3 rescued after yacht engine failed

Three people were rescued by Kilmore Quay RNLI this morning (Monday) after their yacht experienced engine failure 30 miles off the Wexford coast. (Pic; RNLI/Elaine Walsh).

By Dan Walsh

Three people were rescued by Kilmore Quay RNLI this morning (Monday) after their becalmed yacht experienced engine failure 30 miles off the Wexford coast.

The call came via a request from the Irish Coast Guard shortly after 9am. Weather conditions at the time were fair, with some fog, light winds and calm seas.

The conditions prevented the crew of the 10.5 metre yacht from using sail power. The subsequent engine failure meant the yacht was becalmed and unable to move.

The lifeboat under Coxswain Philip Walsh with five crew members onboard immediately launched and made its way to the scene 30 miles south of Kilmore Quay arriving at 11.11am. 

The lifeboat crew checked that all onboard the yacht were safe and well before assessing the situation with the vessel. A decision was made to establish a towline and return to the nearest port, which was Kilmore Quay. The passage back to port with the vessel under tow took just over three and a half hours.

Arriving back in the harbour at 2.50pm, the casualty vessel was secured alongside the marina assisted by the Kilmore Quay unit of the Irish Coast Guard. The lifeboat returned to its berth and was made ready for service again by the crew. 

Speaking following the call out, Kilmore Quay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager John Grace, said; “Even the best maintained equipment can have unexpected problems, which is why it is so important to carry a means of communication when heading out to sea. If you find yourself in difficulty, or you see someone in trouble, on or near the water, call the Coast Guard on 112 or 999.”

Gorey rural water supply progress

By Dan Walsh

The new Water Treatment Plant and Reservoir at Ballyminaun Hill, located south of Gorey, will ensure the communities of Gorey, Riverchapel and Courtown have a more abundant and safer water supply into the future.

Denise Treacy, Irish Water’s Infrastructure Delivery Regional Delivery Lead told WexfordLocal.com this morning; “I am thrilled that we are nearly at completion stage on this project. It is such an important project for the rural community of Gorey and the surrounding areas and will really strengthen the water supply for the residents and businesses.”

NOVEMBER 2019. Turning the sod at Ballyminaun Hill was the Minister Eoghan Murphy. Also in the photo James Browne TD, Senator Malcolm Byrne, Michael D’Arcy TD, Verona Murphy TD and officials at Irish Water.

The sod was turned on the green field site back in November 2019 and significant work has taken place to bring the project to fruition. The supply now boasts a new 8,000 m3/day Water Treatment Plant, a 7,400m3 Storage Reservoirs and incorporates 13 new and refurbished boreholes into the supply arrangement. In addition to the onsite developments, construction of 2.8km of water mains was also carried out.

Ms Treacy added; “It’s important to reflect on the benefits this project will bring to the communities and businesses in the area. It will increase the quantity of water being supplied to Gorey, Courtown, Riverchapel and the surrounding areas and will support current and future growth. It also provides enhanced storage facilities increasing security of supply and will also ensure enhanced monitoring and control facilities of the Gorey Rural Water Supply Scheme. As we all know from previous issues experienced on the urban scheme, this is a real positive.”

Also speaking about the milestone was Wexford County Council’s Director of Services, Eamonn Hore; “The upgrade of the Gorey Rural Water Supply Scheme provides security of water supply now and into the future in the thriving Gorey Kilmuckridge District.  The project benefits domestic and commercial consumers as well as supporting tourism in the sunny Southeast. Wexford County Council warmly welcomes the additional resource of the Ballyminaun treatment plant and storage reservoirs for the area.”

SEPTEMBER 2022 – Ballyminaun Water Treatment Plant (Pic; Irish Water).

Visitors to the site will notice the swathes of wildflowers dotted across the undulating hills of the site. This forms part of Irish Water’s Biodiversity Action Plan. Biodiversity protection is a key part of Irish Water’s Biodiversity and Sustainability Policies. Irish Water are committed to complying with all relevant environmental legislation, at both European and national levels. Irish Water has developed a number of overarching strategies for conserving, enhancing and working with the natural environment.

Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of all public water and wastewater services in Ireland.

John Hegarty to become Wexford football manager

By Dan Walsh

In a statement on social media “Wexford GAA are delighted to announce that we will be proposing John Hegarty as our new Senior Football Manager for ratification at the September County Committee Meeting.”

JOHN HEGARTY was Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council 2017-18.


Hogan Stand is reporting that former Wexford star John Hegarty is set to take over the reins as the county’s senior football manager.
Wexford GAA have confirmed that the Kilanerin clubman’s name will be put forward for ratification at a county board meeting on Tuesday week.
Hegarty, who made 105 appearances during his Wexford senior playing career between 1995 and 2006 and won a Railway Cup medal with Leinster as well as six Wexford SFC titles for Kilanerin, is currently in charge of county champions Shelmaliers.
He is set to succeed fellow Wexford man Shane Roche in the Model County hotseat following the latter’s decision to step down from the post in July.

