Memories of Enniscorthy Showgrounds in new book

Pictured at the launch of Enniscorthy Showgrounds; serving our community since 1870 at the Farm Centre, Enniscorthy, were (left to right); Jeanne Hendrick, Secretary; James Hendrick, Chairman/Director Enniscorthy Showgrounds Ltd, and James Browne TD, Minister for Housing, Heritage and Local Government. (Pic; Edward Hendrick)

By Dan Walsh

For more than 150 years, Enniscorthy Showgrounds has united town and country, building a progressive legacy that is central to local history and self-scripts a treasure of knowledge that deserves to be archived. Hence the recent launch of a new book “Enniscorthy Showgrounds; serving our community since 1870”.

The scene is set by James Kehoe, President of Enniscorthy Showgrounds Company Ltd in his address. He said; “With the changing direction of County Wexford Agricultural Show Society Ltd over the last few years and the formation of Enniscorthy Showgrounds Company Ltd, it is timely to look back and see where we came from!

“The Show was established in 1870, and it is important to record the activities spanning over 150 years. It is also important to preserve the history for future generations and to provide insight into rural interest and culture.”

James Hendrick. Chairman/Director, said; “It was a very difficult decision to cease the running of our annual show (known as the County Show) following the 2015 event.”

Mr Hendrick added: “However, the showgrounds remain an important asset for the people of Enniscorthy and surrounding areas with pitches for playing GAA, soccer, rugby and cricket, and premises for boxing, personal training as well as religious and commercial activities.”

Around 1900 the County Wexford United Agricultural Society acquired the grounds at Lymington on lease from the Earl of Portsmouth. From then on, the County Show was held at the Showgrounds. (The first County Show was held at the Fair Green, Enniscorthy, in 1870).

In August 1928, an indenture was taken out between Beatrice Mary Countess of Portsmouth, Robert Wesley Hall-Dare, Joseph Bennett, George Lett and John Jameson Davis. This is the lease under which the Society held the lands and on the foot of which the right to buy out the freehold was based.

In 1979 the Deeds of Transfer from the Portsmouth Estate was passed to the Society and registered with the Land Registry in 1980. Approximately 22 acres of land were transferred.

In 1933, Enniscorthy greyhound track was officially opened in the Showgrounds. This arrangement continues to the present day with the Enniscorthy Showgrounds Company Ltd.

This is a fascinating publication that records so much history and heritage and although it focuses entirely on the Showgrounds it captures so much history and there is a fascinating series of pen-pictures remembering the personalities that progressed farming and rural pursuits from the 19th century.

My first experience was the Centenary Agricultural Show in 1970 when I worked as a young casual with Denis Hennessy providing the power and helping the trade stands function. It was a two-day event, on Wednesday and Thursday, July 22nd and 23rd.

Growing up in Bree, I knew the farming community well. In later years, while working for The Echo Newspaper, I covered ploughing matches, hunting, point-to-point racing, the ICA and Macra na Feirme. As I leafed through this fine publication, the familiar faces and biographies reminded me of the progressive people who enriched our town and countryside and deserve to be remembered.    

“Enniscorthy Showgrounds; serving our community since 1870”, illustrated in monochrome and colour, A4 format, 166 pages, available at Byrnes Bookshop, Court St., Enniscorthy,

Five weekend ‘points’ Wexford winners

By Dan Walsh

Three fixtures on the second week of the 2026-’27 point-to-point season and Wexford stables are sending out the winners already.

COLIN BOWE (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

Colin Bowe got off the mark with Silverado Blue ridden by Bertie Finn who dead-heated with Foreveradiva (Brian Dunleavy up) in the mare’s maiden race for five- and six-year-olds at Castletown-Geoghegan on Saturday.

Sean Doyle saddled Bedtime Bob in the colours of Henry Chamney to win the Winner of Two race by an impressive 11 lengths ridden by Jamie Scallan.

And the Westmeath track also provided a winner for Clondaw, Enniscorthy, father and son, trainer and rider Michael Goff and Harry Goff in the maiden race for six-year-olds plus. Pacheco in the colours of Tom Power and Annette Lawlor scored by nine lengths.

