First-class COAST

Legend has it that when marauding Vikings invaded Ireland, they stashed their ill-gotten gains underground, leaving some behind when they returned to their homelands.

This ‘gold’ was found by the leprechauns, who reburied it in even deeper places, well away from prying eyes – but the hiding places were revealed at the rainbow’s end. The myth might be fanciful, but Ireland does have gold deposits and a golden coast, stretching from Dungarvan to Stradbally on its south-eastern shores in Co Waterford.

Ireland’s heritage, though, lies with another metal – copper – the mining of which dates back to the Bronze Age in Co Kerry and Co Cork, and it is the Copper Coast, in Co Waterford, that in the 19th century, became one of the most important mining areas in the world.

This rugged stretch of coastline from Kilfarrasy Beach in the east to Stradbally in the west has been designated a UNESCO Global Geopark, but more importantly for the visitor, it is a beautiful area to drive or, if you have strong legs, cycle.

I was in the Republic helping colleague Bryony delve into her