Point-to-point races took place on Friday and Saturday at Largy, near Ballymena, Co. Antrim, and two Wexford riders, Harley Dunne and Sean Staples enjoyed a winner on both days.
Sean Staples was aboard Seeyouinmydreams, the 15 lengths winner of the maiden race for four-year-old mares maiden race yesterday for handler Paul Martin Pierce and the Blackhall Stables Partnership from Killurin.
BARRY O’NEILL and COLIN BOWE at Monksgrange races.
Today, Staples had winner number two in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings by 15 lengths on Gametime for owner Laura Scallan and handler Mark Scallan, Cleariestown.
Harley Dunne’s Friday winner was for Aidan Fitzgerald’s Carlow stables on Tara Line by six lengths in the maiden race for five-year-old mares and today (Saturday) won the maiden race for five-year-olds and upwards on Step Above for David V. O’Brien by two and a half lengths.
The champion rider and handler combination of Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe won today’s maiden race for four-year-old geldings by three and a half lengths on newcomer Divilskin, who is bound for the sales.
And another Wexford winner from yesterday. Some Woman from Donnchadh Doyle’s Ballindaggin stables won the maiden race for six-year-old and upwards mares by twelve lengths ridden by Wicklow rider Brian Lawless.
Veteran Tomhaggard amateur jockey Benny Walsh topped off a brilliant week at Punchestown races today (Saturday) riding his second winner of the festival over the unique banks’ course on Hurricane Darwin (22/1) in the Cross Country Chase.
BENNY WALSH… memorable week at Punchestown
Trained at Ballycrystal, Bunclody, by Cormac Farrell, Hurricane Darwin went to the front two from home and had three and a half lengths to spare at the finish.
This was his first outing for new trainer Cormac Farrell and indeed new owner Douglas Taylor, breeder of Samcro.
“I’ve only two or three for the track and two of them ran this week, we mostly train point-to-pointers and breeze-up horses. It’s a big team effort and I have to say thanks to all the team at home,” said Farrell afterwards, and he added; “Benny was brilliant on him and to get two in the week is brilliant for him.”
Benny Walsh won the Ladies Cup on Vital Island (7/2) for trainer Richard O’Keeffe, Newtown, Taghmon on Tuesday – the first day of the five-day festival which saw the crowds back at the popular Kildare track since 2019 due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
The Gorey May Bush Féile 2022 ‘Let’s Decorate the May Bush’ community event takes place this evening (Saturday) from 6pm under the Circe Pavilion beside the communal Gorey May Bush on the grounds of Gorey Civic Centre for an evening of traditional music, song dance and poetry while exchanging our traditions around welcoming in Summer.
In keeping with the tradition a resident musician will perform and the Ceoltóir Óg for this year’s festival is Caoimhe Radford, Craanford, so bring a chair and prepare to dance, sing and welcome in summer from 6pm till dusk. Fáilte roimh chách.
Thanks to the Arts Department at Wexford County Council for supporting The Gorey May Bush Féile 2022.
WELLS HOUSE and GARDENS… North Wexford’s greatest visitor attraction. (Pic; DNG.ie)
By Dan Walsh
The visitor attraction wonderland that is Wells House and Gardens have announced a new chapter in the future of this magnificent estate.
Last week the Sean Doyle Group signed contracts to purchase the entire estate of Wells, but for now, it is business as usual at this award-winning tourism attraction based in North Wexford.
Sabine Rosler will continue in a management role for the next year and is looking forward to working with the new owners as they intend to build on the work that has been achieved in the past ten years since Wells opened to the public.
“For our customers, we would like to confirm all existing commitments will be honoured and we look forward to the summer ahead with our fun-filled events and days out for the family, delivered by our existing team,” said Ms Rosler.
In a statement issued with news of the sale was added; Sabine and Uli would like to extend a heartfelt word of thanks to the many friends and supporters of Wells House and Gardens that we have met and made over the last ten years. We would also like to thank our team members for helping us deliver our goal and wish Sean (Doyle) the very best in the future!”
