Michael Collins (or Liam Neeson) slapped down a British apparatchik: ‘Seven minutes late? You’ve been keeping us waiting 700 years.’ Clock Irish history!
Poignant too that our story begins in Waterford, Ireland’s oldest city, a Viking stronghold from 914.
Where they’ve opened Ireland’s first Museum of Time.
It is a welcome addition to Waterford Treasures, making it five museums now in the city‘s Viking Triangle.
The Fab Five
For more on Waterford’s origins then you can take in the Medieval Museum, the Museum of Silver, Bishop’s Palace and Reginald’s Tower.
The Bishop in question is Anglo-Irishman Bishop Charles Este.
With this exquisite Georgian building housing the oldest surviving piece of Waterford Crystal, from 1789.
And the Napoleon Bonaparte Mourning Cross, the only one of the original 12 that were made on his death.
While there’s a 4D Masterpiece in Glass Exhibit of the history of the city’s world-famous export.
Eight centuries of Reg
Reginald’s Tower is the oldest civic building in the country,
Reginald is likely to have been Ragnall Mac Gilla Muire, the last Hiberno-Norse ruler of the city.
It has been in continuous use for over 800 years although, alas, it’s closed just now for renovations.
Well, got to keep it secure from invaders.
Medieval and Silver, well we can probably work out what we’re getting.
Day out from Dublin
And the thing is prices for any, or all of the museums is well-priced, probably not much more than Medieval silver.
Waterford, on the south-east coast, is only a two-hour drive from Dublin.
Or a two-hour train ride with return tickets from Heuston for €19.15.
And no danger of missing your train back to the capital with all those timepieces around you… unless you want to, that is!
Clock Irish history in Waterford? It’s time well spent.
