Gardai in Enniscorthy are investigating a serious incident where windows were damaged in an anti-social or criminal act of vandalism at St. Aidan’s Parish School on Nunnery Road last weekend.
ENNISCORTHY GARDA STATION
It is understood that some youths trespassed on the school grounds and smashed three glass panels on the infant playground.The intrusion has been strongly condemned by school staff and parents who are concerned for the safety of the children.
Gardai are asking people to keep a watchful eye in the vicinity of the school and the adjoining Peace Park and to report any suspicious activity to Enniscorthy Garda Station on 053 9242580 or the Garda Confidential line on 1800 666 111.
Around 50 boats from the coastal areas Kilmore Quay to Dingle sailed through the night and assembled at Roche’s Point at 7am today before the public awareness flotilla of boats sailed up the River Lee to Cork City to highlight the huge strain on the fishing industry and delivered a plea for help at An Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s constituency office.
Speaking to RTE News Dinah Busher owner of the Ellie Adhamh, Kilmore Quay, said; “The quotas we have they are not paying the bills. The expenses for each trip they are not being covered.”
The local fishing fleet resting in Kilmore Quay. (File Pic)
Commenting locally Cllr Jim Codd told WexfordLocal.com; “Fishing communities like Kilmore Quay are on the brink of utter destruction due to unmanageable new EU regulations. These new measures which will require fishermen to unpack and weigh their catch on the Quay before repacking and re-icing the load and transporting it two hundred yards up the road to the factory are just the latest attempts to erode our fishing communities.
“Our trawler crews working in the most dangerous of jobs now see a box of Whelks, which was fetching €100, now only getting €55-€60 while Lobster pots have risen from €50 to €80. Diesel has gone from 30% to 54% cent per litre in the last year. A box of haddock is getting £100 in Peterhead across the water. Fishermen here are lucky to get €20 a box with prices falling to €12 a box last week. Things have gone so bad that they are using the haddock in the Lobster pots now. Prices go up while wages drop creating an unsustainable situation,” concluded Cllr Codd.
Wexford County Council retains Blue Flag status for five beaches and both marinas awarded in 2020, however, Ballymoney North Beach awarded in 2020 has not retained Blue Flag status for the 2021 season.
The beach has been classified as achieving a Good Water Quality rating in 2020 based on the assessment of bacteriological results for the period 2017 to 2020. Excellent water quality classification is the standard required of beach applicants to achieve Blue Flag status. Wexford has received more Blue Flags and Green Coast Awards than any other county in Leinster.
BLUE FLAG BEACHES AND MARINAS 2021; Ballinesker Beach, Curracloe, Morriscastle, Rosslare Strand, Carne, Kilmore Quay Marina and New Ross Marina.
GREEN COAST AWARD BEACHES 2021; Grange, Cullenstown Strand, St. Helen’s Bay, Ballyhealy, Booley Bay, Cahore Point Beach, Culleton’s Gap, Old Bawn Beach and Baginbun Beach.
OLD BAWN BEACH selected for a GREEN COAST BEACH AWARD
The Blue Flag and Green Coast Award sites for 2021 were announced by Ian Diamond, Coastal Awards Manager with An Taisce’s Environmental Education unit this morning (Tuesday) in a virtual awards ceremony attended by Local Authorities, marina operators and Clean Coasts groups who volunteer at the beaches receiving Green Coast Awards this year.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien said; “I want to offer my sincere congratulations to each of the communities who have won these most prized awards. Winning a Blue Flag or a Green Coast award is a collective effort with local authorities, An Taisce, local coastal communities and other volunteers on the ground all playing their part.”
The Department of Education has approved a multi-million euro budget for the construction of a new four-storey building on the grounds of Bunclody Vocational College on Irish Street.
CLLR KATHLEEN CODD-NOLAN and PAUL KEHOE TD
Cllr Kathleen Codd-Nolan, Chairperson of Bunclody Vocational College said; It is positive news for the School and for the young people of Bunclody area and thanks everyone who has worked so hard to get the project to this stage.
“The building will quadruple the space of the present building and give capacity to grow the student population up to 550 students. The new building will also include a Special Education Needs Unit,” she told WexfordLocal.com
William Coade Architect for the project said the next stage in the project is the lodgement of the Planning Application which is hoped to be lodged towards the end of this year.
MAYOR OF WEXFORD Cllr Leonard Kelly takes to the controls at the opening of the Skate Park at Min Ryan Park, Wexford
A Wexford company, Sole Sports and Leisure have begun construction of the access road for them to immediately begin the construction of the Skate Park and a 20m x 39m Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) supported by Cllrs Leonard Kelly and Davy Hynes at Min Ryan Park, comprising a soccer pitch length ways complimenting with two basketball courts and soccer pitches across ways.
