WexfordLocal.com

Great day for the Doyles and Rogan

By Dan Walsh

Ballindaggin handler Donnchadh Doyle and his young rider from Caim, Pearse Rogan, and his brother Sean Doyle all achieved double success on today’s (Saturday) point-to-point card at Lisronagh, Co. Tipperary.

Phantom Getaway got the Doyle/Rogan success under way in the maiden race for four-year-old geldings by four lengths. Er Dancer scored by two and a half lengths in the Novice Riders race to complete the brace. Both were victorious in the popular Monbeg Syndicate colours.

Pearse Rogan doubled his score to four career winners, all achieved in the current season, having had his first ride for Jim Bolger at Leopardstown in the summer of 2018. Veteran Bolger, from Oylegate, who will be 80 next Christmas Day, also had a memorable day winning the first UK classic of the season – the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket with the home-bred Poetic Flare (16/1).

**DONNCHADH DOYLE double today at Lisronagh (Pic; Goffs UK)**

Donnchadh Doyle’s double landed him on the 20-winner mark for the season, ten behind Colin Bowe in the Irish Point-to-Point Handlers’ Championship.

Donnchadh’s brother, Sean Doyle was also in the number one spot twice. He saddled Rae Des Champs to win the maiden race for four-year-old mares by ten lengths for the Monbeg Partnership with Liam Gilligan in the saddle.

He followed up in division one of the mares’ maiden race with the Sean Howlett owned Set In The West by three and a half lengths ridden by Tomhaggard rider Tiernan Power Roche who was racing recently in the UK. Sean Doyle’s 11^th winner of the current season.

Denis Murphy’s Ballyboy Stables, The Ballagh, enjoyed a winner too – Chase Outlaw by one and a half lengths in division two of the maiden race for five-year-old geldings’ ridden by Luke Murphy, Inch, Gorey.

1,100 passports backlog in Wexford

By Dan Walsh

According to new information attained by Fianna Fáil New Ross District Cllr Michael Sheehan there is a backlog of 1,100 passport applications in Wexford comprising 900 for renewals alongside 200 first time applications.

Cllr. Sheehan told WexfordLocal.com; “The challenge of clearing this backlog will be significant and I hope it can be addressed soon. While obviously the fundamental reason for having a passport, that of international travel, is not of huge importance right now, nonetheless it is essential that we resume normal service as soon as possible.

“The target for vaccination is for 80% of adults to have at least had one jab by the end of June. Similar targets exist across Europe. If these are achieved, it is likely that more traditional patterns of international travel can resume accompanied with significant demand.

“The European Parliament approved Digital Green Certificates this week. These could be needed for international travel too, but they will not arise for many people if they do not have the most basic travel document, a valid passport.

“We are told that the backlog can be cleared in 6-8 weeks. Let us get moving on it now,” concluded Cllr Sheehan.

Stay safe on the coast and inland waters

By Dan Walsh

The RNLI and the Irish Coast Guard are expecting a busy May Bank Holiday weekend on the coasts and inland waters, with more people enjoying the warmer weather and the brighter evenings.

People are asked to plan for any water based or coastal activities by taking some simple steps. The call comes following an increase in the number and a broadening in the type of incidents requiring RNLI and Coast Guard intervention.

**KILMORE QUAY RNLI LIFEBOAT leaving harbour (File Pic; Dave Maloney)**

Key water safety tips to remember when beside or on the water are:

Check the weather and tide and familiarise yourself with local currents before you participate in any open water or coastal activity.
Always carry a reliable means of raising the alarm with you.
Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
Wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid on or near the water.
Never ever swim alone and always ensure that somebody ashore is monitoring your progress.

RNLI Lifesaving Manager Sean Dillion said: “Our volunteer lifeboat crews around the coast and on our inland waters are expecting a busy season as more people are out enjoying the water. We want people to be safe on the water and enjoy themselves. Whatever activity you are planning please take a few minutes to check the relevant safety advice and always dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard if you see someone in trouble on the water.”

Coast Guard, Head of Operations Gerard O’Flynn added: “Don’t assume that just because we have clear skies and warmer temperatures it is safe to engage in all coastal activities. Please familiarise yourself with weather and tidal information and take the time to observe prevailing conditions before you commence.”

If you get into trouble or see someone else if difficulty, call 999 or 112 or use Marine VHF Channel 16 and ask for the Coast Guard.

Walsh family on song again at Punchestown

By Dan Walsh

The Walsh family from Ballyday, Gorey, had another big success to remember at today’s (Thursday) third day of the Punchestown Festival when Singing Banjo, winner of the Ladies Cup on Tuesday, added the prestigious La Touche Chase double.

