Letter to the Editor: Waterford Without the Water
The River Suir. Photo: Joe Evans
Dear Editor,
On a west of Ireland excursion some years ago, I was taken aback by the sheer number of river crafts parked up throughout Carrick-on-Shannon. So many crafts in fact, the river appeared to be a car park with vessels on both sides with a small ‘lane’ down the centre to travel on.
How strange then, that Waterford, a city chosen by Viking settlers for its great river location to allow for travel, trade, make war etc., with such a history in terms of being at the very existence of Waterford, is so underutilized by the general populace.
Old photos show large buildings hosting rowing clubs and regattas on the Ferrybank side of the river a century ago. The Mayor's Parlour in City Hall is adorned with portraits of ships, and models of crafts from centuries ago.
The city’s motto, Urbs Intacta Manet, comes from an attack on the city from the river.
When the merchants of Waterford created their own fleet to fight the competing Powers from Dunhill, where both fleets engaged each other just off Tramore in the Middle Ages, leading to the building of the infirmary onto Greyfriars in penance.
These all demonstrate to us the unparalleled role the River Suir had in the day-to-day lives of people living here, yet remains, metaphorically, ‘criminally’ underused.
A former German Ambassador who enjoyed sailing remarked on how astonished he was that people could, but didn't, sail right into the heart of the city, jump off and go for lunch in nearby restaurants.
Recent news that access to the river, from the North Quays, is not part of its design is yet another signal that Waterford people's ability to use the river for recreation will continue to be curtailed. Surely, more pontoons to moor vessels, grant aid to assist current river-based clubs to grow, links with many of the city’s schools to offer children sailing lessons and so on should be a strategic objective of Waterford to ensure the water is not just a part of Waterford’s past, but also its future.
Cllr Eamon Quinlan
