GALLERY: Tourists can view 'rich and proud' history of Waterford City on new digital story trail

A new digital story trail featuring augmented reality has been launched in Waterford. 

Tourists to the city will now be able to explore the history, culture and heritage of 15 different locations - including Reginald's Tower and Waterford Crystal - in the heart of the city centre via their smartphone. 

Visitors can watch digital animations of characters and architecture appear as if they are in the physical world right in front of them. 

This is due to a collaboration between Waterford City and County Council in partnership with Imvizar, and with Fáilte Ireland funding under the Destination Town’s Initiative. 

The trail can be accessed for free by scanning one of the numerous QR codes on signs located throughout the city trail. 

Speaking at the launch in Waterford’s Medieval Museum, Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr John O’ Leary, said, "This new digital trail is a first for the South East. By breathing life into Waterford’s fascinating history and heritage, locals and visitors will be able to get a true sense of Waterford as it was centuries ago.

"Waterford’s Digital Trail is a wonderful addition to our tourism offering. We have a rich and proud history as Waterford’s Oldest city and to be able to quite literally go back in time and meet the characters from our past is as exciting as it is educational.”

In addition to meeting life-like characters from Waterford's past, scanning the QR code also provides an audio tale from a historical figure, coupled with interesting facts and a timeline of events. 

Spanning over a thousand years of Waterford’s history, tourists can listen as Reginald, a Viking King and warlord from the 10th century, describes his quest to launch raids all over Ireland and watch as Thomas Francis Meagher, Leader of the Young Irelanders in the 1848 Rebellion, raises the first Irish tricolour. 

Waterford’s history of master craft making is also recognised. Rachel Penrose, the wife of one of the founders of Waterford Crystal, William Penrose, appears in a recreation of an 18th century glass-blowing scene. 

Trail users can also meet Anastasia Fleming, a silversmith from the late 1700s, and see a reimagined façade of her silversmith shop. 

Creative Producer at Imvizar, Adele Keane, said, "When crafting the digital story trail, we wanted to focus on conserving Waterford's heritage by giving voices to both well-known and lesser-known historical figures. By hearing their stories, and sometimes seeing them in their surroundings, we can better put ourselves in their shoes and imagine what life was like as a silversmith in the 18th century or as a young soldier in World War I.”

Head of Regional Development for Ireland’s Ancient East, Brian O' Flynn, added, "Fáilte Ireland was pleased to support the development of the innovative Digital Story Trail through our Destination Town Investment Scheme. As today’s tourists are looking for more unique and compelling ways to immerse themselves in the local culture, heritage and history of a destination, this Digital Story Trail will help bring the story of Ireland’s oldest city to life, in new, immersive exciting ways.

"In addition, the trail, along with the enhancement work at the Viking Triangle due to be completed later this year, will encourage visitors to stay longer both during the day and into the evening, further spreading the benefits of tourism to the local area.”

To see the trail in action, click here.