A fishing vessel that got into difficulties south-east of Hook Head being towed by Dunmore RNLI crew. (Pic; Peter Grogan/RNLI)
By Dan Walsh
Three men on board a 12-metre fishing vessel were rescued by Dunmore East RNLI this morning after they got into difficulty at sea.
The volunteer crew were paged at 9.30am following a notification from the Irish Coast Guard that a fishing vessel required assistance south east of Hook Head.
The casualty vessel was quickly located approximately 10 nautical miles south-east of Hook Head. With an entangled propeller, they were unable to make any headway under their own power.
The fishing boat was towed to the nearest safe port at Dunmore East, a journey that took approximately two and a half hours.
Conditions at the time were Force four to five north easterly winds, with a moderate sea state and good visibility.
Peter Grogan, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Dunmore East RNLI, said; “We would encourage anyone going to sea to ensure that you have the appropriate means of calling for help should you need it such as a VHF radio or a mobile phone. Should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.”
CLLR JOE SULLIVAN entertaining the young ducks happily paddling in the floods on the public road near the Ahare River Bridge today.
Special Report by DAN WALSH in North Wexford
Persistent flooding due to the excessive volume of water in the Ahare River on the road between Castletown and Tara Hill has been a lively local issue and raised at meetings of Wexford County Council on many occasions.
In a determined effort to improve matters and to formulate a framework of action going forward for the betterment of the entire community with due respect for diversity a public meeting has been arranged at the Golden Anchor, Castletown, on Thursday, March 30th, starting at 8pm. All are welcome.
“The local community are invited to the meeting to discuss what measures can be adopted to ensure safety and unhindered passage on the roadway,” said Cllr Joe Sullivan, who added; “Opinion and ideas around finding a long-term resolution to this issue will be valued and appreciated.”
When WexfordLocal.com met with Cllr Sullivan today stagnant flooding existed on lands both sides of the Ahare Bridge while a strong brown fast flowing Inch River made its way to Clone Beach and into the sea.
Part of the roadway was flooded across, but passible for traffic, and a pair of friendly young ducks were happily swimming and having the time of their lives. Our visit was at 4pm today. It was a dry Spring Day with temperatures at 15 degrees Celsius and no rain since early morning in the area.
However, there are concerns locally. Landowners are frustrated by constant flooding in their fields, Local road users often have to take diversions and some locals have fears about the safety of the bridge that is being under water constantly for some years now. Suitable species of trees planted to enhance the diversity are leafless and rotting away!
HISTORY; The Ahare River, also known locally as the Inch or Kilgorman River flows from the mountain, meets up with the Clonoge River and enters the sea at Clone Beach.
The land is agricultural and rich in grazing while closer to the sea are reed banks on either side that provide a great wildlife habitat.
At Clone Beach the river enters the sea, but not before flowing through a lagoon that has developed a two-metre high cliff edge which locals describe as “dangerous for people using the beach, especially the children.
This lagoon has been described as “a nursery for juvenile flat fish and people have talked about being in the lagoon and experiencing a flurry of sand under their feet as the flounder made a quick escape.”
Eels and trout are part of the environment; however, recent fears have been expressed that the spawning stock are prohibited from going upstream, and that a cutting, like that maintained by locals some years ago, needs to be reintroduced to free up the river and assist the lagoon to allow the young trout and salmon to regain its natural habitat.
CLLR JOE SULLIVAN standing in the lagoon at Clone Beach today. The two-metre high cliff edge behind him is causing ‘public safety’ issues on the beach that is popular with the locals and visiting families. Locals are calling on Wexford County Council for “a direct cutting into the sea” at the mouth of the Ahare River to assist spawning stock move up river and maintain trout and salmon in the river. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy Municipal District Council
Enniscorthy Municipal District Council has a new Senior Executive Engineer with responsibility for water, Neville Shaw, who attended his first meeting at the Presentation Centre, Enniscorthy, today and was accorded a friendly welcome.
NEVILLE SHAW, Senior Executive Engineer for Enniscorthy.
First to congratulate Mr. Shaw was Cllr Jackser Owens who “wished him the best of luck” and thanked him for work already done.
Cllr Cathal Byrne welcomed Mr Shaw to his first meeting and commented “you are coming to the role with a lot of experience and I wish you the best of luck.”
Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy also added words of welcome and looked forward to working with him, especially in the Bunclody district!
An Cathaoirleach, Cllr Aidan Browne and Cllrs Kathleen Codd-Nolan and John O’Rourke added their respective good wishes.
