Would you like to experience the maritime history of Waterford and its harbour area through the unique perspective of a fisherman, writer and local historian?
Andrew Doherty offers bespoke guided walks and talks that reveal the hidden history of the origins of this incredible seascape. Custom-designed or standard tours, each experience will provide a never-to-be-forgotten glimpse into a maritime world of fishermen, sailors, legends, folklore and salty tales of pirates, press gangs, pilots and more.
The project, which is co-ordinated by Andrew also arranges events throughout each year.
About me!:
Hi, I am Andrew Doherty and I live in Cheekpoint, Co Waterford. From childhood I travelled the waters of Waterford Harbour and fished commercially for fifteen years. I volunteer in my community and I live for local maritime history. I have written since childhood and in 2014 started an online blog to promote local history and heritage. I authored two books – Before the Tide Went Out (2017) which explored the importance of commercial traditional fishing to my community and Waterford Harbour Tides & Tales (2020) which celebrated the importance of local storytelling and yarns. I regularly contribute articles to local newspapers, Ireland’s Own, and heritage publications. I have participated in numerous radio and TV programmes including Sunday Miscellany, County Measure, Nationwide and Tracks & Trails. I work with the Heritage Council’s Heritage in Schools initiative.
To book or to clarify please email me at tidesntales@gmail.com. For a flavour of my work and interests check out my youtube channel or some of the events listed below. Attached to this page view are details of standard walk options.
On August 17th I was featured on RTE Radio 1’s Country Wide speaking to Lorna Siggins about the origins of the project and showing her around Cheekpoint and giving a sense of how the rivers connect the three counties of Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny, or at least did connect them in the past. You can listen on the following link
On August 13th 2024 I was featured on the WLR FM series “One of Our Own”. The ten part series produced by RoseAnn Foley saw me appear as one of what they described as ” Ten inspirational figures from the Déise” and interviewed by the wonderful writer Catherine Foley. I spoke about memories of growing up in Cheekpoint, my family, the fishing and what keeps me writing. You can hear the interview online, but will need to scroll to episode 7.
Eigse Sliabh Rua – November 10th 2023 – I gave an illustrated talk on the river and how vibrant it was in the 19th Century along the Kilkenny shoreline of the Barrow and the Suir to a tremendously enthusiastic audience at the Rhu Glen on the night.
Booze Blaas n Banter – Saturday 28th Oct 2023 Jordans bar. I’ll deliver something at the annual Hootanany about the placename PIll
Sunday 15th October (also Sunday 29th October) – Drama at Dunmore East – The building of a harbour. 11am to 12.30. €10 PP a gentle looped walk exploring the building of the Mail Packet station in the village and how it transformed the community. €10 PP booking via Eventbrite. Or come along, but let me know in advance to tidesntales@gmail.com in case I need to cancel it. Another alternative I have recently set up is Revolute. You can use my email or my whatever its called – andrewtnt
Explore the era of the Lightermen on the St Johns River/Pill Saturday November 4th 2023 at 1pm. €10 PP book via eventbrite or Revolute me at andrewtnt or email me at tidesntales@gmail.com
Thursday, August 31st, 2023. 1 pm – Reginals Tower, Waterford. New Ross bound on the Paddle Steamer Ida. A talk for the Talk in the Tower summer series in which I will focus on the history of the PS Ida and its relationship to the city.
The illustrated talk will explore the background to the establishment of the route, the social aspect of the ship, the essential trade it carried and the demise of the route
Heritage Week 2023. Time and Tide wait for no one. Sunday, August 20th, 2023. 4 pm meeting at Powers shop, Cheekpoint. For generations fishermen on the three sister rivers at Cheekpoint were governed by two forces, the laws of the state and the laws of nature, particularly the tides. This guided river walk will explore the influence of the tides on these families, and how the tides shaped, not just their fishing practices, but governed their daily working lives. Pre-booking is appreciated at the following link. Following the week I wrote a short reprise of the three events I delivered.
Faithlegg – footsteps through history, 4th Sunday of the month – Feb to October. €10 per person. This 2km gentle walk will commence from the gates of Faithlegg Church, and will proceed by footpath and tramac. Once famed as the country seat of the Norman era Aylwards, it passed to the Cromwellian Boltons and later the catholic family of Power. Dominated by Faithlegg House Hotel and the two churches, the area has down the centuries witnessed the history of Ireland, much of it relating directly to the site, and its strategic location on the rivers. This walk will explore that history set in the sylvan surrounds of the Faithlegg estate. For more information and to book your place check out our Eventbrite page
Maritime Trade on St Johns Pill Thu, 20 Jul 2023, 18:00 Join me on a journey back in time, when the Johns Pill was a hive of commercial traffic and the calls and curses of the lightermen could be heard as they jockeyed for position on the tidal river that penetrated the heart of the Victorian era of the city. This is a gentle stroll along the Pill, starting at the Tower Hotel on the Mall and finishing at Johns Bridge. Book a space on Eventbrite here
Dunmore East Maritime Ramble Wed, 5th Jul 2023, 18:00. This walk commences from the front gate of St Andrews Church and explores the maritime history and heritage of the village. The walk will trace the origins of the village through the turbulent centuries of Ireland’s history through the lens of its maritime location and the buildings that remain that highlight this. The walk will be at a gentle relaxed pace and will finish at the East Pier. Book a space on Eventbrite here.
