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ARDMORE |
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The delightful village of ARDMORE , fourteen miles southwest of
Dungarvan is steeped in history and full of character. The fifth century
saw the arrival here of St Declan, at least thirty years before St
Patrick arrived in Ireland, and the surrounding area of Old Parish is so
called because it's supposedly the oldest parish in Ireland. In Ardmore
itself, a medieval cathedral and round tower stand on the site of the
saint's original monastic foundation, commanding stunning views over
Ardmore Bay. The long, low twelfth-century cathedral has massive
buttresses, its stoutly rounded doors and windows confirming the proud -
albeit now roofless - Romanesque solidity of the building, while the
slender round tower, tall and fine with a conical roof, stands alongside
in poignant contrast. Inside, there are stones with early ogham
inscriptions, but the most exceptional carvings are on the west external
wall. Here, Romanesque arcading, originally from an earlier building,
has been set beneath the window, with boldly carved scenes showing the
weighing of souls, the fall of man, the judgement of Solomon and the
adoration of the magi: truly impressive, and unique in quality and
design. St Declan's Oratory , supposedly his burial site, also stands in
the graveyard. Earth from the saint's grave is believed to protect
against disease.
The village down below - busy in summer - consists of a pleasant row of
cottages, a few pubs, a shop and a handful of cafés, with a couple of
excellent sandy beaches nearby. Myth has it that when St Declan arrived
here from Wales, his bell and vestments were magically carried by the
large stone that now sits on the beach . This would explain why the
boulder is completely different geologically from the surrounding land -
though the Ice Age seems a more likely, if comparatively mundane,
explanation. Another improbable tale is that crawling under the stone
cures rheumatism. It looks unlikely that a fit person could squirm under
it, let alone an invalid.
Walking through the village to the east, up the hill you come to a path
which leads to the ancient St Declan's Well and a steeply gabled oratory
. It's an atmospheric spot, with fresh water springing beside three
primitive stone crosses where pilgrims used to wash, and a stone chair.
From here, there's a fine walk around the headland along rocky cliffs
for five miles or so, as far as Whiting Bay, a quiet spot with a small
sandy beach; alternatively there's a waymarked path that takes you over
three miles and brings you back down by the round tower. For longer
rambling you can take St Declan's Way , a 55-mile route which links
Ardmore with Cashel in County Tipperary.
Ardmore has one, small hotel , The Round Tower (tel 024/94494,
www.waterfordtourism.org ; £55-70/¬69.84-88.88); B&B can be had at Byron
Lodge (tel 024/94157; £33-40/¬41.90-50.79), and there's an excellent
little hostel , Ardmore Beach Hostel on Main Street (tel 024/94501),
with dorms and family rooms. The caravan and camping site is just beside
the beach, and there's a laundry on Main Street. The welcoming Paddy
Mac's pub does good bar food , and has occasional traditional music
sessions during the summer. For inexpensive but filling meals there's
the cosy Cup and Saucer café; nearby The White Horses Restaurant
(May-Sept daily, except Mon lunch; Oct-April Fri-Sun only; tel
024/94040) serves good-value lunches and evening meals.
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