/ Trip Ideas / Escape to Ardmore

Escape to Ardmore

72 KM 45 MILES 5 LOCATIONS

Add to List

Ardmore is just an hours drive from Waterford and has a lot to offer visitors to the Sunny South East

Between Dungarvan and Youghal you’ll come upon the award-winning village of Ardmore just off the N25. Wrapped around a long sandy beach the picturesque village is steeped in history being one of the oldest Christian settlements in Ireland. Ardmore translates from Árd Mór (‘great height’ in Irish), and St. Declan’s monastic site is reckoned to be one of the oldest in Ireland. St. Declan founded a monastery here in the fifth century, and its round tower, cathedral, well and hermitage captivate visitors to this day.

St Declan brought Christianity to the area before St Patrick came to Ireland and his feast day is “Pattern Day” every 24th July. Ardmore now has the famous Pattern Festival in July which draws crowds from all over Ireland with a weekend of music and entertainment throughout the village. Ardmore caters to its thriving tourist industry with a few pubs and restaurants. Majestically overlooking the bay and village is the famous Cliff House Hotel where you can be treated to fine food in opulent surroundings.

Cliff Walk, Ardmore - Siúlóid na hAille, Aird Mhór

Ardmore boasts the cliff walk, a 4km walk with beautiful sea scapes. This magical coastal walk along rugged cliffs not only provides an abundance of bracing Atlantic air, seabirds and wildflowers, it also includes a number of monuments and relics which reflect Christian, Napoleonic and World War 2 history. The walk follows the path around Ardmore Head and Ram Head passing the shipwreck known as the Sampson Wreck. Features on the walk include St Declan’s Well , the old Coastguard Station, the Castle, the Lookout Post, used for observation during World War II, and Father O’Donnell’s Well.

The walk also passes near the 12th-century Ardmore Round Tower, which rises to a height of just over 29m and the ruins of and the ruins of a Cathedral and oratory dating from the 13th and 8th centuries respectively. One of the outer walls of the Cathedral features some stone carvings retrieved from an earlier 9th-century building. The carvings include a very early image of a harp, images of Adam and Eve in the garden and a representation of “Solomon’s judgement.

The Cathedral also contains two Ogham stones, which rest in small alcoves. Some elements of the original structure can still be seen within the building.

Directions
From Lismore, take the N72 to Tallow.
Drive straight through Tallow town and follow the R634 to Youghal.

From Youghal,
follow the N25 signposted Waterford. Turn right onto the R673 signposted to Ardmore.
From Dungarvan,take the N25 to Kiely’s Cross. Turn left onto the R673, signposted Ardmore.
Once in Ardmore take the Middle Road to the Cliff House Hotel. The walk begins just after the hotel car park – follow the road to where it becomes a path leading down to old ruins.