Waterford - History and Crystal

Then we went to a hotel in Waterford for the night It was the BW Granville Hotel

Our room

Interior doors

My reflection

My grandson showing me a shortcut to the elevator

From out Killarney hotel looking out at the bus

I wasn't too happy with this hotel for a number of reasons. It is billed as a "family hotel"

Two tour bus groups were staying here, but there is only one elevator for all of the people and their luggage. There are 16 steps to go up and down between the elevator and our room, (I have a problem with steps so I counted.). We have a beautiful view of the air shaft. They have lent me a converter plug, and someone came and showed me how to plug in the network cable (I couldn't figure out that there was a little cover over the hole that you plug the cable into).

The tour group had us meet after we got checked in for a guided tour of Waterford. We met with Jack our tour guide for an evening walking tour. He gave us the history of the town and it was like a soap opera with all the twists and turns of the plot. He also told us about the city.

Then our group set out to walk around and see the things that he described to us. He showed us where everyone lived and explained about the architecture. He showed us how to look for the blue plaques on the buildings which had information about the places.

Blue marker on building

Pictures of occupations in olden days

Plaques telling about building history

My grandson stayed up with the guide, and I lagged along behind taking pictures and sitting on my cane to rest.

My grandson and the walking tour guide

Cathedral

Ruins of the 13th-century Franciscan Friary

Looking through arches

Detail

Walking Tour photos

Top of Reginald's tower in the wall

Reginald's Tower is a historic tower in Waterford, Munster, Ireland. It is located at the eastern end of the city quay. The tower has been in usage for different purposes for many centuries and is an important landmark in Waterford and an important remnant of its medieval urban defense system. It is the oldest civic building in Ireland and it is the only urban monument in Ireland to retain a Norse or Viking name

Waterfront

Building pediment of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity

The oldest cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, this monument dates to the 1790s and was designed by the local architect John Roberts

Waterford Clocktower

The clock tower was built in 1863 and was originally known as The Fountain Clock as it had troughs for horses to drink from. It quickly became a famous landmark and the meeting point for Waterford residents.

From down the street

Dinner was pretty good. At dinner, my grandson sat at a separate table from me so I don't know what he had. Apparently we had the equivalent of the early bird special dinner 3 Courses for €22.50. This was included in our tour.

For the starter, I had the Salmon and Prawn Salad Served on a Bed of Mixed Leaves and Marie Rose Saucer which apparently is still on the menu. This was a tossed salad with shrimp (prawns) in a pink sauce which I guess was salmon. Also still on the menu is the Chefs Homemade Cream Soup of the Day. I could have also had Pearls of Melon Other possibilities now are

Sliced Beef Tomato & Melted Mozzarella Cheese, Rocket Leaves, Red Onion & House Dressing
Granville Seafood Chowder
Homemade Chicken Liver Pat?

I had Prime Roast beef with baby vegetables and Irish Whiskey Sauce for the entree The vegetables were green beans, carrots, a potato and something that looks fried.. This is is not on the current early bird menu - The other choices when we were there were Supreme of Chicken, Traditional Boiled Bacon and Cabbage, or Fillet of Salmon.

For dessert I had strawberry ricotta slice. this was a waffle cone with a flat bottom with something pink in it with a bit of something that looks like ice cream on the top, and there looks like a dollop of whipped cream with a triangular cookie(biscuit) in it. I could have also had and Apple Tart with Chantilly Cream or ice cream

The hotel blocks myspace and any internet boards (like Virtual Tourist technical forum) under the guise of being "family friendly" So my grandson can't put up any pictures there, and neither can I.

My grandson drying socks, and watching TV

June 6

Several people reported that the front desk people were unhelpful in the morning. When I went to the desk in the morning I couldn't find anyone there to return the converter plug to.

