Visit 15th Century Ballyhack Castle

Believed to have been built by the Knights Hospitallers of St. John around 1450, Ballyhack Castle is a large five-storey tall tower house with intact wall walk, and a small chapel on the second floor. The entrance is protected by a murder hole, an opening through which defenders could throw rocks or pour boiling water, hot sand or boiling oil, out on to an attacker. Visitors who are welcome to tour the fort for free during Heritage Week can be assured that they will not suffer the same fate!

Free public access. Last tour at 4:15pm.

Waterford Estuary Villages Alliance (WEVA) is undertaking a joint initiative for Heritage Week 2026 that involves 11 different activities straddling the Wexford and Waterford shorelines of the Estuary. Under Weva, the five traditional fishing villages of the Estuary have come together to confront the threat of heritage loss among other issues.

The villages have been under long-term threat from population decline since the collapse of the fishing industry in the early 2000s and the failure to replace it with alternatives that would help to sustain the communities. With great resilience and self-reliance, the villages have a mission to forge a more sustainable future by preserving and developing their shared heritage as part of a wider economic strategy.