Completed Events
Mayday Mile in aid of Dunmore East RNLI. This year to support our local lifeboat my brother Robert and I rowed an estimated 25 miles from Carrick On Suir to Cheekpoint in our traditional salmon fishing punt. The event took place over the weekend of May 13th & 14th. Click if you would like to view the photo diary. You can still donate until the end of May 2023, here’s the donations page To date we have raised over €800
Sunday May 7th The Bealtaine Dawn Chorus event in Dunmore – I delivered a short spoken word piece entitled Cuan na Grian – the Harbour of the Sun
Thursday April 27th – In The Great Westerns Wake – a slide show to some of the residents of St Patricks Hospital Waterford to encourage memories and reminises of growing up and/or living in Waterford city.
Thursday March 30th 2023- Dublin Bay Old Gaffers. Talk. A Historical Sketch of Waterford Harbour. I gave an overview of the history of the port from the earliest known residents/visitors to the present and focus on some key events to showcase the importance and importance of the harbour. The talk was later posted on you tube thanks to Mark Sweetman.
Thursday 16th March 2023. Ballyhack Residents Committee. The Paddle Steamers Era – the Duncannon, New Ross & Waterford run. This talk will focus on a passion of mine, the Paddle Steamer service that operated between New Ross and Waterford 1937-1907 and the Duncannon to Waterford Service 1837-1917
Friday Feb 10th 2023. Mudlarking along the Shore. Cheekpoint. €20 per person. The three sister rivers flow as one to create the Waterford Estuary at Cheekpoint. The tidal rivers ebb and flow and what they leave behind offer a uniquie glimpse into the way of life of the areas past and present. Join us on this fun and informative trip as we explore the foreshore, appreciate nature, examine the challanges to this environment and hopefully find some buried treasures. Book here on Eventbrite
WLR/SVdeP Christmas appeal with Waterford Writers. St Patricks Gateway. Dec 14th 2022
Bana Rua Sea Shanty gig, Jordan’s Bar Sunday, October 30th, 2022. To add to the lad’s sea chanty gig I was asked to give a few yarns in the seafarer’s tradition. I shared two at different stages of the gig, very informal and off the cuff, and they seem to have been well received.
Booze Blaas & Banter – Lawless Lightermen Saturday, October 29th, 2022. Here’s a flavour…One of the vital roles on the River Suir for centuries was the lightermen who lightened ships to allow access to the port. They were a breed apart, possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of the river, tides, and weather, which governed their every move. This talk will explore their trade now gone from the river, a breed apart who were governed less by the law of the land, and more by the laws of nature.
Imagine Arts Festival – A talk titled “In the Great Westerns Wake” Tuesday 25th October 2022 – at Jordan’s on the Quay. Generations of Waterford people traveled and worked aboard the SS Great Western which connected the port with Fishguard in Wales from 1934 to 1966. In that time countless numbers fled the country in search of work, while in other cases families returned on holidays to their ancestral homes. The quays bustled with animal exports and imported goods from our nearest neighbour. The ship became a symbol of a vibrant and changing country, a barometer of our changing fortunes. Join us on the opening day of the Imagine Arts Festival to remember the ship, its cargo, her toiling crew, and many passengers who traveled aboard.
The County Measure. Sunday 28th August 2022 – An RTE Radio 1 documentary exploring different counties in Ireland and their individual identities. I was interviewed by host Vincent Woods and producer Regan Hutchins and had the honour of opening the show by taking them by boat to Cheekpoint.
Heritage Week 2022 – 2 events. A talk on the dredger Portlairge in Reginald’s Tower in conjunction with the Office of Public Works – Thursday, Aug 18th. Also a workshop on the Head Weirs of the Harbour with Tomás Sullivan and supported by the Local Authorities Water Programme. Sunday 21st August.
Following the pilgrim’s footsteps – Walk for the Camino Society of Ireland, Saturday, July 23rd, 2022
Mayday Mile – Walk for Dunmore East RNLI – May 22nd, 2022
Heritage Week August 2021 – Jack Meades Heritage Ramble and blog features significant heritage buildings on the site.
Mayday Mile walk event on behalf of Dunmore East RNLI – Sunday 30th May 2021
Culture Night, Friday 18th September 2020. Hosted a one-hour of readings from my first book and some from the new book as part of culture night. Due to covid restrictions, we did this outside on the village green. Focused on the fishing heritage of the community.
