Waterford County Museum

03/09/2026

𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐬@𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧 – 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 ‘𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭’

Catch a special screening of the short film ‘Bridget’ at Movies@Dungarvan on Thursday, 10th September at 8:00 PM. This award winning short film about the last witch burning in Ireland recently won a major award at a prestigious international festival in the United States. The burning of Bridget Cleary, who was believed to be a witch, written by two Tipperary natives, was selected at the international short film festival, Indie X Awards, which was held in Los Angeles. Anne Williamson took the award for Best First-Time Female Director at the Festival.

Titled ‘Bridget’, the film is written and directed by Anne Williamson and Brian Clancy and performed by The Fionn MacCumhaill Players in Mullinahone, Co Kilkenny
Stay tuned after the film for an exclusive live Q&A with creators Anne Williamson and Brian Clancy. Tickets are €12—get yours now at Gr8events.ie/Bridget or scan the QR code to secure your seat.

03/09/2026

𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦

Waterford County Museum was delighted to receive an important and historic set of medals from the Abbott of the former Mount Melleray Abbey, now the order of Our Lady of Silence. The medals were presented to the Rev. John O’Shea (1871-1942) for his work in trying to save the crews of The Teaser (1911), and The Marechal de Noailles (1912).

The medals and awards for the Teaser rescue were presented to Father O’Shea and his fellow volunteers, Richard Barry, Alexander Neal, Const Daniel Lawton, Con and John O’Brien, and Pat Power, at Buckingham Palace on 2 May 1911.

Father O’Shea’s descendants have generously donated memorabilia to compliment the medals. We are currently researching the story for a new permanent exhibition. Watch out for details of this exciting new addition to our maritime display.

02/09/2026

𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦

This strange-looking antique porcelain item, with its spout and handle may initially appear as a small teapot, without a lid; this however is an invalid cup, also called an invalid feeder or a pap boat. It’s a historical nursing device, designed to help bedridden, sick, elderly, or wounded individuals safely consume liquids and semi-soft foods when a patient is unable to safely consume food or liquids. It was used by medical professionals before the invention of ‘Artificial Nutrition and Hydration’ using feeding tubes.

02/09/2026

𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲, 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟗

𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

This photograph, (ref. no. UK439 from the museums image archive), taken circa 1920 shows a rear view of Dromana House above the River Blackwater, with a ship in the distance.

Originally built for defence purposes on a high cliff over the river near Cappoquin, it holds over 800 years of continuous family history.

The lands were granted by King John to Thomas fitzAnthony around 1215. The property later became the chief seat of the FitzGerald family, Lords of the Decies, who occupied the site for centuries through various conflicts and tower-house eras.

After suffering damage during the 17th-century political wars, the house was repaired and transformed. John Villiers (later Earl Grandison) upgraded the estate in the 1730s and 1740s, planting thousands of trees and founding the nearby worker village of Villierstown for a new linen industry.

The original tower house (castle) was incorporated into the extended dwelling. Later development phases continued over time to include an attached Georgian mansion.

Like many great Irish houses, maintaining Dromana became too difficult. In 1964, the large 18th/19th-century Georgian wing was demolished, leaving the older 17th-century core standing on its medieval foundations, the features of which can still be seen today.

In the 1980s, James Villiers-Stuart bought back the historic family home, and descendants of the family continue to care for and live on the property today. The house and gardens are open to the public. Please see https://dromanahouse.com for more information.

28/08/2026

🏛️ UNCOVER 800 YEARS OF HISTORY IN STRADBALLY!
📅 Sunday, 30 August - Free Event
​Step back into the medieval past with a special guided tour of the Stradbally Church Ruins led by archaeologist Ben Murtagh. Discover the stories, architecture, and centuries of history hidden right in the heart of Co. Waterford.

​Event Details:
📅 Date: Sunday, 30 August
⏰ Time: 2:30 PM
📍 Location: Church Lane, Stradbally, Co. Waterford (X42 HF85)
🎟️ Admission: FREE (Donations toward the ongoing conservation of the ruins are greatly appreciated!)

​Important Notes:
​🚶 Parking: Space at the site is very limited—if you're able, please park in the village and take a short walk up to Church Lane.
​📞 Questions? Contact Christine King at 089 416 6382 for more details.
​Come along, bring a friend, and help support the preservation of our local heritage!

28/08/2026

27/08/2026

𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐦

Wikipedia tells us that ‘Trench art is any decorative item made by soldiers, prisoners of war, or civilians, where the manufacture is directly linked to armed conflict or its consequences. It offers an insight not only into their feelings and emotions about the war, but also their surroundings and the materials they had available to them’.

The Imperial War Museums (of Britain) website also informs us that ‘Most trench art was made by servicemen to pass the time when not on the front line. While much of it was simple and amateurish, the production of some examples required metalworking skills or workshop facilities. Prisoners of war, faced with a constant battle against boredom, produced similar items’ This brass mortar shell with its uniform jagged-edges at the Waterford County Museum Dungarvan, evokes the look of an exploded shell, but it has a rather more practical than artistic quality, as an ashtray (notice the cigarette resting tabs that have been welded on) It was made as a ‘Souvenir from Bailleul’ in 1914 and acquired by the museum in 1990.

27/08/2026

𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞

Image No: UK2033, Photographer: Hally, JD, Date: March 1967

This photo depicts the ruins of Clonea Power Castle, exposing the interior of the structure. The castle is situated between the River Clodagh and Croughaun Hill and is named Clonea Power to separate it from the other Clonea Castle, located near Dungarvan on the coast. Described as 'out of repair' and the property of J. Lord Power c. 1640, only the north and east walls remain complete with adjacent parts of the west and south walls. It comprised 6 storeys including an attic over the third floor and two barrel-vaulted, N-S lofts. A severe storm in 1890 is believed to have caused the collapse of the remaining west and south walls.

27/08/2026

𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧
Photographed here are recent visitors from Newfoundland and Labrador who spent two days touring the Dungarvan area of the Deise. Waterford, and in particular West-Waterford has very strong links with these eastern coastlines of Canada; many emigrated there over the past few centuries, or even worked seasonally as fishermen there during agricultural off-season times. This recent visit is the latest of a decades-long tradition of cultural exchange between our two regions across the Atlantic.

27/08/2026

Catch a special screening of the short film ‘Bridget’ at Movies@Dungarvan on Thursday, 10th September at 8:00 PM. This award-winning short film about the last witch burning in Ireland recently won a major award at a prestigious international festival in the United States. The burning of Bridget Cleary, who was believed to be a witch, written by two Tipperary natives, was selected at the international short film festival, Indie X Awards, which was held in Los Angeles. Anne Williamson took the award for Best First-Time Female Director at the Festival.

Titled ‘Bridget’, the film is written and directed by Anne Williamson and Brian Clancy and performed by The Fionn MacCumhaill Players in Mullinahone, Co Kilkenny
Stay tuned after the film for an exclusive live Q&A with creators Anne Williamson and Brian Clancy. Tickets are €12—get yours now at Gr8events.ie/Bridget or scan the QR code to secure your seat.