Going Gourmet

But this story is not just about sweet talk and tasty confection as lovely as all that is but this venture by Kevin and Fiona is serious business indeed, and represents a bold and determined step to establish a viable business for themselves and family in these challenging times. Like many another couple they faced the prospect of redundancy, Kevin has an engineering background but the company he worked for folded. So naturally they began to look at their options as to their future. They sensibly looked to their talents and interests for ideas including music as both are talented musicians. Fiona who always loved baking was attracted to the modern trend and taste for cup cakes which had become popularised in the US over the past decade mainly through the hit TV show Sex and the City which featured the Magnolia Bakery. The Cup cake came to Ireland about 6 years ago. Having done their market research they saw the potential to be the first here in Waterford to bring their brand of cup cake delights to the market here. They researched the product thoroughly and aimed from day one to produce gourmet, top class variety of cup cake that would match, indeed surpass anything available on the market.

So, Kevin along with Fiona with her redundancy package from Bausch and Lomb took the plunge and invested in this business venture, putting their faith in the quality of their product. So Cup Cake Heaven became part of their hopes and dreams.

Into the Market Place

Their initial tentative step into the market place was 18 months ago at the regular Ardkeen Sunday Country Market. They were delighted when their trial batch of 80 cup cakes sold out on their first morning. The positive feedback from consumers was a confidence-booster, prompting them to press on with their venture and deploy their creative talents to develop new varieties of equal quality. Fiona and Kevin are very much a team, each playing to their strengths, with Kevin minding the shop and the most charming of salesmen fronting the business and then Fiona, the force behind the scenes, the creative wizard of the whisk. When I enquired as to what made her cup cakes different her response was immediate and with a certain pride. “Well, I like to think that I go that extra mile with my cakes…The cake itself has a rich buttery taste as I only use butter and free range eggs. The topping is made with Swiss meringue buttercream, it has a velvety smooth texture almost like ice cream and is not as sickly sweet as the other buttercream which is widely used”. As quality control is vital all their cup cakes are hand-made and come in 2 sizes- standard and minis.

Their popular varieties include, Classic Vanilla; Double Chocolate; Strawberry Cream; also, a Bailey topping delight and what about Red Velvet- topped with a delicious blend of double cream, Mascarpone and Madagascan vanilla- Yummy.

Wedding Cup Cake Sensation

I learned that cupcake creations have become an ever increasing popular alternative to the traditional wedding cake and artistically can be a thing of beauty. Indeed, I hear they are a treat for all sort of occasions.

From next week they are moving into all new state- of- the- art kitchen facility at unit 23 Johnstown Industrial Park (beside Jack Molloy Catering) so why not give them a call there.

Fiona and Kevin are also regulars at the Broad Street market every Saturday as well every second Sunday out at the Fenor country market. They are also available online at www.cupcakeheaven.ie . Or at 085 7859056. Kevin is also known as a great bassist with bands like the Springsteens and the Fayre Weather Band while Fiona too is known for her dulcet tones to match her sweet creations! So all in all a talented couple whose enterprise we applaud, not just because they are local but because of the quality of what they do. So, do yourself a flavour and give your loved ones a treat while supporting a great local business.

Annabel was born at Glenville (where Snowcream was located since the mid-fifties until recently) and the extensive walled gardens of the title extended back along the banks of the river to include what is now Glenville housing estate. Indeed, part of the Glanbia lands here were the subject of a major planning application recently. Her father Sir Ernest Goff, was born at another nearby Big House- Maypark. His original family home was at Goretown, Co Wexford. She also tells of the De Bromheads their neighbours in nearby Ardkeen House. She especially remembers Johnny De Bromhead with affection with something approaching awe when they played together as children. As she put it herself: “He established himself as an early member of my hall of heroes- prompted in no small way by his ability to ‘put away’ a whole plate of chocolate biscuits with no consequent ill effects”.

