Welcome to Waterford!
Waterford is a city in County Waterford in the south of Ireland. Founded over 1100 years ago, it's famous for its fine glassware, though the glassworks has closed down and Waterford Crystal is nowadays made abroad. The city's main attraction is its Viking, medieval and Georgian heritage, reflecting its importance as a port. With a population of 53,504 in 2016, Waterford is the largest conurbation in the area and has the best range of visitor amenities.
Waterford (Irish: Port Láirge, meaning "ram (wether) fjord") is a city in County Waterford in the southeast of Ireland. It is located within the province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford Harbour. It is the oldest and the fifth most populous city in Ireland. It is the tenth most populous settlement on the island of Ireland. Waterford City and County Council is the local government authority for the city. According to the 2016 Census, 53,504 people live in the city, with a wider metropolitan population of 82,963.
Today, Waterford is known for Waterford Crystal, a legacy of the city's former glassmaking industry. Glass, or crystal, was manufactured in the city from 1783 until early 2009 when the factory there was shut down after the receivership of Waterford Wedgwood plc. The Waterford Crystal visitor center in the Viking Quarter, under new owners, opened in June 2010, after the intervention of Waterford City Council and Waterford Chamber of Commerce, and resumed production. Waterford is also known for being the starting point of Ryanair's first flight, a 14-seat Embraer Bandeirante turboprop aircraft flying between Waterford and Gatwick Airport.