By Dan Walsh at the monthly meeting of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council
“There is a need to put in place a policy to manage the renaming of places, dedications, erection of seats, monuments, murals and structures in the Public Realm of Enniscorthy,” according to District Manager Ger Mackey speaking at last Monday’s monthly meeting of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council.
Mr Mackey was responding to a query from Cllr John O’Rourke who suggested that Wilkie’s Walk would be an appropriate name for the revamped steps at Castle Hill opposite the castle some time ago and was seeking an update.
There was also a call for the erection of a plaque at 21 Main Street in memory of two unarmed Free State soldiers – Commandant Peter Doyle, (29), and Captain Thomas Doyle, (27), were shot dead after leaving a Mission Mass in St. Aidan’s Cathedral on October 10th, 1922.
A centenary commemoration for the Doyles was held on the spot where they died recently. Full coverage can be found on WexfordLocal.com
Mr Mackey told the meeting he propose to bring a draft policy document for consideration by the members at the November meeting of the Enniscorthy Municipal District Council.
EDITOR’S NOTE; Sam ‘Wilkie’ Thorpe, Ross Road, Enniscorthy, died on November 1st, 2005, aged 86 years, and is interred in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Enniscorthy. The late Wexford historian Nicky Furlong writing in The Ghosts of Bygone Days-an Enniscorthy GAA History by Sean Whelan (pub. 1998) recalls ‘Wilkie’ Thorpe.
Furlong writes; “Sam ‘Wilkie’ Thorpe never played for Wexford again after the summer of 1953. The colourful crowd entertainer from Vinegar Hill had contributed to his rich and talent, to both hurling and football, at the highest inter-county level for 20 years.”
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