Province of Munster

County Waterford

Known as The Déise. For the Déisi, the people who held this country long before the county existed. Declan was their bishop, and brought Christianity to them before Patrick's mission was finished.

Did you know? Waterford (Norse Veðrafjǫrðr, founded 914) is Ireland's oldest city, and Reginald's Tower its oldest building still in civic use — it has stood guard for over 800 years.

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Through the ages — who held Waterford

8,000 BC – 4,001 BC Mesolithic hunter-gatherers The First Irish

4,000 BC – 2,501 BC Neolithic farming communities The Tomb Builders

2,500 BC – 501 BC Bronze Age Ireland The Age of Gold & Bronze

500 BC – AD 99 Iron Age Ireland The Iron Age

AD 100 – AD 399 Brigantes Ptolemy's Ireland

AD 400 – AD 546 Mumu (Munster) The Five Fifths Patrick & the Rise of the Uí Néill

AD 547 – AD 901 The Eóganachta (Munster) Saints & Scholars The Viking Storm

AD 902 – 1013 Norse Waterford Norse Cities & the Rise of Brian

1014 – 1168 Desmond (MacCarthy) Kings with Opposition

1169 – 1333 Anglo-Norman Lordship of Ireland The Norman Invasion High Tide of the Colony

1334 – 1541 Earldom of Desmond (FitzGerald) The Gaelic Resurgence The Kildare Ascendancy

1542 – 1607 Kingdom of Ireland (Tudor crown) The Tudor Conquest

1608 – 1640 Kingdom of Ireland The Plantation of Ulster

1641 – 1652 Confederate Ireland Confederate Ireland & Cromwell

1653 – 1800 Kingdom of Ireland Ascendancy Ireland

1801 – 1915 United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland The Act of Union An Gorta Mór — The Great Famine Land & Liberty

1916 – 1921 Irish Republic (declared, contested) The Revolution

1922 – 1936 Irish Free State Partition — Free State & Northern Ireland

1937 – 1948 Ireland (Éire) Éire

1949 – 2026 Republic of Ireland The Republic & the Troubles Peace & the New Ireland

Clans & surnames of Waterford

Aylward Aighleart Norse-English · “æthel-weard, 'noble guardian'” Comerford Comartún Norman · “from Comberford, Staffordshire” Connery Ó Conaire Gaelic sept · “descendant of Conaire, 'keeper of the hound'” Curran Ó Corráin Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Corrán” Deasy Déiseach Gaelic territorial · “'of the Déise' — a man of the Déise people” Foley Ó Foghladha Gaelic sept · “descendant of Foghlaidh — 'the plunderer'” Kiely Ó Cadhla Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cadhla, 'graceful'” McGrath Mac Craith Gaelic learned family · “son of Mac Raith, 'son of grace'” Mulcahy Ó Maolchathaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of the devotee of St Cathach ('battle')” Power de Paor Norman · “le poer — 'the poor man' (a crusader's vow)” Wall de Bhál Norman · “du val — 'of the valley'” Wallace de Bhailís Norman-Welsh · “le waleis — 'the Welshman, the foreigner'” Walsh Breathnach Norman-Welsh · “'the Welshman' — soldiers who came with the Normans” Whelan Ó Faoláin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Faolán, 'little wolf'”

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On the ground in Waterford

Ardmore · round tower · complete · 30 m
Ballynageeragh Portal Tomb · dolmen
Drumlohan Souterrain and Ogham Stones · ogham stone
Gaulstown Portal Tomb · dolmen
Kiltera Ogham Stones · ogham stone
Knockeen Portal Tomb · dolmen
6 castles · Ballygunner Castle, Castle Gurteen de la Poer, Clonea Castle, Lismore Castle, Sleady Castle and more

Every pin is placed by its documented coordinates. All the monuments of Ireland →

Quick answers

What is the Irish name for County Waterford?

Port Láirge. Waterford is one of the 6 counties of Munster (Cúige Mumhan).

Who ruled County Waterford in the Middle Ages?

Around 1014 it was held by Desmond (MacCarthy); by 1450, Earldom of Desmond (FitzGerald). The full era-by-era chronology is on this page.

What surnames come from County Waterford?

Names historically associated with Waterford include Aylward, Comerford, Connery, Curran, Deasy, Foley, Kiely, McGrath, among others.

Trace your ancestors in Waterford

Free, from the holding institutions. How to begin: the six-step guide → · Spotted an error on this page? Suggest a correction.