New Ross tales of William Marshal

Enjoying the Concert by the Emigrant Flame on New Ross Quay at the William Marshal Weekend today.

By Dan Walsh in New Ross

The two-day 2nd annual William Marshal Weekend marking the 804th anniversary (1147-1219) brought knights in shining armour onto the streets of New Ross today where the combination of historical tours, history and heritage, music and tradition exuded celebration in the sunshine.

The official opening at the High Hill was performed by Cllr Michael Sheehan, Cathaoirleach New Ross Municipal District Council in the presence of William Marshal, Isobel, Joan Knight Archers, Enniscorthy Re-enactment Group and the Pantomine Society.

Many enjoyed the tour of St. Mary’s Church graveyard, the tunes from the New Ross & District Pipe Band at the Norman steps in North Street and the Concert at the Emigrant Flame beside the Dunbrody Visitor Centre.

Tomorrow (Sunday) and festivities continue; however, activities stray from New Ross town to include the district or rural history and heritage and the organisers warn that “you will need to use your own transport for day two” which will commence with a gathering at the Emigrant Flame at 10.45am.

The entourage will leave the Dunbrody for Grantstown and an introduction John Harper of Bannow Historical Society followed by an historical talk by Anne Farrell. Off to Baginbun and a talk from Seamus Kiely before heading for a tour of Hook Lighthouse. It all ends with music and craic at the Vine Cottage Pub in Saltmills.

Booking for places is essential and it is online. For details contact http://www.newrosshistorygroup.ie

Another big day for O’Neill and Bowe

By Dan Walsh

Saturday point-to-point races took place at Newry, Co. Down today where Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe shared a double, and with the benefit of a walk-over for David Christie’s Bold Enough in the Open Race, Barry the champion added a third success.

COLIN BOWE reached the 40th winner of the season mark today.

The maiden race for four-year-olds was divided with the first division going to Wendigo by one and a quarter length for O’Neill and Bowe. The second division was also Wexford bound as Rob James brought home Roadlesstravelled for the Donnchadh Doyle stable recording a nine and a half-length victory.

Theatrical Getaway in the colours of Maria Kavanagh, Arklow, completed the O’Neill-Bowe success story on the day taking the spoils in the Winner of One race by two and a half lengths. Colin Bowe assured of his 11th national point-to-point championship title has handled 40 wins for the season.

Donnchadh Doyle’s brother Sean Doyle also found his name on the winners’ sheet when Jack Hendrick got Maggie O up by half a length in an inspired ride to the finish line in the maiden race for five-year-olds plus mares.

Aircraft makes emergency landing at Gorey

By Dan Walsh

A light aircraft with a pilot and passenger on board has made a successful emergency landing in the Kilcavan or Ballinglen area of Tara Hill, near Gorey, around 6.30pm today. No injuries are reported.

A local eyewitness told WexfordLocal.com that the aircraft was losing power and dropping altitude before the emergency landing was safely completed in the middle of a large meadow field.

The occupants evacuated the aircraft safely and the four-seater remains at the scene.

€8m plan for changes to Enniscorthy town centre?

BARRACK STREET and the rear entrance to the once famous Murphy-Floods Hotel is up for future development by Wexford County Council.

By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council meeting

Cllr Jackser Owens has described as “an eyesore” the present streetscape at the derelict so-called Murphy-Flood’s site in Enniscorthy town centre and is calling for fresh hording to cover up the ‘eyesore’. He made the call at last month’s meeting of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council and magnified his sentiments at last Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council.

Cllr Owen’s renewed his call “now that we own it”, a general reference to the transfer of ownership to Wexford County Council, however, from my investigations today a few auctioneer notices are still in place, and some read simply “sale agreed”?

The hoarding shields the area once occupied by the iconic Murphy-Flood’s Hotel that was destroyed by fire on Sunday, September 25th, 2005, at 8.30pm, shortly after it was sold for €3.1 million, and nowadays is allegedly used for drug deal activities and anti-social behaviour. A chirpy and environmentally friendly colony of birds have found occupation in the old Irish Street Stores building.

Plans for Enniscorthy town centre would see the site redeveloped to accommodate a modern, mixed-use purpose built building to include a new modern library for Enniscorthy, commercial units, 18 residential apartments and basement parking in a major project with an estimated cost of approximately €8 million.

Wexford County Council Planning Section, in collaboration with Loci Urban Design Architecture and Planning has developed a strategic plan for Enniscorthy town centre, which was adopted at last December’s meeting of the Enniscorthy Municipal District Council.

This long-term strategic plan identifies the key infrastructural projects that have the potential to act as catalysts for social, economic and physical regeneration of the town centre. It includes Market Square, Main Street, Castle Hill, Templeshannon and the Castle Quarter (Castle Hill, Castle St, Slaney St.?) as initial projects to be advanced.

Moloney O’Bernie Architects have been appointed to prepare preliminary designs and Part VIII planning application for the Market Square and the Castle Quarter by July and September respectively to support the Call 4 application for Enniscorthy.

Man dies in Gorey workplace

By Dan Walsh

The Health and Safety Authority and An Garda Siochána are investigating the circumstances in which a man, ca-40 years old, died on a building site at Ballytegan Road, Gorey, this morning.

It is understood that the man died following an incident with a piece of heavy machinery around 9 am.

Emergency services were quickly on the scene and pronounced the man dead on arrival.

The body of the man was taken to University Hospital Waterford where a post-mortem examination will be conducted.

4 rescued outside Wexford Harbour

By Dan Walsh

Four people were rescued by crews of Wexford and Rosslare Harbour RNLI after their 16-foot boat suffered engine failure outside of Wexford Harbour shortly after 5pm yesterday (Tuesday) evening.

