Top 10 Things from the Waterford Tall Ships

The mist rising from the river Suir on Sunday morning is beautiful and eerie and a somewhat sombre crowd gather on the quay to wave off the tall ships and their crews. For an hour or so the boats glide out to cheering and waving. The crews of the Lord Nelson are in the rigging with the jaunty Bare Necessities blasting from the pa system. Some of the youth sail training vessels manage a few uggie uggie uggies and a couple of cheers but the cast of the Columbian vessel, The Gloria  show everyone how these things should be done . The crew are perched on the rigging and across the deck in their national colours singing an anthem. It is the most breathtaking and cheerful  sight . 

Top  Ten   Moments at Waterford Tall Ships


Best Moment 
The massed choirs and orchestra deliver a moving and rousing premiere of  'Come the Sails' The stunning combination of music and lyrics with a 250 strong choir and orchestra was premiered on the historic quays in the beautiful Wallace Plaza ;

Massed choirs and orchestra with conductor Niall Crowley open the festival

                                'Magnificence of Rigging above a mile of quays'



Best Sight  Crew of Columbian vessel The  Gloria singing from the rigging as their ship glided out of Waterford Harbour. Heart Stopping.

The Hucklebuck Shoes

Best Gig   Brendan Bowyer and Band rocking it on the Plaza.  Mothers with teenagers  and grannies in tow sang along and bopped to the music of this local boy and newly conferred freeman of the city. You can see this legend's Hucklebuck Shoes in a Museum case in the shiny new Bishop's Palace Museum. Surreal! Isn't he still wearing them? Doesn't look like he is ready to hang them up any time soon.


Best Fun Event: Pirates Parade . Everyone knows children  love dressing up but organisers were surprised when so many parents turned up suitably attired.     Talking of dressing up we also liked the cool shirts worn by  Steve Wickham  and Mike Scott of  the Waterboys  Psychadelic deck chair stripes  and purple paisley and marks go also to  Rowan Sherlock,  fiddling  Jazz Dude of the Waterford Gypsy Jazz Ensemble for his Ukelele Tie

Best Lyrics  Poems by Five  Poets set in Come the Sails opening cantata Mark Roper, Peter Sirr, Michael Coady, Megan Nolan and John Ennis

Best Foodie Experience  The vast range of food options all along the quay with massed al fresco dining. We enjoyed the chorizo and bean stew from Mediteranean Kitchen and the best aroma came from Green Saffron

Al fresco on the Quay for 3 days

Best Accoustic Act  Local sea shanty specialists Hooks and Crookes Sea Shanty Group was the hardest working group of the weekend. These gentlemen were on the go from lunchtime on Wednesday and were ubiquitous for the duration of the weekend.  Bravo! 




Best Twitter Updates @WaterfordTweet  and @HooksandCrookes delivered  useful up to the minute updates on events and information relating to the Festival. There was a terrific  on going  dialogue from the Waterford Twitter community with great tips on queing times and best entertainment around town.

Best Stall Ardkeen Quality Food Store for the  sheer size and range of their temporary tented emporium .



Best Innovation The decision to make the city traffic free. The massed crowds comfortably wandered the streets on foot or bicycles in safety as the park n ride system worked brilliantly. Could we look to do this again  on say the first weekend of the month? The Quay is a perfect amenity for a coninental style passeggiata.

Saturday at Tall Ships

 They wrapped you in linen
They wrapped you in clay
They gave me the promise 
of a bright new day     Peter Sirr








Against all the odds the sun shines for a third  successive day on Waterford.  I make the great expedition  by bicycle to the North Quays to see the larger vessels and I particularly want to see the Norwegian Vessel The Soerlandet, the oldest fully rigged vessel. I played a few tunes on the board and when I strike up a hornpipe a young girl Niamh Linnane joins in and dances a sailor's hornpipe on the lovely wooden deck. It was a magic moment. Sadly my camera man missed it so you'll have to take my word for it. We carry on to the Gloria but there is no reprise of Friday morning vocal manoevres. It is a long walk to Frank Cassin Wharf but I feel a sense of achievement in arriving at the far point  to view the largest vessels close up having viewed them all week from across the river.

Back on the South Quay I join RNLI man John Purcell, busking a few tunes on a nautical theme to assist his fund raising effort. It takes a particular sort of courage I think to take on the elements and go to the aid of those in difficulty at sea. The predicted crowds converge on the quay on Saturday afternoon and it is very busy indeed..

Sharon Shannon and band have a large enthusiastic crowd but the best atmosphere is on the WV Plaza where local boy and recent freeman of the city, Brendan Bowyer is  sending them home sweating with his lively selection. It is hard to square the image of the Bishop's Palace museum case housing the Hucklebuck shoes and other Royal Showband paraphanalia with this larger than life manifestation rocking it .  Even from the far end of the quay, one can hear the emotion in the voice as he belts out My City of Music by local Tops of the Town stalwart, Denny Corcoran. An artist with real cross generational appeal , teenage daughters with their mothers and grandmothers all sing and bop to the energetic and lively set.

As seasoned Spraoi goers, we are somewhat blasé about fireworks but the final fireworks are truly spectacular opening with a stunning waterfall effect .  All that remains is the final leavetaking and crews settle down for an early start with the morning tide

Here,  now, this very moment
In flowing time
within this harbour
And this haven  Michael Coady

The Hucklebuck Shoes

http://youtu.be/V0lLcxVyaCY