Amongst the properties owned by the Sean Doyle Group (SDG), established in 1987, are Gorey Business Park, The 64 Pub, The Coach House, Nel Sweeneys, Paddy Blues, all in Gorey, and the Upton Court Hotel, Kilmuckridge.
Reported exclusively in the Waterford News & Star newspaper this week is the business news that Wexford-based construction company William Neville & Sons has purchased Waterford’s largest retail complex, City Square, for approximately €18 million.
CITY SQUARE WATERFORD (Pic; Waterford News & Star)
The company, who also own The Tower Hotel on the Mall, signed contracts in the last few weeks with previous owners, New York-based Marathon Asset Management who purchased City Square for €21m in 2015 and immediately made a number of upgrades to the centre including the construction of a food hall and the addition of a 1,600 square metre retail unit at the entrance, which was built in 2016, but has never featured a tenant.
The Waterford News & Star has spoken to Seamus Neville who confirmed the purchase of the shopping centre but was unavailable for any further comment beyond that.
Four exceedances for pesticides were detected in the public drinking water supplies in Clonroche, Ferns Regional and South Regional public water supplies in 2021. These were detected as part of Irish Water’s public water supply monitoring programme.
The Clonroche water supply abstracts raw water boreholes in the vicinity of Clonroche, The Ferns Regional water supply abstracts raw water from the River Currlane and the South Regional water supply is abstracted from the River Owenduff, both of which are vulnerable to run-off from land. Irish Water is asking users of any herbicide or pesticide products to continue to consider the vulnerability of their local drinking water supplies to pesticide contamination and the importance of these supplies to local homes and businesses in the community.
Patrick Duggan, Irish Water’s Regional Drinking Water Compliance Specialist said: “In Co Wexford the exceedances of the drinking water regulations for Bentazone, Clopyralid, Fluoroxypyr, and 2,4-D were noted in the Clonroche, Ferns Regional and South Regional public water supplies following routine sampling. While our consultation with the HSE has concluded that the levels we are detecting do not represent a threat to public health, they are still however undesirable in drinking water, and it is therefore imperative that users of pesticides are mindful of best practice when using herbicides or pesticides and seek out alternatives.”
The public urged to continue to consider the environment and alternatives to pesticides when gardening, farming and maintaining sports grounds.
Today (Thursday) is Poetry Day Ireland and the theme is Written in the Stars, so why not position the toilet seat appropriately and write a poem; or scribble while on the train or bus; or simply read a poem that is in keeping with the mood of the moment!
Now in its eighth year, this day-long celebration of the crafted word, spoken and written, is presented by Poetry Ireland in partnership with poetry enthusiasts the length and breadth of the island of Ireland.
JOE NEAL reading from his latest book Rossetti’s Wombat (File Pic)
Two important events happening in Wexford town to mark the auspicious occasion. Four distinguished poets – Margaret Galvan, Sinead O’Reilly, Mary O’Brien and A.M. Cousins – will read at the Wexford Library at 7pm. It is a free event but it would be appreciated if a booking could be made to help facilitate the numbers.
Joe Neal, distinguished poet, actor, journalist from Castlebridge, will be reading upstairs in The Book Centre, Main Street, Wexford, at 3pm and he would love to have you in the audience. Free event.
Adopting the theme for your Poetry Day Ireland event is in no way compulsory, but if you do find some inspiration, whether in the tea leaves at the bottom of your cup or in a dream, we can’t wait to see your take on it!
Happy Poetry Day Ireland; maximise creativity and use magic with the words and phrases to an original mix that will exercise mental health and moisten literary taste buds.
AUDIO ADDITION ; Poet JOE NEAL tells DAN WALSH about two Wexford events for Poetry Ireland Day.
A permanent site for Gorey Educate Together Secondary School at Fort Road is announced.
By Dan Walsh
Gorey Educate Together Secondary School has received confirmation of a permanent site location adjacent to its current temporary location on the old mushroom production plant on the Fort Road at Creagh.
