WexfordLocal.com

Bishop Nash appointed Bishop of Ferns and Ossory

**His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Gerard Nash, to minister simultaneously as Bishop of Ferns and as Bishop of Ossory.** (Pic; *Catholic Communications Office Archive*)

By Dan Walsh

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Gerard Nash, (67), to minister simultaneously as Bishop of Ferns and as Bishop of Ossory.

On 25 January 2026 Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Ger Nash, Bishop of Ferns, as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ossory.

An Apostolic Administrator is appointed to temporarily govern a diocese when warranted by special circumstances. An Apostolic Administrator governs in the name of the Holy Father.

The two dioceses concerned are now united in persona episcopi, and will be pastorally administered by one bishop, Bishop Nash.

In a statement, Bishop Nash said; I am deeply honoured to have been asked by Pope Leo to become Bishop of Ossory in addition to my existing pastoral role in the Diocese of Ferns.

“From the earliest days of my appointment as Apostolic Administrator we began a consultation to explore the possibilities for what brings most hope for the future of the church, in both Dioceses.
“This appointment today is simply the continuation of a journey as the two Dioceses will work together to create a community where our relationship with God will deepen and provide fertile soil for the preaching of the Gospel. This is an opportunity for us to do great things together.
“The challenge of being one Bishop for two Dioceses is a mirror of the experience of many priests in modern Ireland as they take on responsibility for more than one parish. The re-imagining of roles and the re- organisation of familiar tasks is true whether it is for a parish or a Diocese and the ultimate test for all change within the Church is whether it builds up the Kingdom of God.

“In both Ferns and Ossory, there is a history of developing and training lay people over many years, but it has achieved new focus and energy with the recruitment and training of Lay Pastoral Workers in both Dioceses. It was a great benefit for us here in Ossory that we have already begun the process of discernment and recruitment for those who will begin their studies in Maynooth in September.

“One of the possible collaborations between both Dioceses will be around vocations to priesthood and religious life. Both Dioceses are working hard at this very important task and already some very good prospects for the Diocesan priesthood are emerging.

In conclusion, Bishop Nash said; “I am deeply grateful to the people in the parishes of the Diocese of Ossory for their welcome over the past few months but in particular I want to thank the priests and the Diocesan Staff for their collaboration and their welcome at a personal level. I also thank the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Montemayor who has been generous with his time and his wisdom in my discussions with him.”

The Diocese of Ossory has a Catholic population of 83,595. The diocese comprises 42 parishes, 35 priests in active ministry, and covers the areas of most of County Kilkenny, six parishes in County Laois, and one parish in County Offaly.

On June 11^th 2021, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Nash as Bishop of Ferns.

Gorey Market House Festival 2026

By Dan Walsh

The Gorey Market House Festival 2026 returns on the August Bank Holiday Weekend this year running from Friday to Sunday.

Last night witnessed the officially festival launch at the Civic Offices, Gorey, bringing together sponsors, performers, community groups and local businesses beginning the countdown to an anticipated festival to remember.

Cllr Mary Farrell, Cathaoirleach of Gorey-Kilmuckridge Municipal District, said; “The Gorey Market House Festival has become one of the highlights of our summer calendar, bringing people together to celebrate everything that is wonderful about Gorey and North Wexford. This free, inclusive festival showcases our community, our local businesses and our talented performers while creating a welcoming atmosphere for visitors of all ages.”

The headline acts for this year’s festival have been announced including Ed Sheeran Tribute, EZ/DC (Ireland’s premier AC/DC tribute) and The Committed (UK’s number 1 Commitments tribute), on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

The festival promises to be action packed for the whole family with fringe events happening throughout the weekend including the ever- popular Play Day, which will take place in Gorey Town Park on Saturday from 12pm to 5pm. The Play Day will feature fun for the whole family with puppet shows, magicians and face painting.

On Sunday there will be a street market, interactive fun and hands-on workshops designed to inspire creativity and learning for both children and adults.

Details of fringe events and the music line-up are available via the Festival Website and social media accounts.

Fáilte go Féile Scoil Samhradh an Dr. Seán Ó Nualláin

By Dan Walsh

The inaugural Féile “Scoil Samhradh an Dr. Seán Ó Nualláin” or The Dr. Sean Ó Nualláin Summer School takes place this weekend – Friday and Saturday July 31^st and August 1^st at the Talbot Hotel, Wexford and the Wexford Arts Centre.

To be held in memory of Dr. Seán Ó Nualláin, the festival brings together music, science, history, culture and the Irish language for a unique international weekend of events.

This is a bilingual event, with a focus on the Irish Language.

Inspired by Dr. Ó Nualláin’s vision, the festival continues his ambition to establish an annual conference and festival in Wexford where artists, scientists, scholars and communities could come together, with the Irish language at the heart of an international exchange of ideas.

The festival provides a platform for creativity, collaboration and intellectual curiosity, celebrating both local heritage and global perspectives.

The festival opens on Friday evening at the Talbot Hotel with an official launch and reception, followed by a keynote lecture from Emeritus Professor Ruairí Brugha, entitled Celtic Spirituality – Cosán Nua.

