The Enniscorthy branch of the Red Cross held their Annual General Meeting recently at which a number of important issues were discussed. The branch also reviewed the last year of activities.
The committee for the coming year is composed of Aine O’Neill (Assistant Secretary), Paul O’Meara (Treasurer), Shane Roche (Vice-Chairman), Ruairi Ryan (PRO), Breda Coughlan-Roche (Chairperson), Sally Flynn (Area Rep), Elisha Pickles, Olive Lett, Paddy Redmond and Caroline Syme.
The organisation was nominated for a national Red Cross award under the “branch of the year” section, in 2022, and it was a fantastic achievement to be one of the three nominated branches from across the country.
The organisation is very busy in Rosslare tending to Ukraine refugees entering the country.
The meeting saw general duties being discussed, as well as plans being put in place for the coming year.
Officers and members of Enniscorthy Red Cross pictured at the annual general meeting held recently. (Pic; Enniscorthy Red Cross).
New rural bus service between the towns of Wexford and Enniscorthy will serve villages, including BALLYHOGUE, seen here.
By Dan Walsh
TFI Local Link Wexford has announced a new rural bus service connecting the towns of Wexford and Enniscorthy due to commence next Monday, February 13th.
Known as Route 384 it will operate five return services per day Monday to Saturday and four return services on Sunday serving areas on the western side of the River Slaney stopping through villages and areas such as Glynn, Killurin, Ballyhogue, Bree, Wilton and Tomnalossett.
The new service will provide improved connectivity to regional bus and rail services from Wexford to Enniscorthy and will facilitate onward travel to South Wexford, Waterford, Carlow, Wicklow and Dublin.
The new route will also provide improved access to medical services in St John’s Community Hospital, local libraries, local town bus services and tourist attractions such as the Irish National Heritage Park, Enniscorthy Castle, the historic Athenaeum and the National 1798 Rebellion Centre.
The most excited person at the Wexford Hunt point-to-point held in Spring-like conditions today at Ballinaboola was Kilmore rider Joanne Corish who rode her first winner; Old Style Humor for Ballindaggin handler Sean Doyle by one length in the concluding Winners of Three race.It was a very popular victory for Ms. Corish who had two mounts.
JOANNE CORISH had her first winner at Ballinaboola today.
The well-attended meeting got under way with the first four-year-old maiden race for 2023 and a one and a half lengths success for first timer De Tellers Fortune ridden by Brian Dunleavy for Coolgarrow Lane handler Ellen Doyle. Afterwards James Doyle said he was “delighted” with the performance of the €32,000 purchase at Tattersalls Derby Sale.
Rosemary Connors from Woodstown, Co. Waterford was the handler of Woodie Flash who came home seven and a half lengths to the good in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings with Cleariestown rider Barry Stone up.
Jack Hendrick and Cormac Doyle were relieved to see Stadium Talk get the better of Callin Baton Rouge (Declan Lavery) by “a neck” in the maiden race for five and six-year-old mares. Cormac Doyle said afterwards; “She is improving all the time; a nice mare and she goes to the sales next.”
Tara Cove is heading for “a winner’s race” according to champion handler Colin Bowe following an eight lengths victory in the maiden race for six-year-olds with Barry O’Neill in the saddle.
Philip Rothwell is having a good run of luck and the Tinahely stables added another success with Lesssaidthebetter who scored by 32 lengths to give Tralee rider Ross Sugrue his first winner in the maiden race for seven-year-olds and upwards. Rothwell was saddling his 20th career point-to-point winner to add to his success on the track over many years.
Rob James travelled to Bellharbour in Co. Clare today and rode a treble; Somptueux for Henry de Bromhead, Paddy De Pole for Tom Keating, and added the maiden race for five-year-old geldings on first timer Mt Fugi Park by five lengths for the Monbeg Syndicate and Ballindaggin handler Donnchadh Doyle.