Heritage Week August 15th to 23rd 2020. For the 15th year, my wife Deena and I contributed an event. For this year we drew on the assistance of friends to do stories about the placenames along the three rivers, culminating on Water Heritage Day of a new webpage A-Z of Placenames of the Three Sisters
Parlour Vintage Tea rooms rebrand – Provided a 15min talk to this event in the old Harbour Commisioners office at the top of Gladstone St in the city on Saturday 4th July 2020. My talk linked the building to the development of the Commissioners
Bealtaine Festival May 2020 -I read four excerpts from my first book – Before the Tide Went Out which were published by the Waterford City & Co Library during the month-long festival.
Tuesday 14th January 2020
Talk to the Minaun Guild of the Irish Countrywomens Association. The Captains Grave at Faithlegg.
Saturday 21st December 2019.
Winter Soltice Walk, departs Cross Roads Cheekpoint at 7.30 am to finish back for 9.30am at Ben Powers Shop. Soltice viewing from Cromwells Rock, Minaun. For more details check out my facebook page or email tidesntales@gmail.com
Wednesday 18th December 2019
Guided walk from Faithlegg House via the Minaun to Cheekpoint. Dunhill Multi Education Tourisim Skills course participants. (Rescheduled to 2020 due to weather)
Friday 1st November. Family walk
The Young family have asked me to show them around the Faithlegg estate as part of a family gathering at Faithlegg House Hotel.
Saturday October 26th – Sunday Miscellany
As part of the 2019 Imagine Festival and the Waterford Writers Weekend I have been chosen to do a reading of a short story called Steamboat. This will be recorded by the Sunday Miscellany show of RTE Radio 1 fame at the Theatre Royal Waterford. It will be broadcast on radio at a later stage. Postscript: The show was broadcast on Sunday 17th November. Here is the subsequent Podcast for the show. My story starts at 13 minutes in
August 24th & 25th. National Heritage Week
To Celebrate National Heritage Week and Water Heritage day this year we partner with Local Authorites Water in Communities to bring a number of events to showcase the local maritime heritage including a celebration of local biodiversirty and nature with Paddy Dwan, a photo exhibition in the Reading Room, Cheekpoint and a seminar on Sunday 25th. For more details click here.
Sat 10th August; Family history walk – Keough/Power/Walsh/Lynch family reunion
Guided walk including Faithlegg Graveyard, old school and the old family home focusing on the way of life for the family in the area in the late 19th, early 20th century.
June 8th Tide Line (To celebrate the firth year of the blog)
On June 8th 2019 I am organising an evening in the Reading Room, Cheekpoint to celebrate the four previous years of blogs (275 blog stories) by inviting a few friends, neighbours and contributors to share their favourite blog, a memory inspired by a blog, or something related to the story of the maritime heritage of the area. I will do a short talk on the Portlairge, a story that will feature in my forthcoming new book Tales from the Aft Oar. Audience participation hoped for! MC for the night will be my long time supporter James Doherty.
The night is supported by the Cheekpoint & Faithlegg Development Group
July 2019 Waterford Archaeological & Historical society summer walk. Theme – TBC possibly – Before the Tide Went Out; Cheekpoints fishing heritage
Previous
Dolman Active Retirement group
Tuesday 7th May 2019 (Holy Cross bar, Waterford)
This was an off the cuff talk with no slides or photos on a maritime heritage of Waterford theme. I chose to deliver a talk on the Great Western which was well received, almost all the ladies had heard of the ship, some had sailed on her and as the talk dealt mainly with the social aspects of the ship, emigration, etc there was something for everyone in the audience.
Waterford Estuary Men’s Shed
Monday 18th Febuary 2019
Talk and slide show delivered to the men of the shed on the theme of the Passage East lighthouse known as the Spider Light, its purpose, design and its operation
Barony of Gaultier Historical Society
Ardkeen library, Tuesday 11th December 2018
To launch the annual BGHS Calendar I will speak on a panel discussion of local history with a specific focus on maritime heritage, I’ve been asked to talk on the loss of the downeaster Alfred D Snow, lost in the harbour in January 1888
Dunhill Tourism and Smart Media
Friday 7th December 2018
A guided walk exploring the fishing heritage of Cheekpoint, with a specific focus on the social and cultural way of life and how this is still to be found in the landscape, built infrastructure and local place-names
Cheekpoint and Faithlegg Active Retirement group
The Faithlegg Story. Faithlegg House and Estate. People, places and events
FAITHLEGG HOUSE HOTEL
Wednesday 5th December
Booze Blaa’s and Banter.
Jordans American Bar, Waterford Quays
Saturday 27th October 2018 commencing 9am
I plan to talk about Royal Navy press gang incidents in the harbour and city
Heres a blog I published to promote it.
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| On the day. Photo courtesy of James Doherty |
New Ross Historical Society
New Ross Boat Club, Rosbercon.
Venue change 14/11/2018 St Michael’s Pastoral Centre, Main Hall, Michael St.
Thursday 15th November 8pm
I will do a talk on the Paddle Steamer service that operated between New Ross and Waterford 1937-1907 and the Duncannon to Waterford Service 1837-1917
