Ringville appeals to travellers looking to bring together crafts, Irish culture and coastal scenery. In An Rinn, Criostal na Rinne offers full-lead crystal and individually made pieces; the Joan Clancy Gallery showcases contemporary Irish art. Traditional music and set dancing are also living traditions here. The coastal Gaeltacht area overlooks Dungarvan Harbour and Muggort’s Bay, with the Comeragh Mountains in the background. You can focus on glass, art, culture or a walk through the landscape.
Art, history and music in An Rinn
An Rinn is an Irish-speaking area with its own history and culture. Traditional music and set dancing are maintained as living traditions. The Joan Clancy Gallery showcases contemporary Irish art, with a strong focus on artists from West Waterford. This adds a distinct perspective on contemporary art to the living traditions, giving the area’s cultural profile a range of facets.
Crystal craftsmanship: demonstration or personal tour
The studio showroom at Criostal na Rinne offers full-lead crystal gifts and individually made pieces. A free studio demonstration focuses on the making of hand-cut crystal. Personal tours are offered by Eamonn Terry, who has more than 45 years of experience in specialist glass cutting. The two options differ in format: the demonstration focuses on how the crystal is made, while Eamonn Terry accompanies you as a guide on a personal tour. If you plan to book either option, check the visiting details in advance.
Circular walk and birdwatching at The Cunnigar
The Cunnigar is close to An Rinn. This moderate circular walk is 6.5 kilometres long, crosses beach and dunes, and has an estimated walking time of two hours. Its southern starting point is less than 1.5 kilometres from An Rinn. The Cunnigar is also one of Waterford’s most important areas for spotting rare wading birds, including ringed plovers and American Golden Plovers. This makes the circular walk and birdwatching two different ways to enjoy the same natural area.
Waterford: more landscapes and cultural highlights
For a broader view of Waterford, the Waterford Greenway offers a different route length: this traffic-free walking and cycling route is 46 kilometres long and runs from Waterford City to Dungarvan along the former Great Southern and Western Railway line. It includes eleven bridges, three viaducts and a 400-metre-long tunnel. By comparison, the 6.5-kilometre loop at The Cunnigar is much shorter; the routes also differ in that the Greenway is designed for walking and cycling, while The Cunnigar is a circular walk.
Other highlights in Waterford include the coast and mountains. The Copper Coast Drive runs from Tramore to Dungarvan. The Copper Coast UNESCO Global Geopark stretches for 25 kilometres along the coast of County Waterford, from Fenor to Stradbally. The Comeragh Mountains in County Waterford offer hiking experiences among glacial lakes, misty cliffs and high ridges with far-reaching coastal views.
Waterford also offers a range of cultural and historical points of interest. Reginald’s Tower in Waterford City is Ireland’s oldest urban building and houses an exhibition on Waterford’s Viking origins and medieval past. In the coastal village of Bunmahon, County Waterford, the Copper Coast Global Geopark Visitor Centre has an exhibition on mining and geoheritage. These regional themes complement the art, traditions and landscape that shape Ringville and An Rinn.
Discover more destinations: Rathgormack, Cappoquin, Waterford, Woodstown, Ballymacarbry, Harrylock, Bunmahon, Aird MhĂłr.
Back to the main travel overview: Waterford.
