Waterford, about 45 minutes away, is Ireland’s oldest city. Originally a Viking settlement, it is now a major port with much to see and do. Glass, or crystal, was manufactured in the city from 1783 until early 2009, when the factory there was eventually shut down. There is a great annual Viking marathon in June. In Dungarvan, King John’s Castle, an Anglo-Norman fortification (1185) would have originally been entered by a drawbridge. It is undergoing reconstruction but there are guided tours, an audio-visual show and exhibitions during the summer season. Dungarvan has a Georgian culinary quarter boosting some of the finest award winning restaurants in the southeast.