Saturday features an outstanding programme of speakers including Emeritus Professor Des O’Neill, Brian Ó Cléirigh, Dr. Ronan Ó Flaithbheartaigh, Dr. Éamon Ó Ciosáin, Tom Conway, and American author Cynthia Sue Larson. Their talks explore subjects ranging from Irish history and medieval literature to medicine, Celtic languages, physics and the relationship between the Irish language, culture and contemporary thought.

The festival concludes with a special concert at Wexford Arts Centre, featuring Melanie O’Reilly’s Gaelic Jazz Group with special guests including Breton musician Brewen Favrau and London-Irish fiddler James Patrick Gavin also featuring Scott Flanigan, Dave Mooney, Alice Wickham and James McIntyre.

The performance celebrates Irish-language poetry, original composition and the enduring musical connections between Ireland and Brittany.

The Dr. Seán Ó Nualláin Festival and Summer School welcomes everyone—Irish speakers, learners, lovers of music, science, history and culture, and anyone with an interest in new ideas and international collaboration.

This is a bilingual event with a focus on the Irish Language.

New water mains at Springmount

By Dan Walsh

Uisce Éireann is carrying out leakage reduction works in Springmount, Gorey, to provide a more reliable water supply and reduce high levels of leakage.

The section of works will take place on the Ballyminaun Road between Springmount Garden Centre on the R741 to Ballyminaun Hill on the L1028.

The works involve the replacement of over 1.5 km of old and damaged water mains with new modern pipes.

The works will also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers’ property boundaries and connecting it to the customers’ water supply.

The programme to replace the water mains in Springmount will commence in late July. These works are being carried out as part of Uisce Éireann’s National Leakage Reduction Programme.

The works will be carried out on behalf of Uisce Éireann by Shareridge Ltd. and are expected to be completed by the end of September.

Motorboat crew rescued near Saltee Islands

**KILMORE QUAY LIFEBOAT** (Pic; *Elaine Walsh/RNLI*)

By Dan Walsh

Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat rescued five people this afternoon after their 9-metre motorboat suffered engine failure near the Saltee Islands.

The volunteer crew were requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard at 1.54 pm and promptly made its way to the scene north of the Great Saltee.

Visibility was good with a light westerly breeze, Force 2 to 3. Sea conditions at the time were described as slight.

Arriving at the location at 2.18 pm, the lifeboat crew checked that everyone on board the vessel was safe and well before assessing the situation.

Taking into consideration the position of the drifting boat, it was decided that the safest course of action was to establish a tow to bring the disabled craft back to shore.

The lifeboat was soon under way to the nearest available harbour at Kilmore Quay arriving at 2.50 pm without further incident.

Speaking following the call out, Coxswain Aidan Bates said; “We were very pleased that there was a successful outcome to today’s call out. Being able to respond so quickly is due to the equipment and training our volunteer crew receive.

“As a charity, the RNLI depends entirely on public generosity, which is why we’re hoping there will be a big turnout for our annual Lifeboat Day this Bank Holiday Sunday, August 2^nd here in Kilmore Quay,” concluded Coxwain Bates.

Uisce Éireann crews in Enniscorthy

By Dan Walsh

Uisce Éireann crews are working to repair a burst watermain in Enniscorthy and restore water supply to affected customers as quickly as possible.

The outage is impacting customers in the Greenville Lane, Moyne and Old Dublin Road areas. Repairs are currently underway, and it is estimated that normal supply will be restored later this afternoon.

Uisce Éireann’s Padraig Lyng has assured affected customers that every effort is being made to restore supply as quickly and as safely as possible.

“We understand the inconvenience that an unplanned outage can cause for customers and local businesses. Our crews are on site and working as quickly and safely as possible to repair the burst and restore water supplies to affected customers.

“We would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while these repairs are completed and we work to return normal water supply to the area.”

Typically, it takes two to three hours following repairs for normal supply to return to all customers affected by an unplanned outage. However, it may take longer for supply to be fully restored to customers at the end of the network or on higher ground as the system recharges.

Wexford housing development at Mulgannon

Pictured at Roxborough Manor, Mulgannon, Wexford are (left to right); Senator Cathal Byrne, Cllr Jim Codd, Eamonn Hore, Director of Services Wexford County Council, Cllr Catherine ‘Biddy’ Walsh, Stephen McDonald, Colm Neville Construction, Cllr Lisa McDonald, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD, Mayor of Wexford Cllr Vicky Barron, George Lawlor TD, Cllr John Fleming, Cllr Garry Laffan, Colm Neville and Stephen O’Connor, Senior Executive Officer Wexford County Council. (Pic; *WexfordLocal.com*)

By Dan Walsh at Mulgannon, Wexford town.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage was in Wexford town recently at Roxborough Manor, Mulgannon, where Wexford County Council continues to expand the supply of affordable housing while creating new pathways to home ownership for first-time buyers.