Of Wuthering Heights

Annabel Davis-Goff  speaks with fond recollections of the O’Shea family, who were gardeners and lived in a cottage on the grounds and always welcomed her warmly to their kitchen and chatted with an informality not always possible with her own parents- she says of them that they had the kind of good manners that are based on impeccable instincts, which she observes are more often found in the native-born Irish than the Anglo-Irish.  The haunting memories take the reader to a succession of country houses in which she, her parents and grandparents lived. Of Ballinacourty, she says that it was a combination of beauty, taste, squalor and discomfort, where the kitchen makes her think of Wuthering Heights. These houses with their walled gardens, magical landscapes and their air of faded grandeur, were the homes of the Ascendancy in their twilight years when a groom and two horses were still irreducible necessities of life and where unpaid bills grew by the month.

A New Ireland

It is further noteworthy that in her comments about the O’Shea family she remarks that one of their sons went on to be a professor at a Canadian University while only one of her family completed second level education and none went to university. This irony she say illustrates how their whole world went topsey-turvey in the new Ireland for which they were totally inadequately prepared.

Incidentally, it was her great grandfather, William Davis Goff who owned and drove the first car in Waterford – WI 1. So he had the honour of being the first car on the Dunmore Road- look at what he started! This book was most enjoyable and Glenville will never again be just a word but something redolent of much, much more. Some weeks ago I brought you the story of the tobacco plant/station here which was developed on the lands here at Glenville which had been acquired from the Geoff estate and developed as Powers seeds which continues into its forth generation as SeedTech over on the other side of the river at Ballymountain.

This book was most enjoyable and Glenville will never again be just a word but something redolent of much, much more.

Sailing Away

A whole ocean of words have already and will continue to be used to describe Waterford’s Festival of Sail- it was truly glorious, tears were shed and hearts were bursting with pride, taking a bow everyone because everybody played their part, great or small, all adding up to a whopping success for Waterford.

Let’s start with the basics- A tall ship is a large, traditionally-rigged sailing vessel. Popular modern tall ship rigs include topsail schooners, brigantines, brigs and barques. So your task this week is to go on a voyage of discovery to work out which type each one is as you explore each in turn.

Traditional rigging may include square rigs and gaff rigs, with separate topmasts and topsails. It is generally more complex than modern rigging, which utilizes newer materials such as aluminum and steel to construct taller, lightweight masts with fewer, more versatile sails. Most smaller, modern vessels use the Bermuda rig. Though it did not become popular elsewhere until the twentieth century, this rig was developed in Bermuda in the seventeenth century, and had historically been used on its small ships, the Bermuda sloops.

The term tall ship came into widespread use in the mid-20th century with the advent of the Tall Ships’ Races, and was not generally used in the era when such ships were the norm. The term’s popularity may have stemmed from its use in a well-known nautical poem by English Poet Laureate John Masefield entitled “Sea-Fever”, first published in 1902.

I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.

While Sail Training International (STI) has extended the definition of tall ship for the purpose of its races to embrace any sailing vessel with more than 30 ft (9.14 m) waterline length and on which at least half the people on board are aged 15 to 25, this definition can include many modern sailing yachts, but in the context of this article, a tall ship refers to those vessels rated as class “A” only.

International Friendship

The Tall Ships’ Races are races for sail training “tall ships”. The races are designed to encourage international friendship and training for young people in the art of sailing. The races are held annually in European waters and consists of two racing legs of several hundred nautical miles, and a “cruise in company” between the legs. Between 1973 and 2003 the races were known as The Cutty Sark Tall Ships’ Races, having been sponsored by Cutty Sark whisky. From 2004 to 2010 the races were supported by The City, Province, and Port of Antwerp. The current sponsor of the Tall Ships’ Races 2010–2014 is the city of Szczecin which is the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea.