Government approval for upgrade works at Rosslare Europort

Deputy Paul Kehoe, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton, and Glenn Carr, General Manager Rosslare Port Authority, at Rosslare Europort last Wednesday.

By Dan Walsh

Important news from Rosslare Europort this week with Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton confirming Government approval has been given for the OPW to proceed to tender for the development of the necessary permanent state infrastructure in Rosslare Europort.

The permanent facilities are needed to manage the requirements for checks and controls on trade with the UK as a consequence of Brexit and will replace the temporary infrastructure put in place in Kilrane in advance of the March 2019 Brexit deadline.

“I have been assured by Minister Naughton that the plans for the development of the new facilities will be done in a manner designed to minimise any negative impact on the port’s current operations and future business development,” Deputy Paul Kehoe told WexfordLocal.com.

Rosslare Europort has seen a significant expansion of services to the Continent since January 2021, with new weekly services going from 6 to 34. Services to and from the Port have been increased with Cherbourg and Bilbao with new routes introduced between Le Harve and Zeebrugge.

Rosslare Europort has experienced a huge increase in direct Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) services to mainland Europe over the last two years. This is in addition to the daily services from Rosslare Europort to the UK which provide an important alternative to Dublin Port for British traffic.

From November 2022, Brittany Ferries are introducing a new Cruise Ferry ‘the MV Galicia’ on its Rosslare-Cherbourg and Rosslare-Bilbao routes. This vessel will more than double passenger capacity on these routes and generate a substantial increase in Ireland’s tourism opportunities with France and Spain.

2021 saw a 371% increase in freight units through the Rosslare Europort to Europe and despite UK freight being down 34%. This represents the highest yearly growth in the port’s history and demonstrating the national importance of Rosslare Europort as a key connection for freight and passenger services to the UK and Europe.

Two vehicle crash in Wexford town

By Dan Walsh

MILL ROAD (Image credit: Google/Garda Siochana)

Wexford Gardaí are seeking witnesses to a two-vehicle collision which occurred at approximately 3pm today (Saturday) at the Mill Road entrance to Tesco, Distillery Road, Wexford.

Anyone with information or dash cam footage is requested to contact Wexford Garda Station on 053 9165200.

Wexford schools could be ‘Ireland’s Fittest’

By Dan Walsh

For the second year in succession, a call has gone out to schools in Wexford, and elsewhere across the country, from Irish Olympians, sprinter Phil Healy and fellow athlete, David Gillick, who have joined forces with Fyffes in a quest to find ‘Ireland’s Fittest School’.

For the second year in succession Irish Olympians Phil Healy and David Gillick have teamed up with Fyffes in a quest to find the fittest school in the country. .

Registration for the competition, which runs until March 31st 2023, can now be made online at www.fyffesfitsquad.ie, with the overall winner to be announced in April.

Coupled with monthly and spot prize rewards, one successful school will have the distinction of being chosen as ‘Ireland’s Fittest School 2023’, the prize for which will be a visit from Healy and Gillick and €5,000 worth of sports equipment.

The commencement of the competition coincides with the resumption this month of Fyffes children’s fitness programme of live school visits following a two-year break during Covid. The upcoming schedule will see some 7,500 pupils from schools throughout Ireland, North and South, participate in an interactive Fit Squad session between now and next March.

200,000 cigarettes seized at Rosslare Europort

By Dan Walsh

Revenue officers at Rosslare Europort seized approximately 200,000 cigarettes with an estimated retail value of €150,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of almost €118,000, as a result of routine profiling yesterday (Wednesday).

The illegal cigarettes, branded ‘Dunhill’, were discovered with the assistance of Revenue’s mobile x-ray scanner when Revenue officers stopped and searched a Bulgarian registered truck and its accompanying trailer, that had disembarked a ferry from Dunkirk, France.

The seizure is part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting the shadow economy and smuggling. If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295.

Boolavogue’s Penny is Leader of the Commons

By Dan Walsh

British Tory MP Penny Mordaunt, (49), who was once tipped as the next UK Prime Minister, steeped in Boolavogue and North Wexford ancestry, has returned to the cabinet as leader of the House of Commons, having endorsed Liz Truss after nearly beating her into the final two of the Conservative leadership race.

PENNY MORDAUNT MP, Leader of the House of Commons.

Most recently a trade minister, the naval reservist made history when she became the UK’s first female defence secretary in 2019 and had also been in cabinet in 2017 as international development secretary.

The former magician’s assistant is perhaps best known outside Westminster for appearing on ITV’s celebrity diving show Splash!

