Research
Let us help with your researchResearch
The Tides & Tales Maritime Community Project currently has in excess of 500 free-to-access blogs or primary research pieces, on the local maritime heritage available. All of this is free and available to the public and we have plans for much more. Feel free to search the site, use the blog categorisations or contact the project if you require help.
In some cases this is a simple process of sharing details already to hand. We always endevour to respond. Others require further research, including linking with third parties to try and find satisfactory responses.
If you need further or more detailed research, including the references, either on an existing blog or any matter related to the maritime history of the Waterford area or beyond we would be happy to receive such requests. However, in order to sustain the project we may need to charge a research fee.
If you have a research question please contact our Coordinator through the contact page on our site. The Coordinator will assess the query and let you know the query type and cost. For example:
€0 – Straight forward query with information readily to hand.
€20 – Basic Query – supplying information we have on file or relatively easy to access.
€50 – Intermediate Query – This could be defined as a question requiring further research and time.
€90 – Advanced Query – This relates to queries that require reaching out to relevant third parties.
All funds raised will go towards sustaining the Tides & Tales Maritime Community Project and making it possible to provide the blogs and this valuable resource material.
Our Blog
1904 Harbour War Games
In 1904 a local paper(1) announced that war had been declared from Waterford Harbour. The war was a game, but a serious game, that involved up to 200 ships and extended across the length of the Irish Sea. The Waterford Flotilla stationed in the harbour played a...
Death on the Paddle Minesweeper Haldon
In a dramatic few weeks in August 1917 Dunmore became the center of a naval espionage operation that saw the destruction of a U Boat, the rescue and interrogation of her captain and a salvage operation to lift the boat from the depths of Waterford harbour. But...
Beyond the Breakwater
Catherine Foley is a proud Waterford woman who grew up initially in the city before moving to An Rinn in the Waterford Gaeltacht. Deena and I had known of her before, through her contributions to RTE Radio 1's Sunday Miscellany. However it was her cousin, and a...
Barrow bridge toll
This week sees a significant local anniversary, for on the 21st July 1906 the first official train crossed the Barrow railway bridge. The infrastructure was the last significant piece of railway network constructed nationally and it linked the west of Ireland with...
Paddle Steamer excursion
The Waterford Steamship Navigation Company river service commenced in 1837. It ran daily return trips between New Ross-Waterford and Duncannon-Waterford, Monday to Saturday. In the Summer season Sunday trips were also offered. During the week the ships departed the...
Harbour Hobblers
Last Saturday I had the good fortune to call over to Waterford Airport to see the materials that were uncovered by Noel McDonagh at Creaden Head, Co Waterford. While there we got into a conversation with Michael Farrell of the Barony of Gaultier Historical Society...
Subscribe to our Blog
Would you like to be part of the ever growing Tides and Tales Community? If you would like to join our regular monthly email list, please complete the form below and hit subscribe.