The La Touche is Ireland’s longest race at four miles and two furlongs run over 36 fences of the Punchestown ‘Banks’ circuit.

Singing Banjo (33/1) was ridden by Barry Walsh and was the third winner of the week trained at Fairwood, Tinahely, for Philip Rothwell.

**BARRY WALSH… another success at Punchestown Festival**

Speaking after the race Rothwell, whose Cousin Harry won the festival’s Tuesday opener, said: “It’s unbelievable but as I said before it’s a family success and it’s all about the Walsh family. Aaron, Barry’s brother, owns him and their father John trains him for all the point-to-points so this is just an honour for me.

“They have banks at home to school their horses and I’ve run them in the banks races for them for a number of years and we absolutely love it.’

The Ladies Cup success on Tuesday was over the shorter trip of three miles one furlong and Singing Banjo (14/1) was a first winner on the track for Barry who has seven career point-to-point winners to his credit.

Barry now has two winners on the track and what an historic pair it has turned out to be with Singing Banjo entering the racing history books in just three days.

Compensation for jockey Jonathan Moore

By Dan Walsh

Just one big Wexford story from day two (Wednesday) of the Punchestown Festival was the success of Foxy Jack in the Grade A Guinness Handicap Chase giving Adamstown jockey Jonathan (Jonny) Moore a well-deserved winner.

Moore took a fall a few days before Cheltenham and suffered an injury, declared himself unfit to ride at the festival, and missed out on two victories as horses he should have ridden for his Meath yard of Gavin Cromwell were winners!

JONATHAN MOORE … lost out at Cheltenham… winner at Punchestown.

Speaking afterwards Moore said; “In fairness to Mouse (Morris, winning trainer) he told me that with this fella and his light weight to go and make the running and that he wouldn’t be far away. He thought he would be in the shake up and credit to him and his team for getting him here right.

“It was great for the team (Gavin Cromwell — two winners) and everyone involved over at Cheltenham, the owners too deserved it, but it was probably the toughest month of my life when all that was going on (sidelined with injury and missed out).

“I’m just a lucky boy to be in the position I’m in — to ride those horses on their big days. I rode the winner of this race five years ago and it’s great to do it again.”

24-ft yacht brought to safety at Arklow

By Dan Walsh

A 24-foot sailing yacht with one person on board was brought to safety by the Arklow RNLI Lifeboat Ger Tigchlearr after running aground at Clogga Bay, just north of Kilmicheal Point on the Wexford/Wicklow border, on Tuesday afternoon.

**Sailing ship rescue at Clogga Bay by Arklow RNLI Lifeboat yesterday. (Pic; RNLI/Coast Guard Unit)**

The Irish Coast Guard requested the launch of Arklow RNLI at 4.26pm and the volunteer crew made their way to Clogga Bay, south of Arklow Harbour, where a sailing yacht with one person aboard was aground in shallow waters.

Once the towline was established the lifeboat gently pulled the sailing vessel to deeper water. Once it was established the boat was dry and not taking on water, the XP boat and crew came back aboard the lifeboat and proceeded back to Arklow with the casualty on tow. All hands were back ashore approximately 40 minutes later.

Arklow RNLI Coxswain Ned Dillon said; “Thanks to our crew, this was an excellent successful service, where we got to deploy and use very many of the safety critical tools and lifesaving equipment we carry aboard the lifeboat. In all my years I have never seen all these items being deployed at once and never so successfully, it’s a real testament to our crew and the excellent training we get from RNLI.”

University application lodged this week!

By Dan Walsh

The formal application for the Technological University for the South East (TUSE) will be lodged this Friday.

The Governing Body at Waterford Institute of Technology met on Tuesday and the Governing Body at IT Carlow meets on Thursday to formally ratify the bid. Minister Simon Harris and the IT Presidents will brief the Oireachtas Group on the University chaired by Wexford’s Senator Malcolm Byrne, on Friday afternoon.

Once the bid is submitted, an international panel will assess it against the requirements for university designation. This is likely to happen in June.

Assuming that the bid is successful, the University will come into being on January 1st. The TUSE (possibly with a new name) is likely to be the fifth or sixth largest in student numbers in the State. It is also likely that two other universities (Shannon and Connaught Ulster) will come into being in 2022.

The deal on the Wexford campus for the new university is currently being concluded.

Commenting to WexfordLocal.com Senator Byrne said; “This has been one of the most important projects on which I have worked since election to the Oireachtas and will make an enormous difference to County Wexford and to the region.”

Ladies Cup victory for Walsh family

By Dan Walsh

The prestigious Ladies Cup over the famous Punchestown Banks Course was won by Singing Banjo (14/1) who initiated a double for Tinahely trainer Philip Rothwell on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival today (Tuesday).

