Wexford Mental Health receives €1.6m 

By Dan Walsh 

The Wexford Mental Health Working Group has welcomed the €1.6 million investment in services. Group chair Cllr Aoife Rose O’Brien said the funding reflects the work completed so far.

CLLR AOIFE ROSE O’BRIEN (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

“This funding will deliver three important new services, a €1 million Crisis Resolution Team, a Solace Café and a specialist mental health nursing team at Wexford General Hospital.

“This is a significant investment in the mental health and wellbeing of people across our county and, importantly, it will provide additional support for people when they need it most,” stated Cllr O’Brien.

The new Crisis Resolution Team will provide rapid assessment and intensive short-term support to people experiencing an acute mental health crisis, including support in the community and, where appropriate, in people’s own homes.

This has the potential to provide an important alternative to hospital admission in some circumstances.  The Solace Café will provide a welcoming, community-based, and non-clinical environment where people experiencing mental health distress can access support.

“Mental health is not a 9-to-5 issue, and this café will provide support particularly during evenings and weekends. Having an accessible alternative to attending an emergency department can make a real difference to someone experiencing a crisis.

“While we welcome this news, we must remember that this is not the finish line for what our county needs,” said Rosslare District Cllr O’Brien, who concluded: “We need our dedicated crisis unit to be delivered, to care for all ages and not just over 18s. We need further investment into staffing, ensuring there are no vacant posts and ultimately, no person in crisis unable to receive lifesaving treatment.” 

9.36m cigarettes seized at Rosslare Europort

By Dan Walsh

A man in his 30s was questioned in connection with Revenue Officers’ seizure of approximately 9.36 million cigarettes at Rosslare Europort.

The seizure was made following routine risk profiling aimed at identifying tobacco products that may be diverted onto the market without payment of the tax due. 

The cigarettes arrived in an accompanied trailer that had disembarked a ferry from France. Both the trailer and the cigarettes were seized.

The cigarettes branded Sovereign and Super Kings, have an estimated value of over €8.8 million, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of almost €7 million.

Investigations are ongoing.

This seizure is part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting the shadow economy and the supply and sale of illegal tobacco products.

If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence at the freephone number 1800 295 295.

Gorey gears up for 24-hour pool bike event

By Dan Walsh

The 2026 renewal of the annual 24-hour Splash-a-Thon takes place in the Leisure Centre in the Ashdown Park Hotel, Gorey, this weekend, and you could be a participant in this unique fitness experience supporting a worthy cause.

The event is in aid of Cycle Against Suicide with all monies raised going to support the schools programme ‘Headstrong’, an evidenced supported programme to promote Peer to Peer learning and awareness about Mental Health. 

Organised by Joe Dixon and friends, the pool event is now in its eighth year, having run annually since 2017 except during the Covid years. 

Speaking to WexfordLocal.com, Joe Dixon said; “The Splash-A-Thon was started in memory of our son Fergus and many others who lost their lives to Suicide and to help raise awareness about Mental Health through the work of Cycle Against Suicide.

“We will be cycling 10 bikes in the swimming pool every hour from 9 am Saturday, October 10th until 9 am Sunday, October 11th, a total of 240 bike hours. Currently we have just over 210 people signed up, we need another 30,” said Joe. 

If anyone want to join the fun for this wonderful cause, please contact Club Ashdown on 051 94 80500

If companies would like to sponsor the event they can do so by contacting Club Ashdown.  

Carrigbyrne Water Treatment Plant disruption

By Dan Walsh

Uisce Éireann crews are working to restore water supply to customers in Carrigbyrne and Newbawn, following a disruption at the Carrigbyrne Water Treatment Plant.

Padraig Lyng, Water Operations Manager with Uisce Éireann, said: “Our crews are working to restore the Carrigbyrne Water Treatment Plant and return it to normal operation as quickly as possible.

“We are asking customers to be mindful of their water use during this period and we thank the community for its patience and co-operation while we work to restore normal supplies.”

As a result, some customers may experience low water pressure or temporary interruptions to their water supply.

The Carrigbyrne Water Treatment Plant is expected to return to production later today. Once production resumes, it will take time for the treated water reservoir to refill before normal supplies are restored across the network.

Customers can check the water supply and services section of the Uisce Éireann website for the latest updates at water.ie.

New chapter for Wexford Book Festival

By Dan Walsh

“We want Wexford to become a town of books for the weekend,” said festival organiser Wally O’Neill of Red Books looking forward to events running from October 16th-18th as the annual Wexford Book Fair expands into the first Wexford Book Festival.

