In Waterford, timing is everything

During the mid-19th century, Waterford was Ireland’s busiest and most important industrial port. It traded to 400 international ports and also had Ireland’s largest shipbuilding yard. As the city became wealthy and confident a number of large-scale public works projects were commissioned including this clock tower. The clock was built in 1863 and was originally known as ‘The Fountain Clock’ as it had troughs for horses to drink from. It quickly became a famous landmark and a meeting point for Waterford residents. The inner mechanisms for both the fountain and the clock are still of great technical interest to engineers. Waterford is also the home of the National Horological Museum on Greyfriars Street. This museum features the oldest Irish-made grandfather clocks, table clocks, and watches in the world and celebrates the craftsmen who created timepieces of remarkable beauty and technological genius.