ROSE FITZGERALD KENNEDY BRIDGE at New Ross where closures are happening in the coming weeks. It starts today.
By Dan Walsh
All road users operating between counties Wexford, south Kilkenny and Waterford, and vice versa, need to be aware of upcoming lane and bridge closures on the N25 Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge, south of New Ross, on the Wexford side of the River Barrow as repair works get underway at Pier 4 from today, May 25th.
Daytime works on Monday and Tuesday will see both Lane 2s closed between 7.30am and 3.30pm.
The bridge will then fully close overnight on Wednesday and Thursday from 8pm until 4am, with diversions in place through New Ross.
No works are planned for Friday, May 29th, in a bid to reduce disruption ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend
Further lane restrictions will remain in place over the following two weeks, including eastbound and westbound Lane 2 closures during daytime hours. Finishing works are expected to continue until June 12th. Road users are being advised to allow extra travel time and to follow all diversion routes in place.
It’s a long time since the 2025-’26 point-to-point season commenced last October and it ended this weekend where the highlight was doubles for Donnchadh Doyle and a double and the 80th career winner for Cleariestown rider Barry Stone.
BARRY STONE rode his 80th career victory today at Tattersalls.
Stone’s double was at Tattersalls in Co. Meath where he got the winners flowing under Galant Jewel in the colours of Noeleen Kenny and trained at Craanford by Jimmy Kenny, who has enjoyed his best season to date. 13 lengths the verdict.
Half an hour later and Barry Stone was in the winners’ enclosure again following division one of the maiden race for four-year-old geldings aboard Donnchadh Doyle’s newcomer Naturalenegry who sailed home by two and a half lengths.
And Donnchadh Doyle’s Ballindaggin stables made it a double victory in division two when Rob James brought Bingo Bus home by 13 lengths.
Wexford stables also won both divisions of the five-year old geldings’ maiden. The father and son team, trainer and rider, James and John Walsh from Tinahely scored a five lengths success with Mr Caulfield in the colours of Martin J. Molloy to take division one, while Sean Doyle and Cormac Byrne produced George Dundee to victory by five and a half lengths in division two.
The Blackhall Partnership Stables and Paul Martin Pierce at Killurin supplied the winner of the maiden race for five-year-olds plus. Only ‘a head’ separated Sing Like Madonna from Seamus Osborne’s Buddy And Me for the father and son team, James and John Walsh, who won earlier with Mr Caulfield. Paul Pierce having his best ever season with 11 winners.
JAMES WALSH
Michael Gahan and Michael Goff achieved ‘a short head’ victory with Craan Rose getting the better of Colin Bowe’s Wings In The Wing ridden by Shane O’Rourke in the mares’ maiden race for six-year-old geldings plus at Ballingarry on Sunday.
Ballingarry had a two-day fixture and yesterday (Saturday) experienced two Wexford winners. Wexford footballer and Kilmore owner/handler Thomas Byrne saddled Sam Smoke to victory in the maiden mares’ race for four-year-olds. Shane Cotter took the mount. Corkman Cotter wins his second under 21 riders’ title.
Ballindaggin rider Cormac Byrne had his 10th career winner and the seventh this season on Gathering The Facts for the Monbeg Syndicate and Donnchadh Doyle by four lengths in the Winner of One race confined to novice riders.
The National Point-to-Point Awards ceremony will take place in Clayton Whites Hotel, Wexford, on Saturday, June 13th. Tickets are on sale.
Courtown RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew were tasked this Sunday afternoon after a person got into difficulties and following a call to the Coast Guard from a concerned member of the public.
The person had become separated from his personal watercraft and although they were wearing a buoyancy aid, they were some distance from shore in choppy conditions.
The volunteer lifeboat crew had assembled and were preparing the Courtown RNLI inshore lifeboat Frank for launch when they were stood down, as a fellow personal watercraft user had come to the casualty’s aid.
