www.UpTheDeise.com, The Waterford People's Website!
| Port Lairge The Irish translation of Port Lairge means 'leg shaped river', from the air it is obvious where this name came from |
| Decies / Deise A tribe called the Deise, driven from Tara, conquered and settled in the area now known as Co. Waterford. Originally referred to as Deise Muman. The eastern part of the county came under the control of the Le Poers, or Powers, family, and the western part, called the Decies, came under a branch of the Fitzgeralds. The county Motto is "Up Declan and the Deise" (where Declan is St. Declan). |
| Cuan-na-Grian The ancient Celtic name for Waterford was "Cuan na Graí" or "The Harbour of the Sun". If you've ever travelled up the river at dawn, you'll understand this one. It is the most beautiful sight in the world, bar none. |
| Glean-na-nGleodh The Danes called Waterford, "Glean-na-nGleodh" or the "Valley of Lamentations," from a great battle they fought there against the Irish in the tenth century. |
| Timbertoes In 1793 AD Work commenced on Waterford's first bridge, dubbed "Timbertoes" by the locals, (now as we all know the name of the main bar in the bridge hotel) because of its wooden construction. Built at a cost of £30,000, of which £1,050 was paid to the architect and £13,000 to buy out the ferry that existed there at that time. |
| Vadre Fjord Waterford, known as Vadrefjord to its Viking founders, has a Norse history dating back to the ninth century. Vadre Fjord means Water Ford and is where the english name comes from. NOTE: Some say it was called Vader Fiord ("vader:" Danish, to wade; "fiord," a ford or haven), signifying the fordable part of the haven: hence, "Waterford" is so called... |
| Oldest City in Ireland Waterford is the oldest city in Ireland. A walled city of Viking origins, it retains much of it's medieval character together with the graceful buildings from its 18th century expansion. |
| Reginald's Tower The parameters of the 10th century settlement can be clearly identified in The Viking Triangle. Reginald's Tower is the oldest and most historic urban medieval monument in Ireland. |
| By Hook or By Crooke The well known phrase 'by hook or by crook' originated here from the place names Hook and Crooke when Cromwell vowed that his armies would take Waterford 'by Hook or by Crooke'. |
| Pay through the nose The Vikings were so fierce that even the normally lethal native tribe of the Déise were forced into submission and were only too happy to pay Airgead Sroine (nose money) in order to keep their noses on their faces. This Viking de-nasification is the origin of the expression "to pay through the nose!!!" |
| Cullet Cullet is recycled glass which is ground into small pieces and used in the glass manufacturing process. Cullet melts at a lower temperature than the raw materials used in glassmaking so it is cheaper to run the furnace using cullet. You can only use a certain percentage of cullet in a batch. |
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