She is a niece of Henry Mordaunt, who maintains the family’s genealogy website. Henry traces their family roots back to Denis and Mary Mordaunt, born in north Co Wexford in the late 18th century.

The family were tenant farmers on land in Ballintlea, (carved as ‘Ballinaclay’ on the family memorial in Boolavogue graveyard) near Gorey, throughout the 19th century and in north Wexford.

Denis Mordaunt (1783-1868) was baptised in the parish of Kilanerin, near Gorey. He married Mary Byrne (1791-1851) in Avoca, Co Wicklow, in 1813, and held 30 acres in Ballinaclay, and may also have held land at Clone, near Monamolin. He died in 1868 and was buried in Boolavogue.

One of his younger children, Edward Mordaunt (1831-1917), married Bridget Crowe (1841-1921) in Litter Parish (Kilmuckridge) in 1863. They lived on 86 acres at Cullentra until he was evicted in 1886 for non-payment of rent and was jailed for his role in the ‘Land War.’

Part of the memorial inscription reads; “To the memory of Edward Mordaunt, Monamolin, of Land League fame, who was a fearless soldier in the land wars of the 1880s after suffering a term of imprisonment. Died February 6th 1917, aged 85 years.”

The house was destroyed by fire, and Edward and his family later lived in Court Ballyedmond, Monamolin, where he was a farmer and shopkeeper. He died in 1917, and he was buried in Boolavogue, alongside his father and older brothers.

Edward’s son Patrick Mordaunt (1874-1914) was baptised in Monamolin and married Bridget Plunkett (1873-1957) in Wexford in 1898. He enlisted in a cavalry regiment and the family moved to Canterbury.

Claire Keegan’s date in Kilmore Quay

By Dan Walsh

Irish author Claire Keegan has been shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize. Keegan’s Small Things Like These, which, at 116 pages, is the shortest book in terms of pages in the prize’s history.

Award-winning writer CLAIRE KEEGAN

Award-winning Keegan is the star of this year’s Write by the Sea festival at Kilmore Quay, September 23rd-25th, when she chats with Dr. Richard Hayes, Head of Strategy, South East Technological University, about writing, teaching, ideas and inspiration, creativity and originality.

This event takes place in the Stella Maris Centre at 5pm on Sunday, September 25th. For tickets, programme updates and more information about the festival and the writers see writebythesea.ie

Keegan, who was brought up on a farm in Wicklow, close to the Wexford border, published her first volume of short stories, Antarctica, in 1999, and it went on to win the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature.

Her other acclaimed works include Foster and Walk the Blue Fields.

Remembrance at Enniscorthy UN Peace Memorial

The annual commemoration at the UN Peace Memorial at Enniscorthy on Sunday.

By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy

For the first time in three years the IUNVA (Irish United Nations Veterans Association) annual commemoration took place at the UN Peace Memorial in the Orchard Peace Park at Enniscorthy on Sunday. The first event was held in 2013 and Covid-19 intervened in past years.

Michael O’Neill of Post 31 (Enniscorthy) and chairman of Enniscorthy Memorial Committee welcomed everybody “to honour of our deceased comrades, young men who gave their lives for world peace. They are gone, but not forgotten and never will be forgotten by our organisation.”

Mr O’Neill welcomed Cllr Aidan Browne, Cathaoirleach Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, Cllrs Barbara-Anne Murphy, Kathleen Codd-Nolan, Jackser Owens and John O’Rourke. (Apologies were read on behalf of Cllrs Cathal Byrne and Donal Kenny). Canon Mark Hayden, who read a prayer, Supt. Denis Whelan representing An Garda Siochana, members of ONÉ (National Organisation of Ex-Service Personnel), the British Legion and our own members of IUNVA.

Cllr Aidan Browne said “it is an honour to be with you today together in Enniscorthy with people from County Wexford and those who have travelled from other parts of the country, who have come to pause, reflect and remember the service of our UN veterans.”

William Gilbert, Chairman of Post 3 (Gorey) delivered the keynote address. He said that we, Irish, do not serve our soldiers well and he called for more awareness in the schools and places where our history is told.

AUDIO ADDITION; William Gilbert speaking at the UN Peace Memorial at Enniscorthy last Sunday.

Wreaths were laid by Matt Kavanagh (Post 3) and Joe McGrath (Post 31) on behalf of IUNVA; Richard Wickham on behalf of “the families of the names on the memorial”; Cllr Aidan Browne, Cathaoirleach, on behalf of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council; Supt. Denis Whelan on behalf of An Garda Siochána.

Roll of honour (all names on the memorial) were called out by Frank Shelly and Jim Gilbert, who also acted as master of ceremonies.

The dignified ceremony lasted about 20 minutes and concluded when Anthony Nolan (trumpet) sounded the Last Post and played the National Anthem.