Dunmore East, Ireland: A Nearly Perfect Irish Town

Almost anyone who has been to Ireland on holiday will tell
that vacationing on the “Emerald Isle” is an unforgettable experience
experience. There is something in the kindness of
people, the haunting beauty of the land and the incredible
story that makes you want to come back again and again.
I found myself in that situation in the summer of 2000, as
finally, after several years of unsuccessful attempts to return to
Ireland (had gone in 1994), five of us decided to go
for a 10 day trip. We decided to go in May 2001, which gave us
more than enough time to plan a route.

One day, while looking at a map, I noticed a small town
called Dunmore East on a strip of land jutting out into the ocean
south of Waterford. I was intrigued by this place and
imagined an old weathered village that was
quintessentially irish. This, he hoped, would be a city in
that we would definitely stay.

We almost never made it to Dunmore East, thanks to a
strange series of events. On leaving Dublin (where
had stayed the first night), one of our cars suffered a
blowout, and soon our two cars were hopelessly separated.
We return to the B&B in Dublin, hoping that our two friends
would get in touch. The next morning we heard about them,
and we were on our way again, but we had lost a day. Us
quickly passed through the Wicklow Mountains, and after
what seemed like an eternity, we arrived in Waterford and
He continued down the winding road to Dunmore East.
After ten miles of driving through rolling farmland and
windswept ridges, we finally saw houses and lights on the
distance. We stopped at Dunmore East just as the sun was
getting behind us. Going down the hill towards the city, we saw
the ocean in front of us. This was indeed a spectacular
to lease.

Our B&B was on the main street facing the harbor. It’s
It was cloudy, and we could barely make out the green cliffs that
formed the port. Down the hill from the B&B there was an inn
and a pub on the water. Winding streets, a church and old
cemetery, a park and thatched-roof houses added a
unique village charm.

Seaside towns can often have a creepy, surreal feel.
atmosphere for them after dark, and Dunmore East was not
exception. The combination of fading light and
the increasing fog made the city take on an eerie look
appearance. Across the street from the B&B, there was a small park.
with a monument overlooking the cliffs and the port. HAS
a single lamppost has just been added to the amazing scene. I should
they have taken half a roll of film in that place, trying to get the
perfect image of a truly unique place.

While we were in the pub at the mouth of the harbour, we met up with friends
European locals and tourists. Like the owners of the B&B,
they were surprised that Americans knew about
East Dunmore. They said that the people tend to attend to
Europeans, and that people from the US rarely meet
here. Ironically, one of the owners of the B&B was a new
Jersey native who fell in love with the town.

Dunmore East is the kind of place where you park your car
when you arrive, and don’t use it until you leave. is a very
walkable city, with everything within a square mile
radio. I spent the afternoon of our second day there doing
just that, and I discovered places in the city that people in cars
I would clearly miss. For example, there was an expansion
park with benches, trails leading down to the rocky shoreline and
green areas to lie in the sun. There was also a winding
road that ended at a small beach called (I think),
“LadiesView”. It was a pristine spot overlooking the
port, driftwood along the beach and salt spray in the air.
I continued my walk along a coastal path, and soon found
myself entering a shopping district. I accidentally had
Discover the “downtown” of Dunmore East! Apparently we were
stay in the port part of the city, which we had confused
for the town itself. The city center was very charming,
with several old shops, some pubs and some more
winding rails.

On our second and last night in Dunmore East, we ended up
even eating in one of the pubs in the center of town. after
dinner, we walked back to the B&B through fog and mist,
Wishing we could stay a few more nights. But alas, we
We had to keep going, and although we found some great places
in the next few days, nothing better than this little beach
town south of Waterford.