A steam train facing for Enniscorthy tunnel (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
By Dan Walsh
Iarnród Éireann has informed residents that it will be carrying out essential railway maintenance works south of Enniscorthy Railway Station during night-time hours on Wednesday night/Thursday morning (September 17th-18th) between the hours of 10pm and 6am.
Iarnród Éireann emphasise that “this work can only be carried out at night when trains are not running,”, however, they sincerely add; “Every practical effort will be made to minimise the impact on and disruption to local residents.”
Pictured at Gorey Community School today were; (left to right); Deputy Brian Brennan TD, Rory McCarthy, Vice-Principal Gorey Community School, Helen McEntee TD, Minister for Education and Youth, Michael Finn, Principal at Gorey Community School and Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabhain TD, former Board member at Gorey Community School.
By Dan Walsh
Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee TD today (Monday) visited three schools in Wicklow and Wexford -Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir, Arklow, Coláiste Bhríde, Carnew and Gorey Community School and met with teachers, school staff and students settling into the new school year.
Minister McEntee said; “Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir, Coláiste Bhríde and Gorey Community School are shining testaments to their communities as places where great learning and innovation takes place, where friendships and memories are made and where teachers and school staff help empower students to express themselves and thrive.
“The Department of Education and Youth is committed to providing modern, inclusive and high-quality learning environments for every pupil and student in Ireland.
“Both Gaelscoil an Inbhir Mhóir and Choláiste Bhríde are part of building projects to see the construction of new post-primary schools which will help to ensure they can continue to provide fantastic places of education for students in south Wicklow into the future.
“These two schools, as well as Gorey Community School, are a credit to their learners, teachers, SNAs, bus escorts, secretary, cleaners, caretaker, their Board of Management and trustees and their wider school community, including parents, carers and families,” said Minister McEntee, who concluded; “I would like to take this opportunity to wish all three school communities the very best of continued success for many years to come.”
Since 2020, the Department of Education and Youth has invested: Over €225 million supporting the completion of 48 school building projects in Wicklow, with a further 18 currently in construction and over €160 million in supporting the completion of 71 school building projects in Wexford, with a further 18 currently in construction.
The physical legacy of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2024 and 2025 in Wexford town. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
By Dan Walsh
Over 1,000 volunteers who signed up and were assigned to various duties during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann were honoured with a Civic Reception held at Whites of Wexford last Saturday night, as a small token of appreciation to amazing volunteers.
Each volunteer was presented with a certificate and a special photograph of the iconic harp, now a permanent feature and reminder of those two special years for Wexford.
The guests gathered round tables, sharing stories of their experiences, reminiscing over photographs on display from the Volunteer Photographers and listening to praise from the dignitaries including Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Cllr. Joe Sullivan, Mayor of Wexford, Cllr. Garry Laffan, Chief Executive and Chair of the Fleadh Executive Committee (FEC), Eddie Taaffe, Comhaltas representatives and FEC Vice-Chair, Barbara Walsh, the Volunteer Coordinator, Ronan Griffin and a volunteer representative, Volunteer Photographer, Bobby Devereux.
Cathaoirleach of Wexford Co. Council, Cllr Joe Sullivan welcomed the crowd and offered his sincere thanks on behalf of the people of Wexford. He said “Wexford had never seen the likes of it before when the Fleadh Cheoil arrived in 2024 and who would have thought it would be even bigger and better the following year. That was all down to the people in this room, all the volunteers from the various agencies including the 1,000 yellow tee-shirt volunteers working at the venues and out and about on the streets.”
Mayor of Wexford, Cllr. Gary Laffan noted; “I am one of the luckiest Mayors of Wexford to have worn these chains of office during this magical time for our town. Volunteering is good for those who benefit from the action, but also great for those who give of their time so selflessly. It gives people a sense of belonging, a sense of community, a sense of achievement and contributes to a person’s overall wellness.”
Council Chief Executive and Chair of the Fleadh Executive Committee, Eddie Taaffe, commended all those who had given their time selflessly to make the Fleadh the huge success that it was. He also thanked the wider team including the Wexford County Council staff and all the voluntary agencies involved.