Point-to-point action also (Saturday) at Portrush where Ballymitty handler Garrett Murphy won the four-year-old maiden race with Louliood for the Turbine Syndicate ridden by Shane O’Rourke and two and three-quarter lengths the winning margin.

Murphy, in his sixth year training, was in winning form at Loughrea, Co. Galway again on Sunday. With Shane O’Rourke in the saddle the duo shared a weekend double when newcomer Bonnie Long Legs scored by one and a half lengths in the maiden race for four year old mares.

Barry O’Neill had a winner too at Portrush on Saturday. Fortune Lad by an amazing 37 lengths for David Christie in the Winner of Three contest.

Point-to-point action next Sunday, October 18th with the Shillelagh & District Hunt at Fairwood, Tinahely. First race at 1pm.

Flour mill sod turning at Ballycarney

Ministers Browne, Burke and Haydon participated in the official sod-turning for Slaney Flour at Ballycarney on Thursday.

By Dan Walsh

Ireland’s flour milling industry has entered a new era with the official sod-turning for Slaney Flour -a major facility at Tomgarrow, Ballycarney -last Thursday.

The development, reported as an investment of more than €50 million, has the potential to provide new opportunities for Irish tillage farmers, create local employment and reduce the country’s reliance on imported flour.

Ireland’s newest flour mill is expected to have a milling capacity of 300t/day, wheat storage of circa 24,000t, an innovative square silo design, two intake bays and two outloading bays.

The mill will have a production capacity of around 100,000 tons of grain per year, which will result in about 80,000 tons of flour.

Ballycarney Grain was established in 2011. It is a grain drying and storage facility owned and operated by farming brothers, Andrew and Raymond Kavanagh.

It manages malting barley from 150 farmers across the south-east of the country for Diageo Ireland through Boortmalt.

Hemelter Muehle is a family-owned business milling flour in Germany for almost 140 years. It has been supplying the Irish bakery industry with flour for more than 20 years, currently supplying about 40,000m tons per year.

Ireland imports around 260,000 tons of flour per year. This flour comes from three key markets: the UK, Germany, and France.

Marc Cordesmeyer, managing director of Hemelter Ireland, said that bringing flour production back to Ireland strengthens the entire bakery supply chain, resulting in less dependence on imports, and significantly less exposure to weather events or geopolitical risks.

He said with the location of the mill near ports, there will be a diverse access to grain. “We’ll be able to import grain from Germany and Poland. We’ll have access to Canadian grain. But very importantly, we want to support the growing and use of Irish grain.

“We’ve done, together with the Kavanagh brothers, a number of trials of growing grain here in Ireland which have yielded very promising results of grain that we can use in flour,” Mr. Cordesmeyer added.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD said: “This is exactly what we want to be doing for our tillage industry. The collaboration here around the food security piece, around building up the supply chains, and provenance in that regard as well, and adding value for our tillage farmers.”

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD stressed the importance of the bakery sector, with 7,000 employees, 600 “exciting” businesses, and about €1.1 billion in turnover. He said exports are growing steadily – in 2024, they were worth over €330 million.

“What we’re trying to do in Ireland is control the controllables – build up resilience and supply chains, and not to be at the mercy of other economies when you have international shocks,” Minister Burke added.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD. said that this project is really important for the area and is a great boost for the tillage sector which is under pressure. “Wexford has a strong history and heritage in flour milling and it’s great to see flour milling coming back,” concluded Minister Browne.

School funding for Bree, Ballyhack and Tara Hill

BREE village is set to benefit from the latest round of the Safe Routes to School Programme. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

By Dan Walsh

Three primary schools in County Wexford have been selected to benefit from the latest expansion of the Safe Routes to School Programme.

St Catherine’s National School in Ballyhack, St Joseph’s National School in Bree and St Kevin’s National School in Tara Hill have been included in Round 5 of the Government-backed initiative.

The programme aims to make journeys to school safer and more accessible for children and families who walk, cycle or use other forms of active travel.

Improvements can include upgraded footpaths, safer pedestrian crossings, traffic calming measures, cycle paths and distinctive school-zone road markings designed to alert motorists and encourage lower speeds.

The three Wexford schools will now work with local authorities and Safe Routes to School infrastructure officers to identify measures appropriate to their individual locations.

The latest announcement marks another step towards creating safer school environments for children and families across County Wexford.

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.