Jetty Pier is located on the northern end of the Quay. 

.Photo:Dungarvan Photo Album Old and New

                             

Cut-stone steps lead down to the water. 

Photo: Bet I Can Get 5000  That Love Dungarvan

Photo: Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

 A sample of  the cast-iron bollards spaced along the Quay from varied periods.

Photo: Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

The Anchor of the SS Feltria. On May 5, 1917 the Feltria was torpedoed by a German Submarine during World War I and sunk off Mine Head Co. Waterford with the loss of 45 lives, including the captain.  

Photo: Dungarvan Photo Album Old and New

The Dungarvan library is located on the Quay, along with the many restaurants and pubs. 

Photo: Interlude
Check out the Interlude's beautiful website.

The commercial activity of years gone by has ceased on the Quay, but it still hums. Today The Quay is the launching point for all manner of leisure boats.

Photo:Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

P is for Park

The Town Park

The Town Park with its Victorian Bandstand overlooks Dungarvan Bay, boasting the finest views of harbour. 

Photo: Colette's Deise Views

Photo: Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

In September of 1894 the Town Commissioners called a meeting to discuss acquiring land to  'establish and maintain a Public park' for the use and enjoyment of the people of Dungarvan.

Photo: William Whelan, Waterford Co. Museum

The Town Commissioners agreed six to nineteen acres of land would be a goodly size for the Park.

Dungarvan Photo Album Old and New

Captain William Gibbons of Church Street died in December of 1894 at the age of 65, bequeathing 1750pounds to the people of Dungarvan for the creation of a park and improvements to the Lookout.

A small archway was erected as the entrance to the park. It had an inscribed plaque with decorative limestone surrounds. A dispute arose about the inscription on the plaque.  Mrs. Gibbons, found the inscription on the tablet objectionable.  She asked that the plaque on the arch be removed or she would take legal action.  She took issue with the fact that the inscription included the name of the executor of the late Captain Gibbon's will and his  beneficiaries. 

Waterford Co. Museum
The Brass Band Playing at Dungarvan Park

In 1897 the Commissioners decided to go ahead with the construction of the band stand. Tenders were sent out for an octagon shaped metal bandstand with an iron roof  and no ceiling.The band committee picked the colours for the bandstand. The Spire - gold.; Roof - light green; Floating - white; Columns - bronze; Railings - light green; Cantilever - white. 
Glass lanterns were also purchased for the bandstand, the globes can be seen in the above photo.

Photo: Damien Geoghegan, Things You Miss About Dungarvan

The Gate at the Park entrance was and still is a great favorite with local children. I don't think I know anyone who hasn't taken a spin.  All who indulged in this entertainment recall with nostalgia the squeal and the swish the turnstile made. 

Photo: @Mik Herman, Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

O is for Old Market House

The Old Market House

Photo by Ann Ormond Fennell (me)

The Old Market House is located on Lower Main Street, formerly known as Parnell Street. It is a beautiful Greek revival building in the pre-civil war style, 1642.  A deed dated 1647 refers to a building, located on the site of the Old Market House as “the courthouse.” It is unclear if this is the same building.

Old Market House at the end of the road.
Photo courtesy of Waterford Co. Museum

The Market House was used for public executions. Canon Power, states in his history, that John Clancy, parish priest and Edmond Hore, curate of Dungarvan, were among those executed here in 1642.  Many other prominent citizens were executed in the Market Place, during the occupation of the town, by the Anglican Royalist, Lord Inchiquin in 1642.

Old Market House in the background
Photo courtesy of Waterford Co. Museum

In or around 1700, the area in front of the building was known as “Market Place” and the center of the town.  The building was a butter market, with council offices overhead.

Irish Patriot, Edmond Power was hanged from a window of the Market House in 1799 for his involvement with the United Irishmen.

Photo by Damien Geoghagan: Things You Miss About Dungarvan

In 1868, Robert A. Merry & Co. Ltd. purchased the building, for offices and a storehouse for their, grocery, wine and spirit business.

Photo by Damien Geoghagan: Things You Miss About Dungarvan

In 1984 the building was once again refurbished and converted into The Dungarvan Library and Museum until 1999.

Photo by Ann Ormond Fennell (me)

In 1996 Waterford County Council employed Margaret Organ as Arts Officer and recommended the Old Market House be renovated into an Art Centre for the town.

Gallery in Art Centre.
Photo by Ireland.com

On April 10, 2000 the Old Market House Arts Centre was officially opened as an Arts Centre for County Waterford by the then, Minister for the Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht, and the Islands, Síle de Valera T.D.

Dungarvan Museum Society

A multi-purpose room 'Seomra de Paor' is located on the upper floor of the Arts Centre, and is named after the above mentioned Edmond Power.