WexfordLocal.com

IMPORTANT UPDATE on Coolgreany Water Supply

By Dan Walsh

In a statement issued this afternoon Irish Water has provided an update on the Boil Water Notice issued for Coolgreany Public Water Supply with the addendum; “WATER HELD IN STORAGE OR BOTTLED FROM SUNDAY SHOULD ALSO BE BOILED BEFORE USE.”

“Irish Water, working in partnership with Wexford County Council wishes to advise customers on the Coolgreany Public Water Supply that the Boil Water Notice issued yesterday remains in place to protect the health of consumers. In addition, Irish Water would like to remind customers that water that has been in storage since Sunday November 28, should also be boiled,” said Irish Water.

The decision to put a Boil Water Notice in place was made following consultation with the HSE due to water with low residual disinfectant entering the supply on Sunday, November 28. Water held in storage, used to make ice or bottled on Sunday should also be boiled as a precaution.

Irish Water also wishes to advise that should any customer begin to feel unwell, to please contact your medical practitioner for advice immediately.

This notice applies to all consumers on the Coolgreany Public Water Supply. All consumers affected by this notice must boil their water before drinking.

Irish Water and Wexford County Council will continue to liaise and consult with the Health Service Executive with a view to lifting the Boil Water Notice as soon as practicable. You will be kept informed through WexfordLocal.com, www.water.ie and Irish Water Customer Contact Centre: 1800 278 278.

Boil Water Notice issued for Coolgreany

By Dan Walsh

All consumers on the Coolgreany Public Water Supply are informed that Irish Water, working in partnership with Wexford County Council has issued a Boil Water Notice with immediate effect to protect their health.

In a statement issued by Irish Water this afternoon; “Due to a risk of potentially inadequately disinfected water entering the supply and following HSE consultation it has been confirmed that a Boiled Water Notice is now issued for Coolgreany Public Water Supply.”

This notice applies to all consumers on the Coolgreany Public Water Supply. All consumers affected by this notice must boil their water before drinking.

€400,000 funding for Rosslare district projects

By Dan Walsh

Funding for two projects in the Rosslare Municipal District have been approved under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS).

Fianna Fáil Cllr Lisa McDonald made the announcement to WexfordLocal.com ; “I am delighted to be informed today that a total of nearly €400,000 has been approved for two projects in the Rosslare Municipal District.

“In a significant development for the people of Wellingtonbridge, Foulksmills and surrounding areas, along with the local tourism sector, an 11km Blueway will be created along the Corock River to the village of Wellingtonbridge, which will continue on to the village of Foulksmills. €199,800 of funding will be invested into this project. Having visited other Blueways, I have no doubt this amenity will be of fantastic benefit to the people of the Rosslare Municipal District.”

“I also welcome the €189,000 of funding secured by Rosslare Community Resource Centre which will help to improve accessibility, by enhancing facilities, improving signage and providing safe access for all walkers”, concluded Cllr. McDonald.

O’Keeffe’s Vital Island makes it four-in-a-row

By Dan Walsh at Lingstown, Tomhaggard

There was an amazing outcome to the Neville Hotels Open Race ‘over the banks’ at lovely Lingstown with victory going to Vital Island, who was winning this race for the fourth year in a row and plans to run at next Spring’s Punchestown Festival.

The nine-year-old gelding owned and trained by Richard O’Keeffe, Newtown, Taghmon, was always travelling and jumping well with Tiernan Power Roche in the saddle and held off the Gordon Elliott trained Mighty Stowaway (Barry O’Neill) by half a length on the line. Local rider Roche was on board for the second successive season in this prestigious race and was recording his 25^th career success.

**Runners clear one of the Lingstown banks with the winner Vital Island (No. 12) nicely placed at this early stage of the big race today.**

The card off to a perfect start with the appropriately named Off To A Flyer obliging by two lengths in the maiden race for four year olds for Kilkenny rider John O’Neill. Running in the colours of the Baltimore Stables Syndicate Off To A Flyer is handled by Ellen Doyle, Coolgarrow, Enniscorthy, who also saddled the runner-up Hitching Jacking (Rob James). Afterwards, Ellen said she was happy with the victory and the sales ring beckons.

The auction maiden race for four-year-olds went to Superstylin and rider Shane O’Rourke, Foulksmills, riding his 45^th career winner, by eight lengths. This was a second winner for handler Thomas Byrne from Ballygranigan, Kilmore, who has six horses in training, and he confirmed that Superstylin is bound for the sales.

