Friday evening racing at Wexford

UNDER STARTER’S ORDERS; Lining up at Bettyville Park for a great evening’s racing. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

By Dan Walsh

The clocks have gone forward, the evenings are longer, the real Spring weather is just around the corner and the first evening meeting of the 2023 Horse Racing Ireland season happens at Bettyville Park, Wexford, this evening (Friday).

Sixty-four entries for the seven races with the first off at 4.10pm.

Small entries in some races, however, all will be competitive and the card features four steeplechases and three hurdle events, so plenty of action.

The track has a good covering of grass, but overnight and early morning rain is expected to clear towards evening and the going will be officially ‘heavy’.

A good crowd is anticipated, but for those who can’t make it, all races will be televised live on the Racing UK channel.

THE CARD;

4.10pm; RED MILLS Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle (4yo plus) of €20,000. 2 miles 4 furlongs. 150 yards. (9 runners).

4.40pm; Tomcoole Farm Ltd (Mares) Maiden Hurdle (4yo plus) of €10,500. 2 miles. 4 furlongs. 150 yards. (13 runners).

5.10pm; Brendan Cullimore Electrical Novice Hurdle of €11,500.3 miles. (6 runners).

5.40pm; Download BoyleSport App Nov Handicap Chase of €16,500. (5yo+,) 2 miles 3 furlongs 170 yards, (7 runners).

6.10pm; Arctic Tack Stud Veterans Handicap Chase of €22,000. (9yo+,) 2 miles 3 furlongs 170 yards, (7 runners).

6.40pm; Wexford Supporters Club Handicap Chase (DIV I) of €10,500. (5yo+,) 3 miles 1 furlong 100 yards, (11 runners).

7.10pm; Wexford Supporters Club Handicap Chase (DIV II) of €10,500. (5yo+,) 3 miles 1 furlong 100 yards, (11 runners).

Wexford winner of the Golden Fleece Award

By Dan Walsh

Ardcavan, Wexford-born, London-based, Irish visual artist and fashion designer, Richard Malone was awarded the Golden Fleece Award for Visual Arts 2023. 

The Golden Fleece is Ireland’s largest independent award for visual and applied arts, established by pioneer Helen Lilias Mitchell and first awarded in 2002. It celebrates artists and practices that cross several disciplines.

Malone’s practice looks at things that are invisible – particularly class, queerness, place, language and rurality, which, he believes, continue to be overlooked and are rendered in techniques that aren’t often accepted as visual art – stitch, dyeing, drapery etc. 

Richard Malone in Residency at Blackbird Cultur-Lab. (Pic. Karla Sánchez).

Malone plans to use his Golden Fleece Award to purchase specialist equipment that will allow him to refine the physicality of his sculptural and performance pieces, and to continue his research into Irish folklore and queer histories using archival collections at University College Dublin and the National Library.

Responding on Instagram, he said: “I want to say a huge thank you to each of the judges whose practices and work I sincerely admire. Thank you to all of the trustees, I really appreciate your kind words and all of your careful consideration in rewarding each prize, every artist shortlisted represents incredible cross disciplinary work. 

“Huge thank you to the incredible people who’ve supported my work across several spaces, without whom we wouldn’t have such rewarding and engaging exhibitions and programmes around the country,” he added.

Richard Malone recently engaged in a 4 week-residency of research and experimentation at Blackbird Cultur-Lab, Haresmead, Foulksmill, which is a creative cultural laboratory based within a working farm that follows regenerative agriculture practices. It aims to provide an environment for farmers, artists, academics, and practitioners from various disciplines to experiment and work beyond traditional boundaries. It is a non-for-profit organisation that works to instigate new ideas and opportunities involving the arts and seeks to foster local participation in a non-traditional format. 

Its main objectives are to promote cultural exchange and the better understanding of the connections between the soil, the land, the environment and our every-day lives.  Blackbird Cultur-Lab does this through different seasonal programs such as research residencies, dialogue sessions, children’s workshops, and other activities. 

Is nothing sacred in the Peace Park?

Scene from the Orchard Peace Park at Enniscorthy; the nun’s graveyard to the left, Vinegar Hill to the right.

By Dan Walsh

Anti-social behaviour in the Orchard Peace Park at Enniscorthy was again on the minds of members at last Monday’s monthly meeting of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council where Cllr Jackser Owens described the “disgraceful and mindless vandalism” at the nun’s graveyard.

Cllr Owens said that eight headstones had been damaged in recent weeks. They have been taken away for repairs and a lock has been placed on the entrance gate.

The foundation stone for the Presentation Sisters convent was laid on April 16th, 1839; the sisters moved in on July 1st 1840; the chapel in the Gothic style was blessed and opened in 1859; the sisters were given a civic reception by Enniscorthy Urban District Council when they left in 2001; the property, including the care of the nun’s final resting place, was taken over by Wexford County Council.

Cllr Owens called on the council to concrete the walkways in the Orchard Peace Park to facilitate wheelchair users and those pushing buggies.

Cllr Owens also said that private property was being interfered with and residents on Irish Street have made complaints. There were also calls for the presence of CCTV cameras and garda patrols were recently observed in the park.

Anyone with information about the vandalism in the park or at the enclosed cemetery is asked to contact Enniscorthy Garda Station in confidence on 053 9242580.

Fishing boat rescued off Hook Head

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.”

Public discussion on the Ahare River

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)

Enniscorthy welcome for Neville Shaw

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.

Vinegar Hill plans for 225th anniversary

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.”

Drama festival winners in Carnew

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

6 people arrested in drugs bust

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.