Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The best overnight stop in southeast Ireland is the historic Viking port and Norman beach-
head town of Waterford. From here, you can explore the varied sights of County Wexford.
This region has a pastoral serenity and a strong history of trading from its sheltered
ports facing England. The Vikings built the ports and developed the trade routes. Their
cousins, the Normans, came along 200 years later and carefully fortified the ports. In 1170,
King Henry II visited his new Irish realm with a huge fleet, calling Waterford the “Gate-
way to Ireland.” With more efficient farming techniques and advanced military techno-
logy, the Normans cranked up their dominant culture and shoved the locals aside.