FEC Vice-Chair, Barbara Walsh spoke of her pride in her county and her love of Irish music and culture and how being part of the organising committee for the past two years was both challenging and extremely rewarding.
Volunteer Coordinator Ronan Griffin, from Wexford County Council said that coordinating and scheduling almost 1,000 volunteers was both the most challenging and most rewarding project of his career to date.
Volunteer Photographer Bobby Deverux regaled the crowd with some tales from the various venues he had visited while capturing many special moments.
Master of ceremonies was Deputy George Lawlor TD. The volunteers were entertained with music by Derek Cunningham, Bride Street Folk Group and Irish musicians and dancers from “Celtic Roots”.
Over 80,000 people are expected daily at the three-day National Ploughing Championships this week in Screggan, near Tullamore, Co. Offaly and attendees should familiarise themselves with the traffic management plan for their route.
An Garda Síochána has a significant Traffic Management and Parking Plan in place for the three days, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, September 16th, 17th and 18th.
People travelling from Co. Wexford will be using the routes via Kilkenny and Carlow and the routes to the site are as follows:
GREY ROUTE – Traffic from South East (Kilkenny). Traffic travelling from Kilkenny/South East will travel North along the N77 via Durrow and Abbeyleix before arriving at Portlaoise where traffic will be directed left at Junction 17 through Clonminham and onwards to Fairgreen Portlaoise, travelling along the N80 to Mountmellick. At Derryclooney Bridge, Mountmellick traffic will be directed left and onto the R422 through Rosenallis and Clonaslee. At Coolagh Cross traffic will be directed right onto the R421 (Killurin Road). At Killurin Cross traffic will be directed left towards the event site at Screggan, Tullamore and parking beside the event site.
Parking: Patrons on this route will park in the designated GREY Car Parks beside the event grounds at Screggan.
YELLOW ROUTE – Traffic from the South East (Carlow). Traffic travelling from Carlow and the South East will travel on the N80 towards Portlaoise. At Bloomfield Roundabout, Portlaoise traffic will be directed right onto Rathbrennan and onto Junction 16 (M7). Traffic will then turn left to the Heath and left again at the Wheel Inn pub (sign-posted Portarlington). Traffic will proceed to Kennells Cross and be turned left and travel towards Mountmellick town. All traffic will be directed through Mountmellick town and onto Tullamore via Killeigh. Traffic will then proceed to parking beside the event grounds.
Parking: Patrons on this route will park in the designated ‘YELLOW Car Parks beside the event grounds at Screggan.
The assistance of all road users is required to allow traffic to move freely to and from the event.
For those attending the National Ploughing Championships, please view in advance the Traffic Management Plan for the correct route to take depending on where you are travelling from.
It is essential that drivers don’t use SatNav-type devices as they may not have the up-to-date information on the specific traffic diversions for this event. Over the course of the event persons are asked to listen to and comply with any direction by An Garda Síochána or stewards.
Pictured at the official launch of Alliance Francaise Waterford-Wexford in Wexford Arts Centre on Friday evening were (left to right); Madame Céline Place, Ambassadrice de France en Irelande; Sandrine Pac-Kenny, President of Alliance Francaise Waterford-Wexford, and Melanie O’Reilly, Honorary Consul of France, Wexford. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
By Dan Walsh at Wexford Arts Centre
The French Ambassador to Ireland, Madame Céline Place, was guest of honour in Wexford Arts Centre on Friday night where she stated that the re-launch of the Alliance Francaise Waterford Wexford “is a very important moment for the French Embassy”.
Madame Place discussed Wexford’s business ties with France, highlighted Rosslare Europort, and welcomed renewed friendship between the two regions.
AUDIO ADDITION; Madame Céline Place, French Ambassador to Ireland, addressing Friday night’s launch at Wexford Arts Centre.
Speaking at the launch, Deputy George Lawlor TD recalled that Wexford and France share a unique place in the annals of history remembering the 1798 Rebellion when aspirations for freedom resonated with the French Revolution of 1789.