Mr Shaw, who is a native of Sligo and has been attached to the staff of Wexford County Council since 2007, said he was delighted to take up the position to progress projects in the town and district. He also paid tribute to his predecessor, Tadgh Ó Corcora, who retired last month.
Mr Shaw presented his first monthly report on matters related to the water system and it appears that everything is healthy and progressing at this present time.
By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy Municipal District meeting
This year marks the 225th anniversary of the Insurrection of 1798 and Enniscorthy Municipal District Council has plans to enhance Vinegar Hill and its surrounds ahead of commemorative events on June 21st this year.
Although details were sketchy at today’s monthly meeting of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, An Cathaoirleach, Cllr Aidan Browne suggested that plans for Vinegar Hill included trails for historic tours and improved signage.
Proposals were seen by the members. Cllr Cathal Byrne described plans for Vinegar Hill as “a very positive step” and believes facilities will be improved and ready to move quickly when grant schemes become available.
Cllr Jackser Owens argued for tea rooms, maybe guided tours, making the walkways on the town side of the hill wheelchair or disability friendly. He believes that Vinegar Hill has the potential to attract thousands of visitors and he compared it to tourism success in Killarney.
Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy reminded the meeting that June 21st was the 225th anniversary of the Battle of Vinegar Hill. She was delighted with the programme and felt an interpretive centre on Vinegar Hill would enhance the town.
Cllr Kathleen Codd-Nolan was of the view that “we need to be serious about it” when going forward with ideas and promotion of a “world class and European class” public attraction.
Director of Services, Carolyne Godkin, spoke of improving access and improving signage and she felt it could be “a huge community asset as well as a public tourist attraction.”
Winners at the 16th South Wicklow Drama Festival in St. Brigid’s Hall, Carnew, on Sunday night. (Pic; Eamonn Doran)
By Dan Walsh
Kilmuckridge (confined) and Thurles (open section) were the winners at the end of nine magical nights at the 2023 South Wicklow Drama Festival in St. Brigid’s Hall, Carnew, which concluded on Sunday night.
Back stage crews transformed the stage each night setting the correct dramatic scenes for each of nine plays. Add amazing lighting designs, sound, costumes and makeup and the scenes were set for the actors to perform.
Appreciative audiences were treated to simply wonderful week of drama. A welcome cup of tea was provided next door at the interval, where they enjoyed an extra treat in the form of an Art Exhibition, curated by Carnew Community Art Group. They also had the chance to share their own views on the merits of each performance.
Anna Walker, ADA, Adjudicator for the week attested to the very high standard attained by all of the groups during the week. She said she enjoyed every minute of her time in Carnew and thanked the organising committee.
She then gave her final adjudication and the much-awaited results of the 2023 South Wicklow Drama Festival as follows….
Confined Section; 1st – Kilmuckridge Drama Group – ‘Sive’ 2nd – Wayside Players – ‘The Field’ 3rd – Lislea Dramatic Players – ‘See How They Run’
Open Section; 1st – Thurles Drama Group – ‘The Seafarer’ 2nd – Wexford Drama Group – ‘The Father’
3rd – Bunclody-Kilmyshall Drama Group – ‘The Night Alive’
Confined Section:
Best Supporting Actor – Ben Murphy, Wayside
Best Supporting Actress – Ellen Hannaway, Lislea
Best Actor – John Hearne, Kilmuckridge
Best Actress – Margo Whelan, Kilmuckridge
Best Director – Anthony O’Connor, Kilmuckridge
Open Section:
Best Supporting Actress – Margaret Farrell, Bunclody-Kilmyshall
Best Supporting Actor – David McElgunn, Thurles
Best Actress – Seona O’Connor, Wexford
Best Actor – Andy Doyle, Wexford
Best Director – Margaret McCormack, Thurles
Adjudicator Award 1 – Enniscorthy Drama Group for putting on a production by one of their own
Adjudicator Award 2 – Eugene McLoughlin as Bull McCabe, Wayside.
Adjudicator Award 3 – Stage Management Team from Lislea Dramatic Players.
Best Comedy Performance (Jim Tighe Trophy) – Matt Tracey as Ivan, Thurles.
Magic Moment in Theatre (Pat Connaughton Award) – Director Kieran Tyrrell; Actor Billy
Canning for the finding of the turnip. (Bunclody-Kilmyshall)
Audience Cup (Altura Credit Union Award) – Thurles Drama Group – ‘The Seafarer’
Best Presentation – Bunclody- Kilmyshall DG, The Night Alive
Six people have been arrested following the search of 15 houses as part of ongoing investigations into criminality in the Enniscorthy and Gorey areas.
It happened as Gardaí conducted an operation recently that is connected to Operation THOR.