Only two runners faced the starter for the maiden race for five-year-old mares and three and a half lengths separated the Dan Nevin ridden Rock On Cassie for owner/handler Martin Corrigan from Ballinaclash, Blackwater, who has enjoyed two wins and two seconds since the start of the new season, and the runner-up, Whisky River (Rob James) for Richard O’Keeffe, who was later compensated by the success of Vital Island.

Hard Lines, ridden by Jack Hendrick, Mayglass, proved best of the nine runners at the end of the maiden race for five-year-old geldings. He is owned by Billy Bates, Kilmore, and the successful handler is Michael Bates.

**Crowds gather to get the best view of the Lingstown Bank Race this afternoon.**

Colin Bowe and Barry O’Neill waited until the final race of the day to get on the scoreboard. Wildfield Ivy, owned and bred by Michael Kinsella, Kilkenny, had four lengths to spare at the finish of the maiden race for six-year-olds and upwards. This was O’Neill’s 20^th win of the season.

Weather conditions were much better than expected for the end of November and there was a good attendance. Kilinick Harriers will stage an additional fixture next Sunday, December 5^th, so racing two Sundays in a row at Lingstown.

Lingstown races on Sunday

By Dan Walsh

Point-to-pointing over the famous Lingstown track beside Tacumshane Lake takes place tomorrow (Sunday) where there are 113 entries for six races with the first under way at 12.30pm.

There are forty-five entries for the opening maiden race for four-year-olds, so possibly a ‘divide’ or two may be facilitated, but most excitement will surround the Neville Hotels Open Race over the ‘banks course’ where a dozen veterans will be part of the action.

Ground conditions are reckoned to be “good, good to yielding in places” and it promises to be a cold day, so the best advice is to wrap up well!

Earlier this week it was announced that the Kilinick Harriers have been granted an additional fixture for Sunday week, December 5^th, so racing two Sundays in a row at Lingstown.

**Action over the ‘Banks Course’ at Lingstown, Tomhaggard. (File Pic.)**

Just a few results from last Sunday that we didn’t get round to; At Dunhallow, Co. Cork, Sean Doyle, Ballindaggin, saddled Lookaway to win by two and a half lengths in the maiden race for four-year-olds with Liam Gilligan up, and at Golden Vale, Co. Tipperary, Donnchadh Doyle saddled Er Dance (Alan Harney up), winner of the open race confined to novice riders, by two and a half lengths.

And Johnny Berry, Tomhaggard, was also amongst the winners. He saddled Focus Point, the 13 lengths winner of the maiden race for five-year-old geldings ridden by Harry Swan.

Sinnott’s pub goes under the hammer

By Dan Walsh

The legendary thatched pub in Duncormick village known as Sinnott’s of Duncormick has sold at auction for €257,000.

**SINNOTT’S thatched pub in Duncormick**

Sinnott’s Pub in Duncormick, locally known as Sammy’s, went under the hammer today after being in the Sinnott family for over 230 years.

Sammy ran the family business, which was founded originally by his great grandmother who ‘left a pub in Cullenstown in 1795’ and came to start ‘Sinnott’s of Duncormick’.

The sale was prompted following the death of legendary owner John ‘Sammy’ Sinnott who passed away in January 2020, aged 91 years, and he is commemorated in a memorial seat in the village

Kehoe and Associates, Wexford, conducted the auction arrangements.

Wexford republican’s memoir published

By Dan Walsh

Máire Comerford, (1893-1982), was an Irish Republican from North Wexford and a first-hand account of her revolutionary period memoir goes on sale in bookshops nationally tomorrow under the title ON DANGEROUS GROUND ; A Memoir of the Irish Revolution, edited by documentary filmmaker and writer Hilary Dully.

The work is a timely release ahead of the 2022 centenary. This first-hand account is one of the last of its era, and includes Comerford’s original text, written mainly in the 1940s and ’50s, and new material unearthed from her extensive archive that also contains a wealth of photographs and memorabilia from the period.

Máire Comerford was described by the media as the ‘Jeanne d’Arc of the republican cause’. She positioned herself as an able keeper of her own history, and as champion for the many women who, like herself, found themselves excluded from the historical canon of the period. Her extensive archive is testament to a determination to leave her version of Irish history behind – giving voice to the experience of revolutionary women.

As a worker for Cumann na mBan, Sinn Féin, the Dáil and the White Cross, travelling throughout the country, moving arms, carrying dispatches, finding safe houses, researching atrocities, her lively intelligence and powers of description make her an invaluable witness. She experiences raids, prison vigils, funerals of her comrades, and dangers of all kinds, but nothing cuts as deep as the sense of utter betrayal following the signing of the Treaty in 1922.