Courtown RNLI lifeboat helm Robert Ierton said: “Never hesitate to call 112 or 999 as soon as possible and ask for the Coast Guard, if you think somebody is in trouble and always ensure you have a means of communication and life jacket or buoyancy aid.”
A teenage cyclist was rushed to Wexford General Hospital this evening following a collision with a car at the junction of Slaney Street with Island Road in Enniscorthy town.
The incident occurred shortly after 5pm. The cyclist was travelling down Slaney Street when the brakes malfunctioned, and collided with a car turning into the street.
The cyclist sustained injuries and was treated at the scene; however, they are believed to be non-life threatening. The female car driver escaped uninjured.
There were several eyewitnesses to the frightening incident which occurred in perfect weather conditions.
Members of An Garda Siochana and the National Ambulance Service attended the scene.
AFRICA DAY from 2-5pm on Sunday at MIN RYAN PARK at Killeens, Wexford town, (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
By Dan Walsh
Min Ryan Park in Kileens on the outskirts of Wexford town is the place to be for a celebration of culture, community and connection on Sunday.
It is Africa Day from 2-5pm and there is an open invitation to as many people as possible to get involved and share in the family friendly activities.
This event is being funded by FDYS and supported by the Government of Ireland, Wexford County Council and the Local Authority Integration Team.
What’s on: This open and welcoming event for all ages is an opportunity to experience culture, connect with others, and enjoy a great day out in Wexford.
African fashion parade showcasing beautiful textiles, prints and contemporary style.
African food sampling – a chance to taste a variety of flavours from different parts of the continent.
Live music, performances and a DJ creating an energetic atmosphere.
African drumming
Family-friendly activities include: Arts and crafts, Games for children
Cyclists crossing the finish line following Stage 3 of Rás Tailteann at Ross Road, Enniscorthy, this afternoon. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
By Dan Walsh at Ross Road, Enniscorthy
Liam Flanagan of the APS Pro Cycling Team has won Stage 3 of Rás Tailteann after 155.6km from Mitchelstown to Enniscorthy today (Friday).
The American claimed that victory, from a breakaway, solo just ahead of yesterday’s winner, and new yellow jersey, Tim Shoreman (Wheelbase Cabtech-Castelli).
Once again, Conn McDunphy (APS Pro Cycling) was 3rd, like Thursday, while fellow Irishman George Peden (PB Performance) took 4th place.
The Mitchelstown – Enniscorthy stage arrived via Carley’s Bridge and the stage finish was at the entrance to The Showgrounds on Ross Road where a fine crowd gathered to cheer home the riders and welcome the Rás to Enniscorthy.
Cathaoirleach of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy welcomed the riders and the Rás team to Enniscorthy. She noted Rás stage finishes over the years, with 2026 marking the first time the race has finished in the town in 20 years.
Minister for Housing, Heritage and Local Government James Browne TD, Cllrs Aidan Browne, John O’Rourke, Trish Byrne, Pat Kehoe and Jackser Owens shared the main podium with sponsors and officials.
TIM SHOREMAN (yellow jersey) and the leading riders celebrate on the podium at Enniscorthy this aftenoon. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
Liam Ruth, stage end organiser, said: “It is a great honour for Enniscorthy to host a stage finish of Rás Tailteann. The race has a special place in Irish sport, and it will be fantastic to welcome the riders, teams, officials and supporters to the town.”
John Butler, Chairperson of Slaney Cycling Club and stage end organiser, added; “We would encourage people to come out, enjoy the occasion and help create a memorable finish in Enniscorthy.”
Cairde Rás Tailteann sincerely thanked Slaney Cycling Club, Wexford County Council, District Manager Claire Lawless, local Cllr John O’Rourke, who lives very close to the finish line, Enniscorthy Rugby Club, the Enniscorthy Showgrounds Committee, Enniscorthy Gardai and the many cycling clubs from across Wexford who supported the event.
Enniscorthy will host the finish of Stage 3 of the famous Rás Tailteann 5-day cycle race today (Friday) at Ross Road.
