Editorial: Tapping into Waterford's culinary delights and appetizing great outdoors

The festival season beckons as west Waterford readies itself for the Waterford Festival of Food, which takes place from April 25 to 27. A veritable smorgasbord of culinary delights await those who visit Dungarvan and its various hinterland villages, who all work together to showcase the very best of what the area has to offer.

The festival, which prides itself on being one of Ireland’s largest and longest-running community food festivals, will see the transformation of Dungarvan's Grattan Square into a mega outdoor market, while events will also take place in Lismore, Ardmore, Villierstown, Ballyduff, Cappoquin and Kilmeaden. It truly is an event that celebrates the provenance of our delicious Waterford produce, from the field to the fork.

Highlights this year include guided taste tours, kitchen table talks with people from Ireland’s food scene, live cooking demos, guest chef events, sustainability workshops, and what has been described as "pop-up experiences in unusual locations". 

The Waterford Festival of Food reflects the excellent standing of west Waterford's agri-food industry, that encompasses everything from speciality farm produce to high-quality hospitality. It is sure to be another phenomenal success.

Meanwhile, this week Waterford City and County Council were promoting a new Walking Week initiative, that similarly taps into Waterford's stunning outdoor spaces. Waterford's first Walking Week had a relatively soft introduction without too much fanfare, but lays the foundations for an event that can be built upon over the coming years into something very appealing for locals and tourists alike.

The line-up of events provided a flavour of what is available across Waterford, whether a gentle ramble in the city's People's Park might appeal, a slightly more challenging coastal walk or a more involved hike into the majestic Comeragh Mountains. 

Recognising that walking is Ireland's number one recreational activity, offering numerous benefits for physical and mental health, Waterford Council said: "We have stunning landscapes, from coastal cliffs to rolling green hills to get out and enjoy the activity."

Hopefully this event will be brought back again next year and developed further, exploring the tourism potential that might be unlocked as a result. 

After all, Waterford is home to an incredible range of walking amenities that are suitable to all ages and interests. Places that trip off the tongue include the off-road Dunmore East to Ballymacaw coastal walking route, the delightful walk at Dunhill's Anne Valley, the incredibly accessible Comeragh Mountains with their numerous beautiful lakes, vistas and waymarked routes, and, of course, Waterford Greenway, which takes in so many delightful pitstops, including spectacular Mount Congreve Gardens - another walker's paradise. 

There are also more hidden gems, such as the Cheekpoint to Passage East estuary walk, and numerous forest walks throughout the county - including the Minaun at Faithlegg, Crough Wood and Mount Melleray, to name but a few.

The opening of the next section of the South East Greenway from Waterford to New Ross is also imminent, incorporating the Ferrybank leg of this fantastic walking and cycling route.

Five years on from the Covid-19 pandemic, the interest in outdoor tourism in Ireland continues unabated, and it is wonderful to see Waterford's local authority engaging in the further development of this area in conjunction with Waterford Sports Partnership, neighbouring local authorities and other organisations.   

So pencil into your calendars a few of the fantastic upcoming events, all available on our Déise doorstep.