**BARRY WALSH enjoyed his first track winner at Punchestown Festival.**

Owned by John Walsh, Ballyday, Gorey, and ridden by his son, Barry Walsh, Singing Banjo battled to the finish line with Vital Island and prevailed by one and one-quarter length. This was a first winner on the track for Barry who has seven career point-to-point winners to his credit.

Rothwell said afterwards; “It is great for the Walsh family. He comes over a few weeks before he runs and we ran him in a couple of hunter chases to have him ready for today. It is a huge family thing for the Walshes and it is all about them more so than me.

“Barry’s (winning jockey) brother Aaron rode a couple for me around the banks here and we were second a couple of times,” he added.

It was an eventful race as the track became slippery as light rain fell on fast ground, with two horses slipping-up and another unseating jockey on bends.

Rothwell’s first winner of the day came in the opening novice handicap hurdle with the fast finishing Cousin Harry, (25/1), who pipped the 5/1 favourite Light Brigade by a neck with Meath jockey Paddy O’Hanlon up.

Speaking afterwards the winning trainer said; “Michael Carthy heads up the Roc Racing (owners) syndicate and every horse they’ve had with me has won. This fella (Cousin Harry) has been great this year. I’m absolutely thrilled.”

The Fairwood Stables had three runners today but do not have a huge number for the rest of the week.

New pipelines in the Coolballow area

By Dan Walsh

Homes and businesses in the Coolballow area of Wexford will soon enjoy a safer, more reliable water supply as Irish Water, working in partnership with Wexford County Council will begin works to replace approximately 2.1 kilometres of problematic water mains with polyethylene (plastic) pipes in early May.

To complete works safely and efficiently, a road closure of the Coolballow Road will be required for the duration of works from 08.00hrs to 17.00 hrs Monday – Friday. Local access will be maintained, however, traffic travelling south east/east will be diverted via Sinnotstown Lane toward the Rosslare Road. West and south west bound traffic will be diverted via the Rosslare road southbound to Sinnotstown Lane.

The new pipe is to be installed from the junction of the L3507-1 (Coolballow Rd) to the R-730-37 at Kerlogue Nursing Home and up to Starve Hall reservoir on the L-3506-3. When works reach the L-3506-3 further traffic management may be required and will be advertised closer to the date. Pipe installation, testing and switching of existing connections over to the newly installed water main will take approximately 20 weeks in total.

These works are being carried out as part of Irish Water’s National Leakage Reduction Programme.

**JOE CARROLL, Networks Programmes Regional Lead for Irish Water**

Networks Programmes Regional Lead for Irish Water, Joe Carroll said; “We are delighted to be able to bring a more secure and reliable water supply to the residents and community of the Coolballow area. The benefits of these works will come by way of replacing water mains and service connections that will reduce the instances of bursts and the occurrences of water outages which will ensure a reliable supply of water to customers and local businesses in the area.

“Finally, I would like to thank the residents for their patience as we carry out these essential works which will take about twenty weeks to complete. We should be finished in total in late September,” concluded Mr Carroll.

Eamonn Hore, Director of Services at Wexford County Council, stated that the replacement of the Coolballow watermain pipeline is very welcome news for consumers in the Wexford area. “The existing pipework has been in place since the late 1970s and has failed regularly over the last number of years leading to frustration and water outages, not to mention the additional costs involved in repairing the pipe and roadway after each burst.

“The replacement watermain has been designed by the Wexford County Council design team and will be delivered on site by Wexford County Council’s own pipe laying crew with the significant €0.5million investment from Irish Water.”

Coolballow is also an area of archaeological importance and the attendance of an archaeologist for a section of the dig close to a church site of the Knights Templar, graveyard and St James Well will be required.

Planned water shut offs will be advised in advance to the affected consumers and a letter informing residents of the works has been delivered. Customers have been notified about the works and can phone Irish Water on 1850 278 278 if they have any questions about the project or check out the Water Supply Updates section of the Irish Water website for regular updates.

€800,00 worth of cannabis seized at Rosslare

By Dan Walsh

Detector dog Flynn assisted as 40kgs of cannabis with an estimated value of €800,000 was seized at Rosslare Europort yesterday (Monday).

The drugs were discovered when Revenue officers stopped and searched a Polish registered articulated lorry and its accompanying trailer that had disembarked a ferry from Dunkirk, France. The search, carried out with the assistance of Revenue’s mobile x-ray scanner and detector dog Flynn, led to the discovery of the drugs concealed within the spare tyres of the trailer.

A man in his fifties was arrested by Gardai at the scene and taken to Wexford Garda Station.

Investigations are ongoing.

These routine operations are part of Revenue’s ongoing work targeting drug smuggling. If businesses, or members of the public have any information, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295.