Cork and the Waterford Crystal Factory

Pilar and Bartholomew
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We weren't able to update this blog site until we arrived on land with a good internet connection. The following is from the update we sent a few family members along the way.

We enjoyed a splend crossing of the Atlantic on the Jewel and arrived in Cork 7 days later.  We had great table mates and had a terrific waiter, Pilar, and assistant waiter, Bartholomew.

Green pastures with meandering hills

In Ireland, what comes to mind …. Green pastures with meandering hills … did you say a little rain. Well that’s what we got …. As you can see in our first picture it was pouring when we left – good thing we brought those raincoats. The drive to the Waterford Factory took about 1 ½ hours each way. The good part was that … that gave us plenty of time to see the country side. Of course this bus trip also gave us a little time to rest along the way.

Enjoying a wonderful dinner at Portofino's on the Jewel
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The few pictures at the Waterford plant – I hope they convey the quality of the glass they produce – we learned that there are no “seconds” – if it’s not perfect – it’s destroyed. A master glass cutter at the plant must have 8 years of experience. We also learned that they are paid by the piece – if once they finish a piece and it’s rejected – no pay for that. Picture 006 shows the markings that are made by computer on the glass – the craftsman then hand cuts to that design.

Just a little rain never stops us!
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In picture 007 Sally is talking to Tom who has been with Waterford for 28 years – he was describing how the cuts on the globe are especially challenging because they do the opposite side with reverse cuts and have to look through the globe to make the cuts. We did buy a few glasses – it was hard to resist. One of the pictures we hope you find interesting is the Waterford Grandfather Clock – and the Christmas scene etched vase.

We left around 9:00 am and didn’t return till 5:00 pm – it was a great day and the rain didn’t bother us at all.