Waterford City is the oldest city in Ireland . The vikings first established themselves there in 853 but where later pushed out . they later resettled in waterford in 918 . The dominicans came to waterford in the 1226 and it was their first convent in Munster . sometime after the Statue of our lady of waterford was brought to the church there. The dominicans left Waterford city in 2022. How ever a new Religious congregation , The Home of the Mother now administer the Church and have continued the devotions to Our Lady. The statue itself is a medieval Italianate design