Third race lucky at Tipperary

By Dan Walsh

BARRY STONE winner and two ‘seconds’ in Tipperary today.

Jonathan Fogarty and the Gaynestown Stud Partnerip and Cleariestown rider Barry Stone finished second with Visual Impact (four-year-old mares maiden) and Diagon Alley (division one of the maiden race for four year old geldings) in the first two races at today’s (Saturday) point-to-point at Lisronagh, Co. Tipperary before landing division two of the maiden race for four year olds with McLaurey.

A €55,000 Tattersalls Derby Day purchase, McLaurey who passed the post eight lengths to the good and will now be offered for sale.

As anticipated, there is a large Wexford entry for the Damma House point-to-point in Co. Kilkenny tomorrow (Sunday). The first race is off at 12.30pm. Ground conditions are reported to be “soft, soft and heavy in places.”

And in other point-to-point news The Island Hunt will race over a new track at Peppardscastle, between Ballygarrett and Kilmuckridge, on Saturday, April 13th. The venue is described as “a stiff left-handed track with a one mile circuit over two fields.”  

Civil War book launched in Gorey

CLLR DONAL KENNY, CLLR JOHN FLEMING, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council, CLLR PIP BREEN, Cathaoirleach Gorey-Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council and BARRY BRENNAN at the book launch in Gorey Library on Thursday night

By Dan Walsh

On Thursday night Gorey Library facilitated the official launch of Wicklow Gaol Comrades – A Civil War Autograph Book – authored and researched by Aaron O Maonaigh in a collaboration between Wicklow and Wexford County Councils.

This innovative collaboration between the archive services of Wexford and Wicklow County Councils centres on a small autograph book (part of Wexford County Archive’s Civil War collection).

It was owned by Patrick Fitzpatrick from Kiltealy, a member of North Wexford IRA’s flying column who was imprisoned in Wicklow Gaol in late 1922, and following his escape and subsequent recapture, was interned again, including at Tintown Camp B, Co. Kildare until his release on 24 December 1923. The autograph book includes signatories of fellow internees from Fitzpatrick’s time in both places of detention.

This project was supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries programme 2012-23, and by the Archive Services of Wexford and Wicklow County Councils
“Congratulations to all concerned who made this possible and brought a humble 100-year-old autograph book back to life,” said Cllr John Fleming, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council.

It is a most impressive book and available at Gorey Library where the exhibition will be on display for a week and will be available over the next few months in other libraries across counties Wicklow and Wexford.

Call to conserve water this weekend

By Dan Walsh

Pic; Uisce Eireann

Uisce Éireann is calling communities across Wexford town to continue with their efforts to conserve water over the weekend, to protect supply, and to enable Newtown and Coolcots reservoirs to fully replenish, following a prolonged outage due to a burst trunk main. 

Speaking to WexfordLocal.com today (Friday) about conserving water over the weekend, Jim Fitzgerald, Regional Operations Manager at Uisce Éireann, said; “We are appealing to customers in Wexford town to conserve water to give the reservoirs time to replenish. Any reduction that customers can make in their usage can collectively result in significant supply improvements for all customers.”

High usage can lead to pressure reductions which can impact the supply to customers. Uisce Éireann and Wexford County Council are thankful to communities and residents across Wexford town for their conservation efforts to protect this precious resource.

Uisce Éireann will continue to monitor the levels at Newtown and Coolcots reservoirs over the coming weeks and take any actions that may be necessary to maintain supplies, including communicating about localised issues as they arise.

For more simple ways to conserve water check out the Uisce Éireann conservation calculator (www.water.ie/calculator) which can help people work out how much water they are currently using and how they can conserve even more. 

Wexford water supplies return to all areas

By Dan Walsh

Uisce Éireann has successfully completed emergency repairs on a trunk water main supplying Newtown Water Treatment Plant at Wexford.

While repairs are now complete, the prolonged outage has resulted in reservoir levels at Newtown and Coolcots running low. The reservoirs and water network are currently refilling. However, due to the loss of treated water in storage, it may take until late this evening for water supplies to return to all areas, especially for those on higher ground or at the end of the network. 

(Pic; Uisce Éireann)

Once the burst was identified, water service crews were immediately dispatched and worked for hours repairing and refilling the trunk water main. Every measure was taken to reduce the impact to homes and businesses in Coolcots, Barntown Clonard, Townparks, Whitemill, Whiterock, Clonard, Mulgannon, Carricklawn and surrounding areas of Wexford town and to restore the water supply as quickly as possible.