The new festival will bring events to venues around the town, culminating in the 55th annual Wexford Book Fair at the Talbot Hotel on Sunday.

“The Book Fair has been running for fifty-five years now, making it the longest running Book Fair in Ireland. Expanding it into a festival seemed like the perfect way to celebrate that.”

The weekend will feature three book launches, with Margaret Hawkins, Gordon D’Arcy and Phil Hughes all launching books during the festival.

On Friday October 16th, Kinfolk will host Ireland’s first ever book rave, while Outspoken Spokenword Open mic will take place next door in Red Books Underground, following the launch of Margaret Hawkins “The Blood Cure”.

On Saturday, Eclectic Avenue will host a paperback book market as the festival continues across the town. There will be a pop-up Gaeltacht in Red Books Underground and the South-East launch of “Birdlife” by Gordon D’Arcy. 

Phil Hughes will be launching “The Rebel and the Seeress” in Red Books on Thursday the 15th as well.

The weekend will then culminate with the traditional Wexford Book Fair at the Talbot Hotel from 11am until 5pm on Sunday, October 18th.

As well as the book dealers who have made the Fair a fixture of Wexford life for more than half a century, Sunday will feature a celebration of independent publishing, talks on Wexford history and local poetry, and special events for children.

“The great thing about a book festival is that it can belong to everybody,” Mr O’Neill said. “You don’t have to be a serious collector or know anything about rare books. You can be looking for an antiquarian edition or simply bringing a young reader along to discover something new. Everyone is welcome.”

The expansion marks a new chapter for a Wexford tradition that has continued through economic booms and downturns, the rise of Amazon and the disruption of the pandemic.

“This is about building on those fifty-five years,” Mr O’Neill added. “The Book Fair remains at the heart of it. We’re just giving people another two days to celebrate books around Wexford.”

For more information please contact redbookswexford@gmail.com

Applegreen sponsors Wexford Festival Opera

Suzanne Nance, Executive Director Wexford Festival Opera and Applegreen Executive Chairman Bob Etchingham. (Pic; Patrick Browne)

By Dan Walsh

Wexford Festival Opera has announced a new three-year partnership with Applegreen, the Irish roadside hospitality company who becomes the Official Sponsor of the popular Pocket Opera Programme.

Suzanne Nance, Executive Director of Wexford Festival Opera said: “We are delighted to welcome Applegreen as Official Sponsor of our Pocket Operas through a new three-year partnership, beginning during Wexford Festival Opera’s milestone 75th anniversary year.

“It is particularly meaningful to partner with Applegreen, united by our shared belief in the power of music to uplift communities, bring people together and enhance wellbeing. We are enormously grateful for their support as we celebrate 75 years and look to the years ahead with continued ambition,” added Ms. Nance.

Applegreen Executive Chairman, Bob Etchingham said: “Applegreen is delighted to become an Official Sponsor of Wexford Opera Festival’s Pocket Opera Programme. This is a really appropriate partnership for us, as Pocket Opera brings opera out into the wider community, while Applegreen is at the heart of communities across Ireland.”

The Pocket Operas remain one of our most beloved initiatives for making opera open to all. These concise, hour-long productions offer an affordable, welcoming introduction to the art form for audiences of all ages. Tickets are priced at €30, with convenient daytime performances scheduled between 11am and 3pm.

The line-up for this anniversary year includes two exceptional titles:

The Rose of Castile by Irish composer Michael William Balfe: A special nod to our history, as this is a remounting of the very first opera ever produced in Wexford back in 1951.

Much Ado About Nothing by Irish composer Charles Villiers Stanford: A wonderful operatic adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic comedy.

Tickets for many events are already selling fast, with limited availability on several performance dates.

Secure your tickets today and join Wexford Festival Opera from October 15th-31st to celebrate 75 years over 17 days and nights.

40 winners for Bertie Finn

By Dan Walsh

The 2026/27 point-to-point season kicked off at Toomebridge, Co. Antrim, on Saturday and while Wexford stables were involved the best placing was the runner-up spot for Colin Bowe’s I’m Feeling It in the four years old mares’ maiden race with Bertie Finn on board.

BERTIE FINN (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

However, Oulart rider Bertie Finn was compensated in the next race with success on owner/trainer Patrick Ward’s Western Wishes in the Winner of One race. It was Finn’s milestone 40th career victory.

2026/27 Autumn Point-to-Point Fixtures in the South Eastern region is as follows;

Sunday, October 18th; Shillelagh & District Hunt at Fairwood, TINAHELY.

Saturday, October 24th; Island Hunt at PEPPARDS CASTLE, Kilmuckridge.