Comerford’s memoir places the reader in the lived reality of the time, showing how ordinary lives crossed over with history. Editor Hilary Dully not only has access to original documents, photos and stories, but can also see the direct personal impact Comerford has on the lives of people around her. While Máire’s memoir ends in bleak times, her overarching vision suggests an unquenchable optimism – and that the fight will go on. An epilogue by Hilary chronicles the years between 1927 and her death.

Máire Comerford (1893-1982) was an Irish Republican from North Wexford who witnessed central events of the Irish Revolution 1916-23 and remained a committed historical researcher, republican activist and writer until her death in 1982. She worked as a journalist for The Irish Press for over thirty years, editing the Women’s Page, and was last arrested in 1974 for her republican activities, aged 81.

Editor Hilary Dully is a documentary filmmaker, film teacher and writer. Her film work has been shown on RTÉ, Channel Four, TG4 and at a number of international festivals. She lives with her family in East Clare. She has a family connection with Marie Comerford and has integrated archival photographs and letters to enhance the memoir.

ON DANGEROUS GROUND ; A Memoir of the Irish Revolution by Máire Comerford. Edited by Hilary Dully, paperback, 220pp, The Lilliput Press. Available at all good bookshops. ISBN: 9781843518198

Megan’s Wexford heritage is a winner

By Dan Walsh

Megan Walsh who represented England in goal at youth levels from 2010 to 2020 has changed her allegiances through her Wexford-born grandfather and has been added to the Republic of Ireland team for the forthcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Slovakia and Georgia.

MEGAN WALSH has been added to the Republic of Ireland squad. (Getty Pics).

“It is a real honour and privilege to be called up into the Ireland squad. I was with Rianna Jarrett, Denise O’Sullivan and Megan Connolly at Brighton last year when my Irish heritage came up and things went from there,” said Walsh.

“”My grandparents, on my dad’s side, were from Enniscorthy, where we still have family. I know they would be so proud of me being part of the Women’s National Team.”

Originally from Bromsgrove, Birmingham, Megan is daughter of Phil and Nina Walsh and her grandfather William “Billy” Walsh emigrated from Cooltigue, Bree, in the 1950s.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper, has also lined out for Everton, Notts County, Yeovil Town and Brighton & Hove Albion, where she has been a regular starter since 2019.

Death of historian Helen Skrine

By Dan Walsh

The death has occurred of well-known author and historian Helen Skrine, who fell asleep peacefully at her home, Butlerstown, Tomhaggard, surrounded by her four daughters. She was in her 95^th year.

Helen Skrine grew up in Butlerstown, spent two years in London with the BBC, and later many years in Malaysia where she lived with her late husband John Skrine, a lawyer. She started writing the manuscript about her family and her Wexford roots about 30 years ago. During the 1980s she was secretary and later president of the Wexford Historical Society for some years

Maeve Davison of Bargy Castle, mother of singer-songwriter Chris de Burgh, HELEN SKRINE (second from the left) and Anna Skrine- Brunton, of *The Boxwells of Butlerstown Castle* book, and Francois Davison with Helen McInerney, presenter/ producer RTÉ *Nationwide* programme and Neilus Dennehy, cameraman, during filming Butlerstown Castle last February. (Pic; Michael Freeman).

She is the author of an acclaimed 200-page hardback memoir, The Boxwells of Butlerstown Castle, a lineage of the Boxwell, Harvey, Skrine, Stokes and St Leger families, that featured on RTE’s Nationwide earlier this year.

In the book, Helen tells in descriptive, colourful, and entertaining prose about her experiences, and the history of her famous family in the 1798 Rebellion, the Irish War of Independence, World War II, and the bleak 1950s living in a big house across the yard from the historic Butlerstown Castle on a 100-acre farm.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS; Reposing at her residence for family and close friends on Thursday from 2pm to 7pm. Funeral Service for Helen will take place in St. Enoch’s Church, Killinick, on Saturday at 12 noon, followed by burial afterwards in Ishartmon graveyard. “At Rest”

Hot meals for five Wexford schools

By Dan Walsh

Five Wexford schools benefitting an additional 1,624 primary school pupils has been added to the Hot Meals Programme.

The schools being invited to participate are currently availing of the cold lunch option under the School Meals Programme. They are Clonroche National School, St Senan’s National School, Enniscorthy, Scoil Náisiúnta Bhantiarna Lourdes, Convent of Mercy and Scoil Nais Realta Na Mara.

Welcoming the announcement Deputy Paul Kehoe stated: “Receiving a hot meal in the middle of the day is so important for nutrition but also for a child’s mental and physical wellbeing.

“It also leads to better educational outcomes and an improvement in the overall wellbeing of our children.

“I am continuing to work with my colleagues in Government to push for further progress in the coming months that will result in future expansions of this really important programme once again,” concluded Deputy Kehoe.