Jim Fitzgerald, Regional Operational Manager at Uisce Éireann said; “We would like to thank the affected communities for their patience as the water supply returns to the network.  To help Newtown and Coolcots Reservoirs to refill as quickly as possible, we are appealing to customers to continue to conserve water until the network recovers.”

Following this type of work, occasionally issues such as cloudy water (air bubbles), discolouration or internal airlocks may arise. For advice on how to resolve these issues please visit www.water.ie/help/supply/after-an-outage/.

Burst water main on Wexford town supply

By Dan Walsh

A large burst on a water main supplying Wexford town is impacting treated water storage levels at Coolcots Reservoir Zone. Repairs are expected to be completed by this evening, (Thursday) and customers should note “that it typically takes two to three hours following repairs for normal supply to restore to all customers affected by an unplanned outage.”

A statement from Uisce Éireann informs that “Every effort is being made to maintain supply to as many customers as possible, however, repairs are complex due to the location of the burst and the wet weather conditions impacting ground conditions. 

Crews are working on repairs to restore normal water supply as quickly as possible. While repairs are underway, customers in the following areas of Wexford Town may experience supply outages and/or low pressure: Coolcots, Barntown Clonard, Townparks, Whitemill, Whiterock, Clonard, Mulgannon, Carricklawn, and surrounding areas of Wexford Town.

Uisce Éireann’s Jim Fitzgerald said; “The repairs in Wexford town are being conducted as quickly as possible to minimise disruption to the community and restore water for all customers. We understand the inconvenience unplanned outages can have on customers and we appreciate their patience as we work to repair the burst and return normal water supply.”

To support impacted customers, alternative water supplies with clean drinking water are in place at: Clonard Village, Cluain Dara, Ferndale, Belvedere, Ard Carman and Clonard Church until normal water supply returns. Customers are reminded to use their own containers when taking water from the tanker and to boil water before consumption as a precautionary measure as per Health Service Executive (HSE) advice. 

Enniscorthy 19th century church for sale

The Presbyterian Church and house at Mill Park Road, Enniscorthy, is for sale by private treaty.

By Dan Walsh

The former Presbyterian Church on Mill Park Road, Enniscorthy, and the adjoining house, is being offered for sale by private treaty with a price tag of €700,000. Enquiries to Sherry Fitzgerald O’Leary Kinsella estate agents.

The church on Mill Park Road was built in 1866 by Mr Patrick Kerr and on March 26th, 1867, Rev. William Arnold was ordained in the church as pastor of the little flock and lived to minister under those in his charge for almost 48 years.

A splendid manse, with charming grounds was built for Rev. Mr Arnold, immortalised as Arnold’s Cross, who for 48 years ministered to those under his charge and the Presbyterians congregation at that time numbered about twenty. Mr Arnold passed away peacefully on October 24th, 1916, at the aged of 76 years.

The church was known as the United Presbyterian and Methodist Church for several years.

In 1747 John Wesley began his preaching in Ireland and a small number of Wesleyans, of Methodists, had a conventicle in Enniscorthy from 1768-1798, and in 1812 a meeting house was rented on the Tanyard Lane, near the foundry, where an itinerant preacher minister to about a dozen souls for some years.

It was 1816 that the Wesleyan Conference determined permit themselves to dispense the Lord’s Supper and up to that date laymen were preachers.

In 1835, the former Methodist church at Friary Place was erected and first opened for divine service on September 2nd, 1836, by the Rev. J.B. Gillman, Dublin, and Rev. Fossy Thackaberry, Drogheda.

SOURCE; History of Enniscorthy by W.H. Grattan Flood, printed at The Echo Printing Works, Enniscorthy in 1920.

Flooding at the Heritage Park

By Dan Walsh

The Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig reopens its restaurant and crafts shop today (Tuesday) from 9.30am to 5pm following serious flooding that closed the complex over the weekend.

However, the outdoor experience will remain closed until Friday, November 3rd due to the flooding.

In a statement issued on social media yesterday, the Heritage Park “apologises for any inconvenience caused and looks forward to welcoming you back in the future.”

Speaking to RTÉ News, Bernie Rath stated; “Unfortunately our newly renovated building has flooded again. It’s quite devastating for us really. I suppose, we were nicely settled back in and everything was going so well but unfortunately we’re here again today. Hopefully, we can get back open again very soon and we hope to see everybody around the Heritage Park again shortly.”

The Irish National Heritage Park reopened two months ago following a €1 million refurbishment programme.

“This is the worst flooding we’ve had at the height of the flooding,” said Adrian Doyle, Chair of the Trustees of the Heritage Park. Although history recalls flooding up to two feet in November 2004!