Participating vessels are manned by a largely cadet or trainee crew who are partaking in sail training, 50 percent of which must be aged between 15–25 years of age and who do not need any previous experience. Thus, tall ship does not describe a specific type of sailing vessel, but rather a monohull sailing vessel of at least 9.4 metres (30 ft) that is conducting sail training and education under sail voyages. Participating ships range from yachts to the large square-rigged sail training ships run by charities, schools and navies of many countries.

The Race

The first Tall Ships’ race was held in 1956. It was a race of 20 of the world’s remaining large sailing ships organised by Bernard Morgan, a London lawyer. The race was from Torquay, Devon to Lisbon, and was meant to be a last farewell to the era of the great sailing ships. Public interest was so intense, however, that race organisers founded the STI association to direct the planning of future events. Since then Tall Ships’ Races have occurred annually in various parts of the world, with millions of spectators. Today, the race can attract up to a hundred ships, among these some of the largest sailing ships in existence. The 50th Anniversary Tall Ships’ Races took place during July and August, 2006, and was started by the patron, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who also started the first race in 1956 and he too is still going strong!

Grange Rover

Grange is used as a place name all over the country, but more so in the south, especially the south-east. The usage of the word describes a farm house with sizeable outhouses especially for the storage of grain – from which the word grange itself derives. As I rove around the area recently, I was struck by the considerable usage of the name of Grange in local place names clustered southwards of the Passage Road to the top of the Hill and beyond.

Grange Park could be said to be Grandfather of the lot being the original development dating from the early 30’s and as such probably the city’s first suburban ‘leafy’estate. The developments here had a pre and post wars phases, with the latter commencing in 1955 initiated by what appears to be a cooperative movement called the Waterford Suburban Housing Society. Grange Lawn and Grange Park Avenue were built in this period reaching completion in the early 60’, with further names like Grange Mews and Crescent to finish it off.

Formerly there was a Fennessy’s Nursery laid out on the lands here. This was a company founded in Waterford as far back as 1712 and given the nature of the business in what was then evidently a rural area the likelihood is that this was the original Grange that gave this area its name. Today that name lives on in many contiguous estates and now part of the address of literally thousands of homes. In addition to the Granges mentioned above we have Upper Grange; Grange Heights ( Arda na Grainsi); Grange Manor; The Grange, Catherine’s Grange (good name: the land here formed part of lands owned by St Catherine’s Priory as in Catherine Street/Courthouse location today). At the bottom of the Folly area, we are not forgetting Lower Grange and nearly Grange Terrace. And what about Newgrange- now that takes us back a long way!

We discover that in the medieval period the quays were located only on the south side of the Suir, in the area between Turgesius Tower at the mouth of the present Barronstrand Street and Christ Church Lane, later Goose Gate and now Henrietta Street. This was known as the Great Quay as shown on a map of 1673. When the Franciscan friary at Greyfriars was suppressed in 1540, among its properties was a new quay outside its walls. This along with other local property was granted to one David Bailey – I assume Bailey’s New Street is directly related to this name. The 16th century saw further extension along towards Reginald’s Tower. About 1695 we learn that new area of quay was set aside for the landing of wool timber and faggots.

Things moved apace from 1705 and we learn that the modern quay owes its origins to the major developments initiated during the mayoralty of one David Lewis. In that year the demolition of the city wall along the river frontage was commenced which was responsible for the enlargement of the quay and the opening up of the city to the river and about this time too there were further extensions to the west end of the quay.

Quay to Economic Prosperity

Meanwhile, a Mr Graves was seeking to extend further to the east end, an area where that name traded in one form another for a very long time afterwards.

In 1725 it was decided that no thatched cabins were to be built on any part of the new quays, nor on any of the new streets being laid out. In 1738 an additional pier-head was built to provide shelter for ships in bad weather, at the upper end of the quay and this was to be built opposite the new road or Thomas Street as of now.