Wexford County Council has maintained strong momentum in the delivery of affordable housing since the beginning of 2025, the latest projects will constitute the eighth rollout under the Council’s affordable housing programme, reflecting its ongoing commitment to increasing housing availability and supporting affordable homeownership opportunities.

Looking ahead, a further opportunity for affordable home ownership will become available with the launch of Roxborough Manor, Mulgannon, Wexford Town, in early September 2026.

20 new Wexford homes at Coolballow

Pictured at *An Lisin Mór*, Coolballow, Wexford are (left to right); Tom and Brendan Doyle, Arcona Developments, Senator Cathal Byrne, Cllr Jim Codd, Minister for Housing. Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD, Cllr Lisa McDonald, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council, Mayor of Wexford Cllr Vicky Barron, George Lawlor TD, Cllr Catherine ‘Biddy’ Walsh, Eamonn Hore, Director of Services Wexford County Council, Cllr Garry Laffan, Cllr John Fleming, and Stephen O’Connor, Senior Executive Officer Wexford County Council. (Pic; *WexfordLocal.com*).

Dan Walsh homes at Coolballow, Wexford

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD visited the new affordable housing development known as An Lisín Mór ‘The Big Garden’ at Coolballow on the outskirts of Wexford town.

Applications for An Lisín Mór have generated strong interest, reflecting the continued demand for affordable home ownership opportunities in the county.

The development provides 20 high-quality, A-rated homes and forms part of the Council’s wider strategy to support sustainable housing delivery.

Applications for An Lisín Mór, Coolballow have closed.

€12,904 for four small Wexford festivals

By Dan Walsh

The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, has announced a funding allocation of €371,792.25 for 105 events to support Small Scale Local Festivals and Summer Schools taking place around Ireland in 2026.

Four Wexford projects have been awarded funding as follows;

The Verida Project, EDITOR’S Note; Never heard of it but research assures me, “it is a not-for-profit project dedicated to reshaping how we understand and support mental health”. €5,000.

Gap Arts Festival, Ballythomas, Gorey, €4,954.

Bunclody Trad Fest (St. Aidan’s Hall), €700.

St. Michael’s Parish Church, Gorey, €2.250.

The scheme is designed to assist local cultural events which may not be eligible under funding criteria for larger scale events such as those supported by Fáilte Ireland, the Arts Council and similar bodies.

Funding was allocated following a competitive applications process, with a maximum grant of €5,000 available.

Speaking to WexfordLocal.com, Minister Patrick O’Donovan said; “Culture and the arts play a vital role in enriching our society, strengthening communities and preserving Irelands unique heritage.

“Through the support of my Department, festivals and summer schools across the country continue to provide opportunities for people to connect, learn and celebrate our shared traditions.

“I extend my sincere thanks to all involved and encourage everyone to take the opportunity to enjoy the excellent programme of cultural events taking place throughout 2026,”concluded Minister O’Donovan.

New Taghmon homes at Cúl Caisleán

Pictured at Cúl Caisleán in Taghmon are (left to right); Lynda Lacey, Finance Officer Wexford County Council, Eamonn Hore, Director of Services Wexford County Council, George Lawlor TD, Edwina Colfer Acting Rosslare District Manager, Cllr Frank Staples, Cathaoirleach Rosslare Municipal District Council, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD, Cllr Lisa McDonald, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council, Anne-Marie Neville, Liam Neville Developments, Senator Cathal Byrne, Cllr John Fleming, Cllr Jim Codd and Stephen O’Connor, Senior Executive Officer Wexford County Council. (Pic; *WexfordLocal.com*)

By Dan Walsh at Cúl Caisleán, Taghmon

Speaking during the launch, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, welcomed the continued progress being achieved through the Affordable Housing Programme.

“I am delighted to be home today in the sunny South East to see progress being made on three important developments at ‘An Lisín Mór’ in Coolballow, Roxborough Manor in Mulgannon, and here in Taghmon. These three developments combined will provide almost 200 much-needed homes, including 43 Starter Purchase homes and 35 social homes.

“With almost €3.5m in funding from my own Department through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF), these projects will help make home ownership a reality for local applicants, providing high-quality, energy-efficient homes and further strengthening opportunities for people to put down roots in their own communities,” concluded Minister Browne.

Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Cllr Lisa McDonald, said: “Affordable housing is about more than bricks and mortar. It is about providing stability, opportunity and a future for families across County Wexford. We are proud to see these new schemes progressing and to support local people in achieving the dream of home ownership.

Deputy Chief Executive of Wexford County Council, Eamonn Hore highlighted the Council’s ongoing commitment to housing delivery. “Wexford County Council remains firmly committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing and providing real opportunities for people to purchase a home. The launch of these new developments reflects the effectiveness of working in partnership with Government, developers and local communities.”

Cúl Caisleán “Back of the Castle” in Taghmon consists of six 2-bed homes and four 3-bed homes and are being made available for sale supported by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in partnership with Liam Neville Developments, through the affordable purchase arrangement under the Affordable Housing Act 2021.

Applications for Cúl Caisléan, Taghmon, open on August 5^th 2026.