Point-to-point also today at Tallow, Co. Waterford, where two Wexford stables were amongst the winners. Following his success at Ballinaboola with Old Style Humor Sean Doyle made it a double for the day with newcomer Leader in the Park gaining a 56 lengths victory under Liam Gilligan in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings.
Cold Sobar won the six-year-olds plus gelding’s maiden race for the Blackhall Stables Partnership and Killurin handler Paul Pierce. Two and a half lengths the distance and the successful rider was Sean Staples from Duncormick.
The Wexford Hunt point-to-point races takes place at Ballinaboola tomorrow (Sunday) with an impressive 103 entries for six races, the first is off at 1pm.
HARLEY DUNNE …out of action through injury but has entries as a handler at the Wexford Hunt races at Ballinaboola tomorrow.
The latest news from the track is that it will be a dry day, temperatures 7-9 degrees and the going is officially described as ‘good’.
The card kicks off with the first four-year-old maiden of 2023 with 32 entries including many from the local stables of Colin Bowe, Ellen Doyle, Harley Dunne, Rob James, Cormac Doyle, Matthew Flynn-O’Connor, Mark Scallan, Liam Kenny, Cormac Farrell, Sean Doyle and Michael Goff.
Ballinaboola is highly rated as a track that brings out the quality since it became a new location for the point-to-point scene in 2011.
On the first day one of the winners was Seabass, ridden by Katie Walsh (now of RTÉ interviewing fame at the television races) who went on to finish third in the 2012 Aintree Grand National behind the winner Neptune Colleges (Daryl Jacob).
The four-year-old maiden at the spring fixture has been run over 2m4f, with the start located at the end of the back straight and this is a race won by Envoi Allen, (Colin Bowe/Barry O’Neill) the most joint most expensive four-year-old point-to-pointer during the 2017/18 season.
Enjoy your day at Balinaboola tomorrow. Wexford Hunt welcomes everyone to a good day out for all the family.
Fans were evacuated onto the pitch at Chadwicks Wexford Park this evening delaying the throw-in of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A Round 1/Walsh Cup final after a small fire broke out in the main stand.
The start to the game was delayed by 15 minutes until the Fire Officer declared it safe for the waiting fans to enter the stadium and the match to go ahead.
Speaking to RTÉ News, CEO/Operations Manager of Wexford GAA Gavin Donovan said that smoke came out of a vent after an air-conditioning unit went on fire. The mains power in the stadium was out for a time as a result.
“There was only a small bit of smoke, and the air handling vent is damaged but there was no damage to the room that it was in. Nobody was hurt or injured as a result”, said Mr. Donovan, who praised the quick response of the emergency services.
The game got under way 15 minutes behind the scheduled starting time and victory went to the visitors. Final score; Galway 0-23 Wexford 0-15.
Wexford is to receive a major funding boost for the development of cycle and walkways in communities around Co. Wexford that will be better with safe and people-friendly corridors to visit friends, go to the shops, or cycle or walk to school, sports training and other activities.
Fine Gael Deputy Paul Kehoe was speaking following confirmation that the National Transport Authority has allocated funds to Ireland’s local authorities, with an overall fund of €290m to be spent on walking and cycling infrastructure this year.
“This large scale investment will enable councils to support approximately 1,200 Active Travel schemes nationwide,” said Deputy Kehoe, who added: “I am particularly pleased to report that Wexford County Council has been allocated €3,280,298 to develop and maintain cycle lanes, widened footpaths, new walking and cycling bridges and pedestrian crossings locally.”
DEPUTY PAUL KEHOE
Some of the projects in Wexford receiving funding include several schools:
Scoil Mhuire Rosslaire €80,000.
Scoil Naomh Abbann €80,000.
Saint Aidan’s €80,000.
Gorey Central School €20,000.
Ramsgrange Community School €20,000.
St. Patrick’s N.S. Crossabeg: €20,000.
In addition, there are a few other projects that will transform the local area;
€1,500,000: Newtown Road Active Travel Pathfinder Scheme.
