Waterford in County Waterford, Munster, Ireland — Irish South-West ((Éire) North Atlantic Ocean)

St. Olaves Church

Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 16, 2026

1. St. Olaves Church Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

St. Olaves Ch.

[Gaeilge:]
Tógadh an céad eaglais ar an láthair seo, foirgneamh adhmaid is dócha, thart ar AD1050, tráth dá raibh roinnt mhaith eaglaisí ar fud tuaisceart na hEorpa tiomnaithe do Rí na hIorua, Olav Naofa, a maraíodh sa mbliain 1030 agus é ag troid chun a ríocht a Chríostú. Léiríonn tiomnú na heaglaise go raibh ceangal fós idir áitritheoirí Phort Láirge na 11ú aoise agus a n-oidhreacht Lochlannach ón Iorua 200 bliain tar éis dá sinsir teacht i dtír i gcuan Phort Láirge don chéad uair. Níl fágtha anois d’eaglais mheánaoiseach Naoimh Olav os cionn talúnach an doras seo. Tar éis an Reifirméisin thit an eaglais chloiche mheánaoiseach as a chéile agus ní raibh fágtha ach fothrach faoin mbliain 1615. Thóg an tEaspag Thomas Milles eaglais Naomh Olav mar atá sa mbliain 1731 agus déineadh é a ath-thiomnú do Naomh Olav ar an 29 Iúil, lá féile an naoimh. Ba láthair adhrartha í Eaglais Naoimh Olav suas go dtí 1970.

[English:]
The earliest church on this site, probably wooden, was built around AD1050, a time when many churches in northern Europe were dedicated to the King of Norway, Olav the Holy, who was killed in

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1030 fighting to Christianise his kingdom. The dedication of the church shows that the inhabitants of 11th century Waterford maintained their links with their Norwegian Viking heritage 200 years after their ancestors first arrived in Waterford harbour. This doorway is all that remains above ground of the medieval St Olav’s. Following the Reformation the medieval stone church fell into ruin by 1615. In 1731 the present St Olav’s church was built by Bishop Thomas Milles and re-dedicated to St Olav on 29th July the saint’s feast day. St Olav’s remained a place of worship until 1970.

[Norsk:]
Den første kirken her, sannsynligvis av tre, ble bygget rundt 1050. I denne perioden ble mange kirker i Nord-Europa dedikert til Norges konge, Olav den hellige, som ble drept i slaget ved Stiklestad i 1030 i kampen for å kristne Norge. At kirken er oppkalt etter St. Olav viser at innbyggerne i Waterford i det 11.århundre opprettholdt forbindelsene med sine norske røtter, selv 200 år etter at forfedrene først kom til Waterford. Denne døren er alt som står igjen av middelalderens St. Olavs kirke. Etter reformasjonens forfall steinkirken, og det var bare

Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 16, 2026

2. St. Olaves Church Marker

The marker is located on the side of the former church.

ruiner igjen i 1615. Den nåværende St. Olavs kirken ble bygget i 1731 av biskop Thomas Milles og gjeninnviet til St. Olav på Olsok dagen, den 29. juli. Bygget ble brukt som kirke fram til 1970-tallet.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1731.

Location. 52° 15.612′ N, 7° 6.533′ W. Marker is in Waterford, Munster, in County Waterford. It is on Olaf Street south of High Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8 Olaf St, Waterford, Munster, Ireland. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Ancient East.

Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean,

in the North Atlantic Region,

in Europe,

on the Island of Ireland,

on the Celtic Fringe,

in the European Union,

in Atlantic Europe,

on one of the British Isles,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Raymond T. Chandler (within shouting distance of this marker); King John (within

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shouting distance of this marker); Remains of a 15th Century Town House (within shouting distance of this marker); Chairman's Arch (within shouting distance of this marker); Thomas L. Mackesy, MD, FRCSI (within shouting distance of this marker); John Condon Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Madness and Loss in WWI (within shouting distance of this marker); Charles Kean and William Vincent Wallace (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Waterford.

Also see . . . Saint Olave's Church (Saint Olave's), Peter Street, Olaf Street, Waterford.

Detached five-bay double-height single-cell Church of Ireland church, built 1733 - 1734, on a corner site incorporating fabric of earlier church, c.1200, on site. Now in use as community centre. Pitched slate roof with clay ridge tiles, rendered chimney stack, cut-stone coping having cross finial to apex, and cast-iron rainwater goods on profiled rendered eaves.

(Submitted on June 30, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 30, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 16 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 30, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.