The race will approach from the Carley’s Bridge direction and finish outside the main Showgrounds entrance at about 2.15pm.
A podium will be erected at the finish with some music and interviews, commentary on the race finish and the prize presentations will be made there directly after the finish.
The Ross Road will be fully open to traffic until the advance Garda team deem the finish to be imminent at which point traffic approaching the Ross Road from the Wafer Street/town direction will be diverted through Patrick Street and traffic approaching from Carley’s Bridge will be directed through Gort na Gréine at the roundabout.
Parking will be restricted on Ross Road from the junction with Patrick Street to The Showgrounds entrance. To ensure the safety of the riders and to avoid any damage to parked vehicles it is requested that residents use alternative parking for the duration of the event.
Alternative parking for Ross Road residents will be available at the Astro pitch carpark while spectator parking is available at the Sports Hub carpark.
There will be traffic disruption and delays for about an hour between the Ross Road/Patrick Street junction and the roundabout at Andy Doyle Close/Gort na Gréine during the race finish but gardaí and race marshals will keep delays to a minimum.
Today’s race begins at Mitchelstown and travels through Kilbeheny, Skeheenarinky, New Inn, Fethard, Cloneen, Mullinahone, Dunnamaggan, Knocktopher, Jerpoint Abbey, Thomastown, Graiguenamanagh, Ballymurphy, Kiltealy, Jamestown, with an uphill finish into Enniscorthy. A total distance of 155.6kms.
HISTORY; Enniscorthy has a proud history of hosting top class cycling events. Enniscorthy famously hosted Stage 2 of the 1998 Tour de France and has hosted the Rás Tailteann on numerous occasions in its 71 years of sporting existence. The last time was in 2006.
It also hosted the Nissan International Classic (1985-1992) on a few occasions featuring two of Ireland’s greatest international cyclists, Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche.
The annual Wexford Garda Youth Awards ceremony took place in the County Hall, Wexford County Council.
By Dan Walsh
The 10th annual Wexford Garda Youth Awards ceremony took place in Wexford County Council buildings acknowledging the achievements of young people who are making a difference in their own lives and in their communities within the Wexford Garda Division.
The occasion was a huge success with over 120 people attending to celebrate the brilliance of these young people. Thirteen awards were presented, including individual awards for overcoming adversity, making positive contributions to their community and group awards such as raising awareness about drink spiking.
The Individual awards went to Ella Colgan, Yosra El Hussein, Valeriia Stepanenko, Sokhrab Yanbekov and Sophie Healy. Special Achievement Awards went to Cian Hammel, Fernando Veresan, Luke Moorehouse, Darragh Power and Luke Sanders. The two groups to receive an award on the night were The Bling Girls and Sean Holden, Tiernan Codd and Kuba Dmoowski. The Community Safety Award went to The Enniscorthy Youthreach Learners Group.
Inspector Liam Kavanagh said; “An Garda Síochána, Wexford are delighted to share that this evening’s local Garda Youth Awards ceremony was a great success, thanks to the support and efforts of everyone involved.
“A special thank you goes to Wexford County Council for their ongoing sponsorship and support which was instrumental in the event’s success. The presence of Cumas Céilí Band also contributed to the event.
Wexford County Council Chief Executive Eddie Taaffe attended the event and said; “It is an honour to be involved with the Garda Youth Awards. It is vitally important to encourage our young people to reach their maximum potential. The young people are an example of the positivity and good that exists in our own community.”
The nomination process will be open again in early 2027 on the Wexford County Council’s website for anyone who would like to nominate a young person between the ages of 13 and 21 years for next year’s awards.
M/s Lismore comes onto the Zeebrügge to Rosslare Europort route on May 28th.
By Dan Walsh
Finnlines is expanding its freight service between Rosslare Europort and Zeebrügge, Belgium, by adding a second ro-ro vessel to the route.
The expansion will provide customers with increased capacity and more frequent departures between Ireland and mainland Europe.
