Every city has that pub — the one where the rugby is always on, where the carvery on a Sunday is genuinely worth the queue, and where the atmosphere on a match day is something you want to be part of rather than somewhere to endure. In Waterford City, that pub is The Three Shippes on William Street.
The Food
The kitchen at Three Shippes takes pub food seriously in the way that earns a loyal lunchtime crowd. The carvery is a draw in its own right, and the daily menu — chicken caesar wraps, beef stew, burgers and sandwiches — provides generous portions at the kind of prices that make it a regular habit rather than an occasional treat.
The Atmosphere
The nautical design — dark wood interiors with nods to Waterford’s seafaring history — gives the pub a character that goes beyond the function of a sports bar. There’s live music, there’s a proper local following, and on match days the room fills with the kind of energy that reminds you why pubs exist.
Nautical theme, great carvery, live rugby on every screen. The Three Shippes is exactly what a good sports pub should be and rarely is.
The Three Shippes
18 William Street, Waterford City
📞 051 843 178
📸 @thethreeshippes
Match Days
On a Six Nations Saturday or a Munster European knockout night, The Three Shippes becomes one of the most alive pubs in Waterford City. The screens are well positioned, the atmosphere is genuine rather than manufactured, and the crowd is the kind that actually watches rather than just occupies space near the television. If you care about the match, this is where you want to be. If you don’t, come on a quieter weeknight instead — it is a perfectly good pub in either mode.
The Carvery
Sunday lunch at The Three Shippes is a Waterford institution for a particular cohort of the city’s population. The carvery — traditional roast, well-executed, generous portions — draws a queue that forms early and with conviction. It is the kind of Sunday lunch that Irish pubs do when they do them properly: no pretension, everything hot, everything as it should be. Arrive before 1pm if you want to guarantee a table.
Good to Know
The Three Shippes is on William Street, Waterford City, a short walk from the main John Street pub circuit. The pub has multiple screens for live sport and a good draught selection. Food is served daily with the Sunday carvery the headline offering. Opening hours extend later on match nights and weekends. Parking is available nearby at the Waterford City car parks on the quays. It is a pub that does what it says and does it well.
The Three Shippes is a pub that fulfils its brief completely. It is exactly what a rugby pub should be — screens positioned for viewing, atmosphere that builds on match days, carvery that feeds a crowd without fuss, and a welcome that doesn’t require you to have been coming for twenty years before you feel comfortable. Waterford’s sport pub scene is well served, and The Three Shippes is at the top of that provision.