We go on to learn of the value of all this work and its vital role in the economic prosperity of Waterford: The development and extension of the quay in the 18th century was a major impetus to the growth and prosperity of the city. This reflected on the part of the merchants of the period to take advantage of the economic prospects which were then beginning to emerge, and which were to enhance the growth in trade, and the consequent increase in shipping and portal facilities. Bacon in particular but also butter trade was huge but also the corn trade. This trade was reflected by the large stores which were erected along the western end and also in King’s Street (O’Connell’s). Close to where the Clock Tower stands today there was a thriving fish market, further up near Hanover Street there was great potato and straw/hay markets. Not to far away was the birthplace of Thomas Francis Meagher at where the Granville Hotel is situated. This property became into the ownership of Charles Bianconi and the terminus for his coaching business.

A Glass Apart

What became the world famous Waterford Crystal can be said to owe its origins to the tradition of glass making here on the Quay(New Quay) of the city as George and William Penrose established their first Glass House there in 1793. It moved to what became Glass House along side Anne Street. Moving on quickly to the 20th century, we see that the first portal development was the construction of a deep water jetty in the late 20’s named in honour of Henry Ford who had been Managing Director of HALLS and Chairman of the Harbour Commissioners. But slowly but surely over the course of the 20th century trade gradually declined and that combined with other events the port had long left behind its halcyon days. The portal trade has long moved from the quayside down stream to the modern facilities at Bellvue which is doing well. The William Vincent Wallace Plaza adorns the east side of the Quay and we all look forward to the much promised boulevard -style development along its mile length. Let not the current ‘odious’ plans for the North Wharf blight that prospect! Meanwhile, Waterford’s Quay is a worthy host to the Tall Ships, Failte!

The Quay/s define Waterford in its physical shape, character and history. From the earliest of recorded time both sea and river craft have plied these waters. Its origins grew from those who came in their long boats and found safe haven here. These Vikings first drew up their boats into the sally ports along the mouth of the Pill where now runs the Mall. The first arrivals were as early as 795 to raid and plunder but within 50 years or so they began to over winter here. Though the year 900 or so saw a withdrawal for a period Vadre Fiord was back on the map as a definite settlement of Ostmen by the year 914. Indeed it was here that the Vikings regained a foothold in Ireland. The settlement was first clustered around Dundory, the site where Reginald’s (Ring) Tower was later built and has since stood sentinel while serving many diverse purposes over many centuries. Of course, the unearthing of the Viking site at Woodstown has opened a whole new debate as to the true chronology of settlements in the whole area.

A Waterford Mile

Once again, an essential port of call, when seeking to write about Waterford’s history and stories of its streets and thoroughfares Past and Present, is that wonderful work of Daniel Dowling. I begin with his introduction to the Quay’s story.

“ The longest street in the city with deep berthage along its entire length, capable of accommodating large ocean- going ships and vessels. At its greatest length it extended from Adelphi Lane at its eastern end to its western termination at the junction with the Bilberry Road. This was the last extension to the continuous line of quay which was opened in 1872, when Bridge Street was connected along the waterfront as far as the western end of Bilberry road, adjacent to the premises of Strangman’s Brewery (Cheery’s). Since the Adelphi Quay development of 1993-5, the line of the quay now terminates at Rose Lane – this distance being about a mile in length.”

We go on to learn that one of the earliest references to the quay or quays was as far back as 1377 when Edward III granted to the Mayor and bailiffs of the city the ‘cocket customs’ of the port for a period of 10 years which was in response to a plea for funds for the repair of city walls. This probably featured in the Great Charter Roll shown so proudly to Queen Elizabeth II during her visit. We further learn that “ The quay at this time appears to have been exposed and unfortified, either through the collapse and decay of an earlier defensive wall, or that such a fortified structure along the river had yet to be built. This was a period when the city was subject to periodic attack from the river by the Spanish and other enemies. The grant made provision for both the enclosure of the quay and repair of the walls”. We will bring you Part Two of the story of our grand Quays, next week.

All Hands on Deck

Don’t forget the Lord Nelson/Steve Canavan Pub Quiz in the Showboat this Thursday night (9th), all welcome on board.