Blue plaque commemorating 150 years of Coastguard Station in Tramore to be unveiled

To celebrate 150 years Tramore Coastguard Station, a blue plaque is to unveiled at the site this week.

This will be the first blue plaque erected in Tramore.

The Blue Plaque initiative is ran by Waterford Civic Trust, which has to date installed over seventy blue plaques throughout the city and county to commemorate links between a particular location, a famous person or event. 

The round blue plaques feature inscriptions which tell us of events or people connected with Waterford and the building/place you are passing by.

The historic coastguard station, which first opened in 1874, was used by the Coastguard service until 1922.

In 1924 the Garda Síochána took up occupation of the building. The station was used as a Garda Barracks and Gardaí and their families lived in the 6 residential cottages. 

The Gardaí vacated the building in 1988 when they moved to a new station in Market Street, Tramore. The building remained unoccupied and was destroyed by a fire in October 2000.

The station facilities are now used by the Tramore unit of the Irish Coast Guard. A modern boathouse and training facilities meet the needs of this State-run emergency service responsible for maritime Search & Rescue.

The station is also the home to a Community Cultural Arts Centre which hosts art exhibitions and performances.