Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Planning Your Time
New Ross, Enniscorthy, and Wexford are each less than 30 minutes apart, connected by
fast roads. The Kennedy Homestead is a 10-minute drive south of New Ross, and the
lighthouse is a 45-minute trip from Waterford to the end of the Hook Peninsula. All are
well-signposted and easy to find...except for Hook Head Lighthouse (see details later).
Connecting Dublin with Waterford, you could visit many of these sights in a best-of-
County Wexford day en route. On a quick trip, the sights are not worth the trouble by pub-
lic transit. If you'll be spending the night, blue-collar Enniscorthy (with decent hotels and
B&Bs) provides a good glimpse of workaday Ireland.
If connecting Waterford to Hook Head, use the car-ferry shortcut from Passage East
to Ballyhack (€8, 5-minute crossing, runs continuously April-Sept Mon-Sat 7:00-22:00,
Sun 9:30-22:00; Oct-March Mon-Sat 7:00-20:00, Sun 9:30-20:00). Toreach the ferry from
Waterford, take Lombard Street (near Reginald's Tower) south, and follow it all the way
to Passage East (it becomes R-683).
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Hook Head Lighthouse
This is the oldest operating lighthouse in northern Europe. According to legend, St.
Dubhan arrived in the fifth century and discovered the bodies of shipwrecked sailors. Dis-
mayed, he and his followers began tending a fire on the headland to warn future mariners.
What you see today is essentially a structure from the 12th century, built by the Normans,
whofirstlandedfivemilesuptheeastcoast(atBaginbunHead,in1169).Theyestablished
Waterford Harbor—a commercial beachhead for the rich Irish countryside they intended
to conquer. This beacon assured them safe access.