Sunday November 8th; Wexford Hunt at KNOCKMULLEN HOUSE, New Ross.

Sunday, November 15th; Wicklow Hunt at Fairwood, TINAHELY.

Sunday, November 22nd; Killinick Harriers at LINGSTOWN, Tomhaggard.

Sunday, November 29th; Carlow Farmers at BORRIS HOUSE.

Sunday, December 6th; Ballinagore Harriers at BALLYCRYSTAL, Kiltealy.

Restoration at Wexford Franciscan Friary

The Romanesque Franciscan Friary in Wexford town is undergoing extensive restoration works. (Pic; (WexfordLocal.com)  

By Dan Walsh at Wexford Franciscan Friary

The Franciscan Friary in Wexford town is a fine classical Romanesque building, with an ornate barrel ceiling in the nave which is separated from the aisles by a colonnade of four massive pillars on each side.

The Friary has a long history, and fundraising remains a challenge as the prominent building is surrounded by scaffolding for localised roof repairs and other remedial work.

The Friary’s exposed urban and coastal setting has accelerated weathering of its likely 140-year-old slates, leaving them thin and brittle.

The decision was made that the best approach for the Friary would be to approach the project as a full re-roofing of the main slopes with new natural stone slate to the main slopes.

Repairs to the Friary is costing €600,000. Although the Friary Restoration Fund has received generous support, much more is needed.

A book launch in aid of the Friary Restoration Fund takes place on Thursday, October 8th at 7pm in Wexford Library, Mallin Street.

“Wexford Town – A Photographic Journey” showcasing a collection of 1933 aerial photos by Kevin Hurley and William Roche. It is an excellent publication.

HISTORY; This church was originally founded in 1230 AD and dedicated to St. John and St. Brigid, It was handed over to the Friars Minor in or about 1265. In the Dissolution of Monasteries in 1540 the Friars were expelled.

The Friars returned to this site in 1622, when under the Guardianship of Fr. John Sinnott OFM they got back the old friary and repaired it.

When Wexford town was attacked by Oliver Cromwell in October 1649 when 200 people were killed in the market place several friars were put to death at the Friary Church.

The church was granted by Cromwell to the Ivory family, however, using the still-standing walls of the pre-Cromwellian building, restoration began in 1688 and was completed in 1690.

The church was used as the parish church for the people of Wexford from 1690 until 1858.

In 1986-’87 the Franciscan Friary was extensively refurbished and reordered to conform with current liturgical requirements.

    

€90,000 for Slaney Search and Rescue

Members of Slaney Search and Rescue bringing families to safety at Templeshannon during the January flooding. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

By Dan Walsh

Enniscorthy-based Slaney Search and Rescue has expressed gratitude to Minister James Browne TD and Minister Dara Calleary TD for securing €90,000 under the 2026 CLÁR Programme towards the purchase of two new rescue and recovery vehicles.

In a statement on social media, Slaney Search and Rescue said; “This funding is a significant investment in our team and will strengthen our vehicle fleet, allowing our volunteers to continue carrying out our recovery operations effectively across the community.

“We greatly value the support of governmental bodies in recognising the work carried out by voluntary search and rescue organisations. Funding such as this is essential in helping us maintain the equipment and resources required to operate safely and effectively.

“We would also like to thank Minister Browne for meeting with members of our team at the National Services Day event in Wexford and for his support of Slaney Search and Rescue.

“We look forward to putting these new vehicles to work in support of our ongoing operations,” stated Slaney Search and Rescue.

Minister Browne said: “Slaney Search and Rescue and their brilliant, dedicated team regularly support our community rapidly and professionally in times of need and often in extremely difficult or upsetting circumstances. The vehicle that has been approved for Wexford today will have a transformative effect on many lives in the county and I want to thank the Slaney Search and Rescue team for their work.”

The CLÁR programme funds small-scale infrastructure projects in designated rural areas through a range of different measures.

Jesse Sludds returns to Late Late Show

By Dan Walsh

Young Wexford performer Jesse Sludds returns to The Late Late Show studio tonight (Friday) to take part in the Country Music Special with Patrick Kielty on RTÉ television.

JESSE SLUDDS returns to The Late Late Show. (Pic; Andreas Poveda/RTE Press Office)

Jesse will announce the release of his new single Dear Home and give an update on life since winning the The Late Late Show Opening Act competition back in April.

He then went on to open for Shania Twain at Thomond Park in Limerick in July in front of 25,000 people.

The 19-year-old full-time musician from Enniscorthy, who covered Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car on the night, won the competition when the results of the public vote, the music industry jury vote, and the country music jury vote were combined.

The Late Late Show, Friday, 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.