“The spirit of liberty in France inspired many of us here in Wexford and echoes of that revolution forever reminds us of our common quest for justice and equality,” said Deputy Lawlor.
Deputy Lawlor continued; “We both celebrate through the rich tapestry of cultural exchanges – literature, art, cuisine and music – influences of French culture, particularly the Norman element. Our appreciation for French art and literature can enrich our local culture and foster a spirit of creativity and admiration that continues to thrive today.”
Sandrine Pac-Kenny, President of Alliance Francaise Waterford Wexford said; “Tonight is a new chapter for the Alliance which was first launched in Waterford in 1948. We are part of a big network, and the aim is the coordination of all of us together to bring loads of French events to Wexford and Waterford.
Ms Pac-Kenny emphasised the need to foster culture and friendship between all nationalities and communities that are in Wexford, and also in Waterford. “So we celebrate not only the rich history, but the bright future that lies ahead,” she concluded.
The attendance included Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy TD, Malcolm Byrne TD, Pierre Emmanuel Jacob, Director of the Irish network of Alliance Francaise in Ireland and Director of Alliance Francaise, Dublin, and Laura de Cleach, Attachée de coopération pour le francais, Ambassade de France en Irelande and Chief Executive Wexford County Council, Eddie Taaffe.
Ms. Melanie O’Reilly, Honorary Consul of France, made all the invited guests welcome, co-ordinated the evening’s activities and acted as master of ceremonies.
The Vintage Parade brought excitement to Coolgreany this evening as the community welcomes the annual Vintage & Heritage Weekend activities. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
By Dan Walsh at Coolgreany
The hilly main street of Coolgreany was filled this evening for the annual Vintage Parade, marking the beginning of the Coolgreany Vintage and Heritage Weekend, which highlights with Vintage Day tomorrow (Sunday).
Displaying vintage vehicles over 30 years old the parade featured steam engines, vintage trucks, classic cars, and even miniature model working steam engines.
They will all be on show tomorrow, many of them in working order in the Vintage Day venue beside Gardiner Grain, Coolgreany, and the fun and excitement for young and old kicks off at 12 noon.
Auto jumble, stallholders and amusements, a dog show and other attractions will also be part of this popular event in North Wexford.
Tonight (Saturday) people are enjoying themselves ‘county ‘n western’ style at The Topshop Bar.
Overnight camping is available at a fee of €30 includes entry fee to field on vintage day. Toilets and lighting on site.
Uisce Éireann can confirm that the Water Conservation Order (WCO), commonly referred to as a hosepipe ban, for County Wexford will lapse on Tuesday, September 16th.
Uisce Éireann is encouraging the public in County Wexford to continue conserving water as we move into the Autumn months.
“We would like to sincerely thank the people of Wexford for their strong support and cooperation throughout the summer. The community’s efforts to reduce water usage and report leaks have been instrumental in protecting local supplies during a period of unprecedented pressure,” said Uisce Eireann..
However, while restrictions may be lifted, Uisce Éireann is urging everyone to remain vigilant and continue using water wisely.
Several supplies across the county remain in drought, including Ballyhogue, Gorey (Rural) and Fardystown, while both the South Regional and Gorey (Urban) remain in potential drought status.
“We’re extremely grateful to the people of Wexford for their efforts to conserve water over the summer,” said Fionnuala Callery, Regional Technical Operations Manager at Uisce Éireann.
“Now that the hosepipe ban is lifted, it’s more important than ever that we don’t lose momentum. Many supplies across the county remain under pressure, and while the weather is changing, it will take time for our sources to fully recover. In fact, well levels in several areas have shown no signs of improvement.
For more information on water conservation and to access our Water Conservation Calculator, visit https://www.water.ie/calculator.
Uisce Éireann and the National Pesticides and Drinking Water Action Group (NPDWAG) are urging pesticide users in Wexford to help protect local drinking water sources as the spraying season draws to a close.