€570,000; Roxborough Active Travel Pathfinder Scheme.
€59,298; Gorey Footpath Improvement Schemes.
“There is an assumption that Greenways, cycleways or walkways are primarily tourism amenities. While they do enhance our local tourism offerings in Wexford, first and foremost they are about local people and improving local life, connecting suburbs, local villages or townlands that often become disconnected from one another because of busy and dangerous roads,” said Deputy Kehoe.
“2023 is going to be an important year for active travel. With a growing number of active travel schemes moving from design into construction and delivery, we can encourage more people across the county to walk or cycle within and beyond their local community,” he concluded.
The body of a woman was recovered from the River Slaney at lunch time today and taken to University Hospital Waterford for a post mortem examination.
She has been named locally as Stephanie O’Connor, (51), from Slí na Sláine, Enniscorthy.
Ms. O’Connor had been reported missing by concerned family members yesterday afternoon and An Garda Siochána initiated a search that included Slaney Search and Rescue crews.
A body taken from the River Slaney south of the Urrin Bridge today has been positively identified as that of Ms. O’Connor and family members have been informed.
Úisce Éireann, working in partnership with Wexford County Council, is replacing almost 800 metres of aged water mains with new modern pipes along Cahore Road in North Wexford.
The project, which will commence this week, will provide a more reliable water supply and reduce the amount of treated drinking water lost to leakage.
The works will also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers’ property boundaries and connecting it to the customers’ water supply.
Beautiful Cahore in summertime (File Pic)
Outlining the benefits the water mains replacement project will bring, Joe Carroll, Regional Delivery Lead at Uisce Éireann, stated; “I would like to thank the local community in advance for their patience and co-operation during the works. We know based on previous experiences that the short-term inconvenience will be overshadowed by the long-term benefits.”
Where water mains are being constructed traffic management will be in place during this time. Local and emergency traffic will be always maintained.
These works are being carried out by Shareridge Civil Engineering in partnership with Wexford County Council on behalf of Uisce Éireann and are due to be completed by mid-March.
Uisce Éireann’s customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact on Twitter @IWCare with any queries.
Mayor of Wexford Cllr Maura Bell and Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Cllr George Lawlor welcomed French Ambassador, His Excellency, E. Vincent Guerend and Conseiller Monsieur Julien Bouchez to Wexford town, yesterday (Monday).
MAYOR OF WEXFORD CLLR MAURA BELL
In a statement on social media, Cllr Lawlor said he was delighted to join Mayor Bell and French Ambassador Vincent Guérend for the official announcement that the French Embassy in Ireland is to establish an Honorary Consulate in Wexford.
“This historic development had come about as a result of the hugely enhanced connections that have developed with Wexford and the region post Brexit,” stated Cllr Lawlor.
It is anticipated that this new post will help grow relations between France and the South East of Ireland as well as increasing economic growth in County Wexford.
The consulate which will be based in Wexford will serve counties Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny and Laois.
The scene at Mill Park Road, Enniscorthy, tonight, as works commence on resurfacing the roadway from Abbey Square to St. Mary’s CBS.
By Dan Walsh
The R744 is closed tonight to facilitate road resurfacing works from Abbey Square and along Mill Park Road to St, Mary’s CBS causing traffic disruption entering and leaving Enniscorthy town centre on the Enniscorthy-New Ross route.
The works is being carried out by Roadstone Ltd on behalf of Wexford County Council and night-time closures will apply until Wednesday, February 8th from 7pm to 6am.
Local access will be in place and diversion routes will be signposted. In a communication to residents and business Roadstone Ltd has apologised in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.
It should also be noted that these works are weather dependant and as such the dates and times may be subject to change at short notice.
The last time the Mill Park Road was totally resurfaced was in 1998 to facilitate the second stage of the Tour de France which travelled the N30 from Enniscorthy to New Ross.
WexfordLocal.com 