Grandson at breakfast

After our Irish breakfast, we toured the Waterford factory,

Dooley's Hotel from the bus - our hotel was next door

Looking at the front of the hotel from the bus

One of the things in the movie that they show you before you take the tour of the Waterford plant is the crystal ball that ushers in the New Year in Times Square. Having never been in Times Square at New Years - only having seen it on TV, I had never thought about what kind of ball would be dropped. I still don't know why Waterford in Ireland should have been involved.

collage of photos from the movie

The Waterford factory's involvement with the Times Square New Years Eve started with the fourth ball for the millenium. An entirely new ball was constructed. Measuring 6 feet in diameter, the fourth ball was covered with 504 crystal triangles provided by Waterford Crystal, illuminated externally with 168 halogen light bulbs, and internally with 432 light bulbs of clear, red, blue, green and yellow colors along with strobe lights and spinning mirrors. Many of the triangles were inscribed with messages of a certain theme, such as “Hope for Fellowship,” “Hope for Wisdom,” “Hope for Unity,” “Hope for Courage,” “Hope for Healing,” and “Hope for Abundance.”

another photo taken during the movie

In 2001, the ball's crystals were engraved with the names of organizations who assisted during the September 11 attacks and the nations who were affected by the event.

Crystal ball not illuminated

On December 31, 2006 for New Year's Eve 2007, the fourth ball, which was newly rigged with light-emitting diodes was dropped for the last time. A duplicate of the fourth ball, also made in 1999, is on permanent display here at the Waterford Crystal Factory.In honor of the Ball Drop's 100th anniversary, a fifth ball debuted for New Year's Eve 2008.

Crystal Ball from the movie

Once again manufactured by Waterford Crystal. The fifth ball was only used once and has been on permanent display at Macy's in Herald Square since. For New Year's Eve 2009, the simplistic design of the Centennial Ball was maintained, but doubled in size with a new sixth ball. The sixth ball is a icosahedral geodesic sphere. Seven different versions of the ball have been designed so far, with the most recent iteration unveiled in 2008 and dubbed the "Big Ball.

Another photo of the 2005 ball

Since 2009, the ball remains on the flagpole over One Times Square year-round. Every December 31 at 11:59 p.m. EST, the ball descends 77 feet and then a sign lights up with the digits of the new year, as the ball's lights turn off at the same time.

The Waterford factory allowed photography everywhere, but flash was prohibited of the woodworking area, which was enclosed in glass.

No Flash Photography

Of course if you use flash when there is glass or a mirror you will get a reflected flare on the glass.

Grandson's photo of the woodworking shop

So it wouldn't be a good idea to use flash there anyhow.But I'm not sure that is the reason for the prohibition. The workers are using saws

Saw

and other sharp fast running machinery, and maybe the flash would startle them. I'm not sure what other reason there could be.

Glass furnace

Getting hot glass

Now what shall I do with this hot glass?

Hot glass being rolled

Glass blower

Blowing glass

Adding a dollop

Before and after acid

Guide with worker behind her

Inspecting his work

Waterford Seahorse and glass etcher

It seems that whenever I am taking a trip with a grandchild, we always somehow end up at a glass factory. The grandson I took to the Med went with me to the Murano glass factory and bought his folks a present. The granddaughter I took to the Baltic went to Hadeland Glassworks in Norway. And for my grandson that I took to Ireland, this is one of the places where we went.

Cut glass

More engraved crystal items

More Waterford Examples

The glassmaking process is very interesting for them, and the guide usually points out the more expensive and/or famous examples of their work.

Trophies and photos of recipients

Tennis Masters trophy (center)

Cinderella's coach

French and German, Formula I Grand Prix

After the tour (which was included in our bus tour so we didn't pay extra for it), we went to the in-house Waterford shop. They told us that they would free engraving if we bought something - which my grandson did.

Shop area

I also paid to have the item shipped home to his family. I felt that I didn't want to have the worry of it breaking during our packing and unpacking. The shipping was more expensive than the ornament. My daughter in law loves cut glass, so my grandson bought her a crystal Christmas tree ornament and had it engraved with their surname and the date. It was a relatively plain flat ornament which I think was for the year (2007) and I don't see anything like it on the website but they do have a several ornaments for $55.00

Window of the showroom with chandeliers inside

Building as we were driving out of Waterford

Then we set off for Dublin