In Ireland, Waterford Re-Opens New Factory

While on an Ireland vacation, I dropped in on Waterford(population about 50,000 ) and had the chance to visit the newly re-opened factory and showroom. Located about 1.5 miles from the heart of old town, the new facilities offer a close-up tour of how the factory’s showpieces are made, with the chance to talk to the artisans en route.

The Waterford Crystal plant used to occupy some 40 acres, came upon hard times and was purchased by an Eastern European company. Much of the crystal is now made in Hungary, but artisans in Ireland still design all of them, and showpieces are still made here.

The showroom is a very spacious and contemporary room. If visiting Waterford, it’s worth a visit here. One interesting point about Waterford crystal — there are no seconds! Imperfect pieces are destroyed and recycled.

Also worth mentioning is a fabulous French restaurant, La Boheme, located in the basement of a historic building at 2 George’s Street. The restaurant is rated as “one of the top ten most romantic restaurants in Ireland”.

Contact TravelStore’s travel experts, including Dan Ilves, to plan your Europe vacation to Ireland.