“The previous flooding was more devastating because we weren’t ready at the centre, we were this time at least, but it’s very substantial,” concluded Mr. Doyle.

Rosslare Strand families devastated by floods

CLLR JIM CODD using an appropriate mode of transport while supporting homeowners at The Haven, Rosslare Strand, who are in temporary accommodation tonight, following serious flooding over the weekend.

By Dan Walsh

Families at The Haven housing estate in Rosslare Strand are in temporary accommodation tonight after being forced to leave seven homes that were impacted by severe flooding during a weekend of heavy rain in south Wexford.

Local Cllr Jim Codd visited the scene today to support the residents and empathise with them in what is “an exceedingly difficult situation”. “I intend to demand that real solutions are found to these ongoing flooding issues,” said Cllr Codd, who added; “A big word of thanks to all those that are battling the flood waters.”

Director of Services at Wexford County Council Eamonn Hore feels that everyone will have to wait until the flood waters to abate before a resolution is found.

Wexford County Council has supplied two industrial sized pumps to pump water from the houses, but the water keeps returning! Mr Hore described the flooding at The Haven, which is opposite Rosslare Golf Club, “desperate” for the homeowners who are now in temporary accommodation.

Latest news on Wexford water supply

By Dan Walsh

Uisce Éireann issued a statement today (Monday) via WexfordLocal.com to inform customers that following the completion of emergency repairs on a trunk water main supplying Coolcots Reservoir and Wexford Town at the weekend, resolute water service experts continue with works to ensure the reservoir recovers to safe levels and the water network fully recharges to all areas. 

Most areas will have seen a steady return of water yesterday (Sunday). For some customers on higher ground or at the end of the network, it may take longer for supply to return fully and intermittent outages may occur during periods of high demand.

The following areas may be impacted by reduced water pressure and/or water outages until water returns to the network: Coolcotts and surrounding areas in Wexford Town.

To continue to support impacted customers, alternative water supplies with clean drinking water are in place at: Clonard Village, Cluain Dara, Ferndale, Belvedere, Ard Carman and Clonard Church until normal water supply returns. Customers are reminded to use their own containers when taking water from the tanker and to boil water before consumption as a precautionary measure as per Health Service Executive (HSE) advice. 

Jim Fitzgerald, Regional Operational Manager, Uisce Éireann, commented: “Recovery is still ongoing for those on higher ground and at the end of the network, but the majority of customers will have seen a return of supply.”

“To help the network refill fully Uisce Éireann are appealing to customers to help conserve water as much as possible so it can reach those on higher ground and at the peripheries of the network. Further information on water conservation is available at www.water/conserve” 

Bright plans for Enniscorthy and Bunclody

At the opening of The Dome Training Centre and Sensory Garden at Enniscorthy (left to right); CLLR JOHN O’ROURKE, Cathaoirleach Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, CLAUDE CLANCY, Wexford County Council who acted as master of ceremonies, TOM ENRIGHT, Chief Executive Wexford County Council and MINISTER HEATHER HUMPHREYS, Minister at the Department of Rural and Community Affairs.

By Dan Walsh in Enniscorthy

Chief Executive of Wexford County Council, Tom Enright visited Enniscorthy last week and addressed proceedings at the launch of The Dome Training Centre and Sensory Garden at Gort na Greine, where he presented a positive picture of future developments for Enniscorthy.

Mr. Enright extended sincere congratulations to Michael Devereux and the Committee of the Enniscorthy Allotments Group and all their members for the fine work done to date and he wished them the very best of luck in going forward with their plans.

“We all know that the work of providing community facilities is never really finished; there will always be new demands, new challenges and new projects,” said Mr Enright, who added; “I look forward to seeing how the seeds that you have planted here will grow from acorns into wonderful trees.”

Mr Enright also remembered the elected members and thanked them for their support for other community projects being considered.

Speaking exclusively with WexfordLocal.com, Mr Enright said Wexford County Council has selected a site for a new Community Playground at Springvalley, on the Shannon side of the town, and approval is set to come before the next monthly meeting of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council.

The Council has been working in partnership with the GAA for the development of sporting and community facilities at Bellefield that will incorporate a playground, car parking and a market garden. Mr Enright acknowledged a significant financial investment from local businessman Sam McCauley towards this proposed development.

Meanwhile this week, Minister James Browne announced that Rapparees/Starlights GAA Club is to benefit from a grant to the value of €15,000 under the Healthy Ireland GAA Walking Tracks scheme.

Finally, Mr Enright stated the commencement of the planning process for a new playground, car park and public space in Bunclody.