X is for Xmas 1895

The Moresby Buoy

Photo: Donal Power

The Moresby was built at Whitehaven, Cumberland in 1882 She carried two lifeboats, a cutter, and a gig. On 21st December 1895 the Moresby left Cardiff, with a cargo of coal bound for South America and a crew of 23 including the Captain, Caleb Francis Coomber, the captain’s wife Edith Isabella and their 2 year old daughter Ivy.

Photo: Waterford Co. Museum

On December 23rd the ship ran into rough weather. At about 1p.m. the Moresby followed the schooner, the Mary Sinclair into Dungarvan bay. The Mary Sinclair was also in difficulty at this point. The keeper of Ballinacourty lighthouse saw that both ships were in distress and headed for shore at Clonea beach.

Photo: John Foley Images

The Mary Sinclair ran aground on the beach but the Moresby changed course. It steered towards the lighthouse and set anchor, about ¾ of a mile from the lighthouse. The Ballinacourty Lifeboat set out for the ship but the crew decided to stay with the ship. During the night the weather deteriorated and the Moresby sent out distress signals.

Photo: Waterford Co. Museum

About 4.30 a.m., the anchor broke and the ship went on its side. The captain, his wife and child, along with eleven crew members had to climb on the mizzen rigging. By 11a.m. the masts had dropped closer to the water. The crew saw no sign of a lifeboat coming to their rescue and decided to swim for shore. The Captain put his daughter on his back and jumped into the sea, followed his wife. But an ebb tide pulled them away from the coast.

Photo: Waterford Co. Museum

The Ballinacourty lifeboat, manned by a volunteer crew from Dungarvan, set out to rescue the crew, most of whom were in the sea.

Photo: Bet I Can Get 5000 That Love Dungarvan

The bodies of the captain, his wife and daughter were washed ashore. All three are buried together in the one grave. The Moresby was wrecked in Dungarvan Harbour on Christmas Eve 1895. Twenty out of the twenty five aboard were drowned.

Photo: Waterford Co. Museum

In 1899 a wigham light buoy was placed at the site of the wreck. This buoy marked the wreck until 20th December, 1906. It was beached for some years and in 1930 the lamp was reconditioned and the buoy was put back on site, until August 1954 when it broke its moorings in a gale, and was brought in to the Causeway.

Photo by me

The restored bouy sits on the Causeway which joins Dungarvan and Abbeyside as a memorial to those who died aboard the Moresby and  as a tribute to the gallant men, who manned the lifeboat, one of whom lost his life. 

Photo: Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

U is for Unwind

Unwinding in Dungarvan

In Dungarvan you are spoiled for choice when it comes to dining.  So I will only show you a few of my favorite haunts.

Photo: Dylan Walsh, Bet I Can Get 5000 People That Love Dungarvan

As you stroll along the Quay there is the Indian Ocean, with the best Tandoori Prawns.

Photo: The Indian Ocean

And the Interlude, which I mentioned in my "Q for Quay" post. The Interlude is owned and run by local chef, Susan Denn. 

Photo: The Interlude

And the Moorings which featured in the "T for Tribes" post.

Photo: The Moorings/Dungarvan Photo Album Old and New

Now you may think that is all my town has to offer but y0u are soooooo wrong. Dungarvan boasts Tannery on Quay Street. This fine dining restuarnt was voted Ireland's Best Restaurant in 2013 The Tannery is owned and run by Paul Flynn, one of Ireland's foremost chefs and his wife Maire.

Photo: The Tannery

Crews is a Steak and Seafood Restuarant located just around the corner from The Tannery on Church Street in a building that dates back to the 16th Century. Crews is owned and run the Horsom sisters,  Róisín and Jane. Both top class professionally trained chefs.

Photo: Crews

There's is Merry's Bar and Restaurant across the road from The Tannery and Crews for more casual dining. History of Merry's Wine Merchants can be found on post for the "Letter O",

Photo: Merry's

Moving up Main Street towards the square, you will come across Jitterbeans. A great place to buy lunch on the run. 

Photo: Jitterbeans

Round the corner onto the Square and you will find Ormond's Cafe.  A perfect stop for tea and a scone, or if you are feeling indulgent a slice of tart.

Photo: Ormond's Cafe

Also located on the Square is one of my favorite lunch spots, The Local.
The Local is owned and run by Donnchadh and Helena Gough.  Irish Traditional Music is Donnchadh's forté. Donnchadh, one of the founding members of he band Danú, plays both the uileann pipes and bodhrán. And the food locally sourced is Great too!

Photo: The Local

For family dining you can't bet "The Shamrock" on O'Connell Street. Owned and run by Una and John O'Riordan.  Where you get a great Irish Breakfast, lunch and dinner at a very reasonable price. 

Photo: The Shamrock

So there you are now. I hope you enjoyed my walking tour, stopping at a few of my favourite eateries in Dungarvan. 

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

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.