During the search of 15 houses, over €13,000 worth of drugs were seized (subject to analysis) and over €1,800 in cash was seized.
Gardaí also recovered Stolen Property and six people were arrested.
Charges were preferred and two people will appear before the District Court charged with being in possession of controlled substances with the intent to supply.
Files to the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) will forwarded in relation to the other people who were arrested.
SEAN O’ROURKE (Old Style Humor) and BERTIE FINN (Tara Cove) dead-heated for first place at Monksgrange today.
By Dan Walsh at Monksgrange
A dead-heat in the Winner of Two race for novice riders was the highlight on day of close finishes and reliance on the photo finish camera at the Bree Hunt annual point-to-point races held in Spring-like conditions at Monksgrange, Rathnure, this afternoon.
Colin Bowe trained Tara Cove ridden by Bertie Finn, Oulart, and Old Style Humor from Sean Doyle’s yard and Sean O’Rourke could not be separated on the line. It was the eighth career winner for Bertie Finn, but a first success for Sean O’Rourke from Ballybeg, Ferns. There was a dozen length gap and a dead-heat for third place in the same race shared between Garm Colombe (Troy Walsh) and Well P (Eoin Middleton).
Colin Bowe saddled a double when Captain Butler (Barry O’Neill) beat Captain Wallace (Jack Hendrick) in a ‘short head’ verdict after a terrific finish to the maiden race for five year old geldings.
Ballybough Aine from Ian McCarthy’s Kildangan, Co. Kildare, stables had ‘a head’ to spare when winning the maiden race for four-year-old mares with the Pa King ridden mare getting the better of the locally trained favourite Joueuse Royale for Colin Bowe and Barry O’Neill.
Michael Goff from Clondaw, Ferns, saddled San Frandisco (Mikey Sweeney up) running in the colours of Caitriona Goff who came home four lengths to the good in the maiden race for four-year-old geldings.
Florencethemachine was an impressive winner of the maiden race for five-year-old and upwards mares race Naas trainer Alan Donoghue and Kilkenny rider Troy Walsh. The winning margin was three lengths.
Peter Maher’s Kildare stables supplied Jet Fighter with Benny Walsh, Tomhaggard, in the saddle, who grabbed a ‘short-head’ victory over Colin Bowe’s Seattle Seahawk (Barry O’Neill) in the maiden race for six-year-olds and upwards geldings. Maher said Jet Fighter will be aimed at the Bishopscourt Cup at the Punchestown festival next month.
It was a great day’s racing. Exciting finishes. Good attendance. The track rode well. Back to Monksgrange for another day’s point-to-pointing on Sunday, April 23rd. Mark the date in your diary.
Racing also today at Ballynoe, Co. Cork, where Donnchadh Doyle was on the scoresheet. He trained newcomer Illico De Cotte who scored by twelve lengths under Alan Harney in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings.
Another Wexford handled winner at Loughrea, Co. Galway was Annie Express (Brian Lawless up) for Sean Doyle – across the card double for him today – by seven lengths in the maiden race for five-year-olds upwards mares.
Gardaí are seeking the public’s assistance in tracing the whereabouts of 17-year-old Jim Bob McDonagh who is missing from his home in Wexford Town since Tuesday, March 21st.
Jim Bob is described as approximately 6 feet tall with a broad build. He has brown hair and blue eyes.
Anyone with information on Jim Bob’s whereabouts is asked to contact Wexford Garda Station on 053 9165200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
Gardai in Gorey are investigating an incident outside of a premises in Courtown Harbour yesterday (Saturday) where a man was injured, although not confirmed, believed to have been stabbed.
The incident occurred at approximately 2.30pm.
The man, who is understood to be in his 30s, was taken from the scene by ambulance to St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin.
His injuries are thought to be non-life threating.
Several units of the fire service from Wexford and Waterford battled a major industrial fire at the Culcita furniture manufacturing storage building near Kent’s Cross, in New Ross, today.
Smoke and flames shooting into the sky at the fire in New Ross today.
The fire was first noticed around 10.30 am when clouds of dense black smoke were seen coming from the premises and the emergency services immediately rushed to the scene.
The smoke could be seen up to five kilometres away and traffic diversions were put in place. The burning roof collapsed, and the building was destroyed. The fire was brought under control around 2pm. No injuries were reported.
Wexford County Council said, in a statement, “Please avoid the area and, as a precautionary measure, keep windows and doors closed until smoke and fumes disperse.”
Culcita manufactures garden and outdoor furniture and has been in the textile manufacturing business in New Ross for 50 years. It opened the garden furniture manufacturing plant in 2009.
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