Stop 7: harney’s hotel
You are
now at the Public Library. Believe it or not, on this site, there used to be a
bustling hotel right in the heart of Portlaw. Maybe you could guess by some of
the fancy plasterwork on the outside of the old building next door. Perhaps the
hotel used to look something like this.
Locals
Johnny Crotty and Willie Power think it’s a pity the new library building is
not in keeping with the architecture of the square.
It
was called Waterford Hotel and owned by the Harneys. There was a plaque hanging
over the hotel that had the original Waterford city “urbs intacta” crest. It
was built in the early 1800s. Notice the clock on the library that was part of
the hotel. Mr. Billy Harney and his family lived in the hotel. The hotel was for
anyone who stopped in the village. It had its own well and bakery. Harney’s
was used as a coach stop from Clonmel to Waterford. The passengers stayed
overnight in the hotel and the old horses were exchanged for fresh horses.
Mr.
Billy Harney owned a famous greyhound called Hales Gate. He won a famous trophy
and money. Mr Billy Harney hurled for Portlaw’s senior hurling team and he was
a great handball player. Some people remember that the Waterford hurling team
that was in the Munster Final in 1948 was picked in Harney’s Hotel.
Harney’s Hotel
Harney’s
was swell or so my gran tells,
It stood on the square overlooking the Lord’s Lair,
It was owned by a family who hailed from Portlaw,
It wore a great Coat but not to keep warm,
But a proud coat of arms as it stood
very tall,
No more does it stand as a hotel that was grand,
In the
palm of the Portlaw hand.
By
Dav Baker and his Gran
