Glenshelane Scout Campsite & Cabin, Glenshelane, Cappoquin, County Waterford, Ireland.

The 4^th Waterford Troop (Abbeyside) wish You and Your Group safe and enjoyable stay at Glenshelane Scout Campsite & Cabin. We have picked out a few places of interest within a short distance of Glenshelane Scout Campsite & Cabin that you may like to visit.

ARDMORE

Travel via the Dromana Gate and the beautiful village of Villierstown to the seaside at Ardmore. Swim in the broad Atlantic, (provide your own life-guards). Get a leaflet at the Tourist Office by the beach and do the Ardmore Cliff Walk. See the Round Tower. Go back to the beach and use the fine sandy beach for ball games etc. Ardmore (Aird Mhór in Irish, meaning "Great Height") is a fishing village not far from Youghal. It is believed to be the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland. Saint Declan lived in the region at some time in the period 350 – 450 AD and christianized the area before the coming of Saint Patrick.

On a hill above the village is a well preserved 30-m high, 12th-century round tower and the ruins of St Declan's church and oratory dating from the 13th and 8th centuries respectively. One of the outer walls of the church features some stone carvings retrieved from an earlier 9th-century building.

The round tower which was built in the 12th Century stands at 29 metres high and is comprised of four floors. There are four windows on the top floor of the tower, each being equi-distant from each other. There are a number of simpler openings on the other floors, which also provide light. The entrance doorway is roughly four metres from the ground. The round tower was to serve as a refuge for inhabitants of the settlement and was also used a safe storage location for their various possessions, which would have included books, chalices etc

CLONEA STRAND

An extensive popular sandy the beach at Clonea beach is wide and more then a mile long, sloping gently. The beach is lifeguarded throughout the bathing season. This beach area is Blue Flagged and during the summer months is patrolled by County Waterford Life Guards. The nearby Clonea Strand Hotel and Leisure Centre has an indoor heated swimming pool and gym. There is also ‘The Play Loft’ where you can enjoy bowling, pool, and arcade games along with the indoor soft play area. Clonea beach can be accessed by driving from Dungarvan east on the R675 towards the coast following signs for Clonea.

BOOLEY HOUSE, BALLYDUFF

The Booley House Musical brings the great Irish legacy to life.Traveling all over the world the Booley House presents 90 fast paced,uninterrupted minutes of authentic traditional music played on traditional instruments.Filled with brilliant singing,set and step dancing,Booley House also fosters the unique legacy of the golden-tongued Irish storyteller. An exciting and fast moving show,The Booley House musical is staged over the summer months in Ballyduff,County Waterford.The show includes the very best of Irish music,song and dance and includes resident "Shanacie"(storyteller),James Lenane-All Ireland winner in the particular field.The Booley House Musical also includes The Michael Ryan School of Dancers,which encompass a wonderful range of original step dancing routines that always generate enthusiastic audience response.A number of dancers from this school have performed in *Riverdance and Lord of the Dance*. The local Set Dancer Master,Tom Hyland,will have his dancers doing Irish sets,often leading audience members to dance in the aisles.A recent innovation to the show is the introduction of brush dancers,which has now become a showstopper. The musicians provide a unique sound performing on traditional instruments.This has been the hallmark of the Booley House since its inception.Singer Ber Browne completes the artists on stage. Go to the Booley House, Ballyduff for a night tea, scones, apple tart, orange, music, song and Irish Dancing on stage performed to a very high standard – on every Wednesday Night in Summer (Book early). Time: 8:00pm to 11.00pm. 058-54975/60152

LISMORE

Early on your Camp pay a days visit to Lismore. Visit the Lismore Heritage Centre, which will put your stay in West Waterford in perspective. Swim in the swimming pool on the Ownashad River (provide your own life-guards). Visit the Cathedral and go to the Towers outside Lismore on the Ballyduff Road. The gardens of Lismore Castle are open to the public amble around and see the Castle at close quarters. Call into the Supermarket, in Cappoquin for provisions on your way back to Camp.

MOUNT MELLERAY

Make arrangements to visit both the Mount Melleray Scout Centre and Mount Melleray Cistercian Abbey. Located north of Cappoquin, Mount Melleray Abbey is a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1832 by a group of Irish Monks who had been expelled from Melleray in Brittany, France. It is still a fully functional monastery and is open to visitors seeking quiet reflection and those who want to see something of a daily routine. It is will worth a visit. At the Abbey, pay a visit to the Church and the visitor’s centre. Enquire about using some of the facilities in Mount Melleray Scout Activity and Sport Centre, Cappoquin, County Waterford. Originally a boarding school attached to the Abbey of Mount Melleray it was acquired by the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland in 1979 and opened as a Scout Centre. Assault course, Pioneering, Orienteering Course (maps available), Ariel runway, Sports, Bouldering wall, Basketball courts, Handball alleys, Games room, Multipurpose hall, Big screen TV with ample seating. Both are just a short hike along the forest path from the Campsite.

KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS

Hike in the nearby Knockmealdown Mountains. Visit the Holy Year Cross on Knockboy Hill and the ruin of the old R.I.C. Barracks on the Waterford – Tipperary border. Ask the Site Warden about maps of this area.

DUNGARVAN

Dungarvan is one of Ireland's gems - a bustling market town of more than 10,000 people perched on Dungarvan Bay beneath the Comeragh Mountains. The salmon run past the 14th century church tower and up the rushing Colligan River to lay their eggs in the gravel beds beyond the town. King John's Castle. That's Robin Hood's King John. Built in the early 1200's, Dungarvan's ancient castle is just now the scene of archaeological digs.Dungarvan is a thriving seaside market town nestled beneath the mountains of County Waterford. Strategically located on the South East coast of Ireland. A large population live in Dungarvan's hinterland of prosperous farms and villages, and these people also shop, work and socialise in the town which is the administrative headquarters for County Waterford. Dungarvan was an important commercial centre as far back as the year 600 A.D. and probably for the same reasons that it flourishes now: a central position along Ireland's Southern coast, an industrious and friendly population, and the sheer joy to be had living in such a bountiful place. Visit the Dungarvan Museum in the Old Town Hall on Friary St., the Art Centre in the Old Market House, or the Library on the quay looking across at Abbeyside, stay overnight in Abbeyside Scout Den either camping or indoors ask the Site Warden. Avail of a heated Swimming Pool in the Park Hotel. Shop til you drop in the Shopping Centre or see a film in the Cinema.

CLONMEL

Heading inland to the Suir Valley Town of Clonmel visit the Cinema, walk along the Medieval Quays on the banks of the Suir, see the Franciscan Friary built in the late 1200’s. A must is the Museum Of Transport or journey further to Cahir and Cashel.

COMERAGH MOUNTAINS

The Comeragh Mountains are also a must to see in this area of the country boasting panoramas including the Atlantic coast to the south and Slieve na Mban in the Galtee mountains north above Clonmel. Sights include pre-historic sites, standing stones, fulachta and the Mahon Falls which are all accessible from the Comeragh Drive.

4th Waterford, Abbeyside Scout Group, Scouting Ireland, 2008