Since 2017, the number of pesticide exceedances detected in public drinking water supplies has dropped by more than 50%. This improvement reflects the commitment of farmers, landowners, and amenity managers to reducing pesticide use and following best practice.
However, recent monitoring shows there is still work to be done.
Given the current good weather, some users might be considering whether this could be a suitable opportunity to spray grassland or amenity areas to manage rushes and weeds such as docks, thistles, and nettles.
The NPDWAG reminds users that application of chemical pesticide products should only be considered for situations where their use is strictly necessary and following a full consideration of the potential to use non-chemical control methods.
In cases where the use of chemical products has been deemed essential, great care must be taken to protect surface water and groundwater bodies, and product label directions and best-practice guidelines for responsible use must be followed.
Dr Pat O’Sullivan, Uisce Éireann’s Drinking Water Compliance Senior Manager, warns: “Last year, we saw a worrying number of pesticide detections occurring outside the main spraying season for MCPA. While this has not yet happened in 2025, the risk of it repeating itself remains high. We are urging all pesticide users to be mindful of their use as the spraying season comes to a close, so that we can avoid late-season exceedances again this year. Even one drop of pesticide can travel up to 30km in a watercourse, so every action counts.”
Dr Aidan Moody, Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) and Chair of NPDWAG, adds; “We have seen excellent work by farmers and land managers in recent years to reduce pesticide use and to follow correct application methods. We urge everyone to continue the great work and always consider whether a pesticide is needed at all, and where it is, to make sure that best practices are followed. This approach not only protects our drinking water but also supports biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.”
The public’s cooperation is vital to help maintain the high quality of Ireland’s drinking water supplies.
The Blackstairs Blues Festival is Ireland’s longest running Blues festival and the 31st festival takes place in Enniscorthy venues this weekend – Friday to Sunday, September 12th to 14th, and the musicians and pubs are hoping for large crowds and plenty of fun.
Recently, the festival launch took place in Rackards Bar on Rafter Street, where the idea for Enniscorthy hosting a Blues festival originated way back in 1995, and apparently it was a fine occasion (WexfordLocal.cominvite appears to have strayed!) with music on the night provided by Martin Cummins ‘The stone-cold hobo’ with his unique style of bottle neck blues.
The designated venues establishments for this year includes; Stamps and The Hole in the Wall, Market Square, Dawson’s Lounge and Bar, Pig Market Hill, Rackards, Rafter Street, Donohoes, The Duffry, Holohans, Slaney Place, The Antique, Slaney Street, Treacy’s Hotel, Templeshannon, and Enniscorthy Castle.
There are also fringe events scheduled for Enniscorthy Library, The Cotton Tree Café and Holohans.
A full programme of events is freely available online and with flyers in pubs throughout the town.
LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice, invites people in Wexford to lace up their runners and take on the 100km in September Challenge.
LauraLynn is asking the public to walk, jog or run approximately 3.3km per day throughout September.
This sponsored challenge is a vital fundraiser supporting children with life-limiting conditions and their families
LauraLynn Fundraising Manager Cathy White told WexfordLocal.com; “Taking part in the ‘100km in September’ challenge is a great way to build a healthy habit while making a real difference. Whether you walk, jog or run, every kilometre helps us continue providing essential care and support to children and families across Ireland. It’s a beautiful thing to do, especially if we get a sunny September.”
Participants can register on the LauraLynn website to receive a free t-shirt and their own sponsorship page. They’re also encouraged to join the Strava Club or Facebook Group for tips, motivation, and community support throughout the challenge.
Whether a seasoned runner or just starting out, this challenge is for everyone. It is aimed at consistency, not speed, just 3.3km a day to help make the most of short and precious lives.
How to Participate:
Register: Sign up to receive a fundraising pack, including a LauraLynn t-shirt.
Set up an iDonate Fundraising page to start collecting donations.
Join the Community: Connect with others in the Strava Club or Facebook Group.
Run, jog or walk 100km in September.
LauraLynn is Ireland’s only Children’s Hospice providing palliative and hospice care and support for children (0-18 years) with life-limiting conditions and their families from all across Ireland.
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