Rosslare Harbour RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat under Coxswain Eamonn O’Rourke and four other crew members onboard, was first on scene. The Kilmore Quay Harbour Master assisted the crew in locating the casualty vessel.

Wexford and Rosslare Harbour RNLI (Pic; RNL:I/Wexford)

Having assessed the situation, a decision was made to tow the boat into safe waters. Wexford RNLI then took over the tow to navigate the casualty over Wexford bar and through the sandbanks of Wexford Harbour. The four people were safely brought ashore at 6.58pm.

Weather conditions at the time were reasonably good, with a Force 3 westerly wind and good visibility with some showers.

Speaking following the call out, Wexford RNLI Helm Damien Foley said: ‘The casualties did the right thing and contacted the Coast Guard when they were in difficulty. All four were also wearing lifejackets. This call out was well executed between us and our colleagues in Rosslare Harbour. We would remind people that if you see anyone in difficulty on or near the water to ring 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.”

Monday double for Barry O’Neill

By Dan Walsh

Point-to-point action yesterday (Monday) took place at Toomebridge in Mid-Antrim where champion rider Barry O’Neill recorded a double and Donnchadh Doyle saddled the only Wexford winner on the six-race card.

DONNCHADH DOYLE

Davidoc in the Monbeg Syndicate colours was an easy 19 lengths winner for handler Donnchadh Doyle and rider Rob James in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings. Seasonal success number 24 for the season and an impressive 35% success-rate for Doyle, while James has ridden 31 winners this season and has a 36% strike-rate.

Barry O’Neill was aboard Bold Enough, winning his seventh race in succession for David Christie by 22 lengths in the Open Race while Tech Talk, handled by Tom Dreaper was a five lengths winner of the maiden race for six-year-old geldings to clinch the double success. O’Neill is well on his way to another National Point-to-Point riders’ Championship and a well-earned and deserved seventh title.

New rail services between Gorey and Dublin

By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council meeting

Good news for rail commuters between Gorey Railway Station and Connolly Station, Dublin, were announced and welcomed at today’s May meeting of Wexford County Council at Carricklawn by Cllr Andrew Bolger who is a member of the Transport Special Policy Committee.

CLLR ANDREW BOLGER delighted at new train times for Gorey from May 22nd.

From Monday, May 22nd, a new weekday evening service will begin between Dublin and Gorey.

20.05hrs; Dublin Connolly to Gorey.

22.25hrs; Gorey to Dublin Connolly.

“I am delighted to see the new train times coming to Gorey, said Cllr Bolger, who added; “There are 31,000 people living in the Gorey District and just over 18,000 living in the Kilmuckridge District.

“The ‘National Development Plan 2021-2030’ cites the need for greater capacity for Iarnród Éireann.

Today I asked Wexford County Council to strike while the iron is hot and seek further services and infrastructure along this train line.”

Cllr. Bolger has acknowledged that Gorey Town is a bustling area of trade and business, and he has raised concerns about the transport links “I’ve written to Iarnród Éireann about the need to further enhance the train line. We need more carriages, and we need more train times for commuters, students, school trips and visitors. This will allow for ease of travel from Gorey while also bringing people into the Town.”

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan recently met with local councillors in County Hall and discussed the need to develop the Rosslare-Dublin rail line.

Cllr. Bolger stated that he was glad to hear the train line being mentioned. “I’m glad it’s on the agenda, there has been some recent progress, but I think we need to continue to keep the ball rolling. The benefits include eco-friendly traveling, punctuality because the line does not have to be concerned with traffic and you can get some work done by pulling the laptop out. If you’re a student, you can get stuck into the books,” concluded Cllr Bolger.

18 new social homes for Tagoat

By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council meeting
Speaking at today’s monthly meeting of Wexford County Council Cathaoirleach of the Rosslare Municipal District, Cllr Lisa McDonald, confirmed that the Department of Housing has given Wexford County Council the go-ahead to construct 18 new social homes in Grahormack, Tagoat.

CLLR LISA McDONALD

The 18 new homes will be a mix of one-bed, two-bed, three-bed, and four-bed tenancies.
Welcoming the development, Cllr McDonald commended Wexford County Council and the Department of Housing for their work in getting the project to this stage. 

“I have been working diligently with Council officials to add to the social housing stock for applicants seeking social housing in the Rosslare Municipal District,” she said.

“This announcement marks a significant milestone in the delivery of this exciting new development in Grahormack, Tagoat.”

“I will continue to work with my council and government colleagues to ensure that we do whatever it takes to deliver further social housing projects for the Rosslare Municipal District as well as Co. Wexford’s other municipal districts”, Cllr McDonald concluded.

3 rescued from yacht off Hook Head

By Dan Walsh

Three people on board a yacht stranded one and a half miles north-west of Hook Head were rescued by the crew of Dunmore East RNLI late last Thursday night.

Alerted by the Irish Coast Guard, the volunteer lifeboat crew were called into action late last night at 11.43pm to assist the three people on the 10-metre yacht in distress. The yacht, with three people onboard, found itself adrift after losing both engine power and electrics amidst challenging weather conditions.

HOOK HEAD… rescue from a stranded yacht with three people on board.

The Shannon class all-weather lifeboat reached the yacht in poor visibility, wind Force 5-6, moderate sea state, and rainy conditions. After evaluating the situation and ensuring the yacht’s crew’s well-being, the decision was made to tow the vessel back to the safety of Dunmore East Harbour.

Roy Abrahamsson, Dunmore East RNLI Coxswain said: “The yacht’s crew were relieved to see us arrive, as the loss of power had left them adrift and vulnerable in the challenging wind and rain conditions in darkness. We urge those going afloat to check their engine and fuel, always wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid, and carry a means of calling for help.”