However, while the news is universally welcomed concerns have been raised locally about the location and pressure on traffic management.
Minister James Browne, who had been in regular contact with Education Minister Norma Foley T.D. in efforts to establish a permanent school location said; “This is a positive day for the school’s students, staff and parents. I commend principal Conor Berry who has been active in securing the school’s permanent home.
“However, any plans for the construction of the permanent school at its current site on the Fort Road must take local residents’ concerns into consideration.
“I have contacted the Department of Education to ensure that the school’s plans include full consideration of the need for adequate footpaths and cycleways in the area. With traffic volumes bound to increase in the area, the Department needs to be mindful of the health and safety of local residents and road users alike.”
Senator Malcolm Byrne stated; “The Department of Education has confirmed that agreement in principle has been reached for the acquisition of a new greenfield site at Creagh to accommodate the development of a new 1,000 pupil post primary school for recently established Gorey Educate Together Secondary School. The acquisition is subject to satisfactory completion of the conveyancing process.”
Cllr Joe Sullivan said that while he welcomes the new school he believes that the location “is completely wrong”.
“Alternative sites were available on the eastern side of the town. I cannot say that I am in agreement with the location on the west side of the town. When the campaign began it was mainly driven by residents of the Courtown/Riverchapel area with children of secondary school going age. These people worked hard and must now feel somewhat aggrieved that they will have to battle through heavy traffic morning and evening to get their children to school in an area that is already, in my opinion, over populated with schools.
“We have concentrated too many of our educational facilities on the western side of the town”, stated Cllr Sullivan, who added; Sites were available on the eastern side of Gorey town that would be easily accessible to traffic from the heavily populated primary schools of Castletown, Tara Hill, Riverchapel, Ballygarrett and Ballycanew. Unless the road infrastructure is improved and improved quickly around Gorey town morning and evening traffic will be chaotic.
Cllr Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin said; “Well done to all those who have helped in the campaign for a third secondary school for the Gorey area. I will continue to campaign for major road safety improvements along and in vicinity of the Fort Road.”
The peerless Punchestown racing festival was back to packed stands and top-quality racing yesterday (Tuesday) and the Wexford veteran Vital Island (7/2), having his 11th run over ‘the bank’s course’ won for the first time in the Kildare Hunt Club Chase Ladies Cup.
BENNY WALSH had a big winner at the Punchestown Festival.
Ridden by veteran Tomhaggard rider Benny Walsh, Vital Island improved on last year’s runner-up placing to score by half a length to the 7/4 favourite Good Bye Sam for the powerful Patrick Mullins/Willie Mullins team.
This is a popular victory for Benny Walsh who rode his first point-to-point winner in 2002 and has a career total between the flags of 118.
Newtown, Taghmon, trainer Richard O’Keeffe said afterwards: “He loves it around here, he’s been second a few times but he did the job today. He loves the banks.
“He’s been a great old horse and has won four down in Lingstown for me, he knows his job. We’ll see what way he is, but he might run again on Thursday in the La Touche Cup, which is Ireland’s longest race.
ENNISCORTHY looking splendid in today’s April sunshine.
By Dan Walsh
Wexford County Council is to proceed immediately following the approval of tender documents received from the Department of Tourism, Culture and Art with the Enniscorthy Sports Hub, Acting District Manager Bernie Quigley told members at the April meeting of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council held in the Presentation Centre on Tuesday.
Water fountains have been installed at the AIB Bank and Doyle’s Corner in Enniscorthy, at Bree and Bunclody. A fountain planned for the 21 Steps in the Shannon area of the town is to be installed at a new location near St. Senan’s Parish Church.
Works tender documents for Phase 1 of Enniscorthy North Business District were advertised in January and the tender assessment and procurement of a contractor is imminent. Grant application for Phase 2 works have been forwarded to the NTA.
It is announced that the Rockin’ Food Festival will take place in Enniscorthy over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Further information from the website www.rockinfoodfestival.ie
WexfordLocal.com 