Southeast Ireland is a region of Ireland comprising Counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. With a population of 422,062 in 2016, it's one of the eight regions of Ireland for statistical and planning purposes, specifically "IE052 - NUTS Level III"; it's not a unit of local government. Historically most of it was part of the kingdom or province of Leinster, but County Waterford lay in Munster. The southeast has historic cities, pastoral landscapes and long sandy beaches.
Noted for its nature, culture, vibrant nightlife and modern amenities, a pleasant place to visit, where history and contemporary life sit side by side.
This has the attractive medieval city of Kilkenny, the great priory ruin of Kells, and small towns along its rivers.
With the rich heritage of Waterford city, the stately buildings around Lismore, and many beaches and small harbour towns.
The main beaches in the south of Ireland are here. Tragic history was played out in the streets of Enniscorthy, Gorey and New Ross.
Glaciers created Ireland's notorious bogs but cleared early from the southeast, leaving a low-lying, well-drained and fertile region. Its two coasts are lined with little coves and sandy beaches where sailing boats could easily draw up, so it attracted many early settlers. No-one knows how the Celts first reached Ireland circa 500 BC, but via the southeast seems likely. The Vikings founded the city of Waterford; the Normans first landed in Wexford and decided to stay for keeps. Here in Tudor times the English resumed the land grab, so Sir Walter Raleigh became a wealthy landowner around Lismore. Castles, abbeys and mansion houses reaped the profits of the farmland. The southeast was also the seat of two major rebellions: by the 17th century Kilkenny Confederacy against Cromwell, and by the United Irishmen in Wexford in 1798.
This means that the region lacks spectacular scenery, but it more than compensates with its rich historic heritage, wealth of visitor facilities, and good transport. And it's somehow homage to the early voyagers and spirit of Sir Walter that the southeast saw the first-ever Ryanair flight, from Waterford to Gatwick in 1985. Equally true to that spirit, it was among the first routes to be axed.
Dublin Airport (IATA: DUB) is usually the best place to fly into, for its range of flights at competitive prices. It's obviously some distance from the southeast but has good direct public transport, and if you hire a car you're soon on the motorway south.
Cork airport (IATA: ORK) is closer but has fewer flights. Waterford airport lost its commercial flights in 2016. Trains run 5-7 times a day from Dublin Heuston to Waterford, taking 2 hr 15 min via Newbridge, Kildare, Athy, Carlow, Bagenalstown / Muine Bheag, Kilkenny and Thomastown. Dublin Heuston is also the station for Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Galway and Mayo. Waterford has a branchline service twice a day to Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Cahir, Tipperary and Limerick Junction, for trains to Cork, Kerry and Limerick.
Trains run five times a day from Dublin Connolly to Rosslare town and Europort, for ferries from Wales and the continent. They take 3 hours via Dún Laoghaire, Bray, Wicklow Town, Rathdrum, Arklow, Gorey, Enniscorthy and Wexford. Dublin Connolly is also the station for Belfast, Sligo and Dublin DART trains. The railway between Wexford and Waterford was axed in 2010 so there is no link between the two main lines.
Buses run direct from Dublin airport and city to Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Waterford and Cork. Bus Éireann is the main operator but they have competition on these routes. Their Bus 40 trundles the breadth of Ireland from Rosslare via Wexford, New Ross, Waterford, Cork, Killarney and Tralee, while Bus 73 runs from Athlone across the midlands to Waterford.
Motorways fan out from Dublin and are toll-free once you leave the city M50.
By boat, Rosslare has ferries from Wales, and in summer direct from Europe. You could also take the ferry from Liverpool or Holyhead to Dublin and drive south. Cork has no ferries but is often visited by cruise ships.
See above for inter-city rail and bus routes: any two points on the same transport corridor will have good connections, but then there's a lot in between. Thomastown is a good example, with trains and buses rushing between Dublin and Waterford. But the town's main attraction Jerpoint Abbey is 3 km away along a busy road with no public transport or pavement, so you need at least a bike. That might also get you as far as charming Inistioge, but then the distances become daunting so you need a car.
The navigable River Barrow flows through the southeast, but is tidal up beyond New Ross, off limits to rented boats.
The region is lowland; take care on the water but the main hazards are man-made, especially traffic.