To meet growing customer demand, Finnlines is strengthening the service with the addition of M/s Lismore, which will join M/s Finnwave on the route in week 22, departing from Zeebrügge on May 28th. The enhanced schedule will substantially increase freight capacity on the direct connection between Ireland and continental Europe.
“We have seen steadily increasing demand on our Ireland–Belgium service and are pleased to offer our customers greater capacity and flexibility. By adding a second vessel and increasing the frequency, we are further strengthening our service for both the Irish and European markets,” says Umberto Raimo, Deputy Line Manager at Finnlines.
“This development has been made possible through close cooperation with the terminals in Rosslare and Zeebrügge, as well as the support of our customers. The efficiency of our operations will certainly be extended to our third call in each port,” adds Juha Anjala, Traffic Manager at Finnlines.
“The expansion of Finnlines’s Rosslare to Zeebrügge service further strengthens Rosslare Europort’s status as Ireland’s Gateway to Europe, and the strong partnership we enjoy with Finnlines. Continuing investment in the port will ensure we continue to attract new services and operators, for the benefit of supply chains to and from Ireland,” says Glenn Carr, Director, Commercial Business Units for Iarnród Eireann, Port Authority for Rosslare Europort.
“I am delighted to welcome the expansion of Finnlines’ Rosslare to Zeebrügge service. The introduction of a second vessel reflects the strong and growing demand for direct connections between Rosslare and mainland Europe,” adds Philip O’Brien, General Manager for Rosslare Europort.
“We’re pleased to be working with Finnlines on this weekend charter, which allows us to maximise the utilisation of M/s Lismore while maintaining our core weekday schedule. It’s a flexible arrangement that benefits both companies and our customers,” says Stewart Hayes, P&O Ferries Fleet Director.
M/s Lismore has a cargo capacity for 4,076 lane metres, while M/s Finnwave offers 4,192 lane metres. Both vessels can carry approximately 260 trailers and accommodate up to 12 drivers. Finnlines specialises in freight transport and its extensive line network provides European industry with regular and reliable sea connections. The company also plays a key role in securing the supply of essential goods across Europe.
Eddie Holton, Agri Aware with some hands-on learning at one of five National Dairy Council School Farm Visits taking place across the country this month, where upto 1,500 pupils will experience hands-on learning on working dairy farms. (Pic; Tom Scott Photos)
By Dan Walsh
Primary school pupils from Wicklow, Dublin, and Gaelscoil Moshíológ, Gorey, visited a working dairy farm in Wicklow as part of a hands-on educational initiative led by the National Dairy Council (NDC) through the EU School Milk Scheme. It is part of a wider national programme bringing up to 1,500 pupils to dairy farms across Ireland during the month of May.
On the farm of local dairy farmer Tom Short, pupils took part in milking demonstrations, calf feeding, and a series of interactive learning stations focused on animal welfare, nutrition, grass growth, and how milk is produced and supplied through their school milk co-operative, Tirlán.
Emma Walls, CEO of the National Dairy Council (NDC), said the programme helps children make meaningful connections between food, farming, and nutrition. “For many children, this is their first real experience of a farm and their first chance to see where milk comes from beyond the supermarket shelf.
Local dairy farmer Tom Short, who hosted the visit, said it was valuable to welcome children onto his farm and show them how food is produced.
Siobhán Smith, a teacher from Gaelscoil Moshíológ in Gorey, said the visit gave students a clear understanding of where milk comes from. “They saw it from the cows in the fields to the milking parlour and how it actually ends up on their table. The students were very engaged throughout the visit and full of questions,” she said.
“It’s really important for the children to know where their food comes from and to understand their responsibility in looking after the environment. It also gives them an awareness of how their food is produced from farm to table.”
The EU School Milk Scheme, co-funded by the European Union and Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, provides subsidised milk to schools alongside educational resources promoting nutrition and food awareness. It is delivered in Ireland by the NDC through its Moo Crew initiative.
WexfordLocal.com 