The surface will be multi-purpose Astro. The MUGA will be located at the upper (southern) end of the Central Field, adjacent the existing grass kickabout area.
Mayor of Wexford, Cllr Leonard Kelly “believes that this offering will greatly benefit the young people of this town. The outreach work done by FDYS Wexford in the park since last year has helped to highlight this need.”
Thanks is expressed to Sean Meyler (Wexford County Council) and Peadar Murphy (Sole Sports and Leisure) for driving this forward and all the other council officials who are helping to make this a reality. The build time is expected to be approximately 16 weeks.
Today was an historic day for New Ross and district as the sod was turned on the new state-of-the-art fire station in New Ross that will be constructed at the cost of €1,458,205.
Wexford TD and Minister of State for Law Reform James Browne has expressed his delight at attending the sod-turning ceremony accompanied by Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council Cllr Ger Carthy, Cathaoirleach of New Ross Municipal District Cllr Michael Whelan, Cllrs Michael Sheehan and John Fleming, Tom Enright, Chief Executive Wexford County Council, Ray Murphy, Wexford County Chief Fire Officer, and Daniel and Kevin Thorpe of Thorpe Construction, Adamstown, who were awarded the contract for construction of the single-storey building at Hewitsland.
Soft digging to turn the sod at Hewitsland, New Ross, for the new Fire Station today. Aimed with the shovels are Cllr Ger Carthy, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Minister James Browne TD, and Cllr Michael Whelan, Cathaoirleach New Ross Municipal District Council.
Minister Browne told WexfordLocal.com; “I’m delighted to attend the sod-turning for a new fire station in New Ross. I made several representations to Minister for Housing and Local Government Darragh O’Brien TD seeking the approval of the tender for this much-needed investment and I am glad that these representations have culminated in the development of the new fire station.
“A modern fire service is critical for any community and our fire service personnel deserve the best facilities available.
“The current fire station on Michael Street has served its purpose very well for the residents of New Ross and environs for over 30 years. New Ross Fire Brigade now have three responding fire appliances and a 4×4 vehicle requiring this expanded facility. The new fire station will allow for the housing of response vehicles and allow for future expansion of not only the fire service in the region, but also training and development capabilities, which is important as the town grows.
“The new location will allow for a quick response to the new bypass and bridge and to assist other neighbouring brigades. It will be a new chapter in New Ross history and a welcome development for the crews of New Ross Fire Brigade. I look forward to see it’s development and official opening when this building project is complete,” concluded Minister Browne.
Important day for Rosslare Strand where the sod was turned this morning on Phase One of a €4 million investment in a 23 social housing project.
The small socially distance sod turning ceremony was jointly performed by two local public representatives Cllr Ger Carthy, Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council and Cllr Frank Staples, Cathaoirleach of Rosslare Municipal District Council in the presence of Cllrs Jim Moore and Jim Codd, Tom Enright, Chief Executive Officer Wexford County Council and Billy and Maurice Mythen of Mythen Construction, contractors for the scheme.
Turning the sod for a new social housing project at Rosslare Strand this morning. (Left to Right); Maurice Mythen, Mythen Construction; Cllr Frank Staples, Cathaoirleach Rosslare Municipal District Council; Cllr Jim Codd; Cllr Ger Carthy, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council; Cllr Jim Moore; Tom Enright, CEO, Wexford County Council and Billy Mythen, Mythen Construction.
“Great day for Rosslare Strand in the heartland of my constituency. Having sought the development of social housing in my area since my election to the County Council. I was very honoured today to turn the sod alongside my colleague Cllr Frank Staples,” Cllr Carthy told WexfordLocal.com
Mayor of Wexford Cllr Leonard Kelly honoured an invitation to attend Wexford CBS Primary School by Raymond Shannon of Wexford People Helping People to acknowledge the wonderful gesture of the Principal Vicky Barron and the Board of Management at the school for opening their doors on a permanent basis to their Soup Kitchen (food for which is kindly provided by the people and businesses of Wexford).
CAMERON SHANNON gets his chance to wear the Mayoral Chains and be acknowledged by Mayor Kelly.
Mayor Kelly told WexfordLocal.com; “But the main reason I was there was to acknowledge a fine young man, Cameron Shannon (Ray’s son). His passion for the work his dad and all the other volunteers is engaged with moved the school to make the wonderful gesture that they made to the group. I could see this little guy moving the box getting ready for his important work of the evening. As soon as the photos were taken it was back to work, helping. Cameron is a wonderful young man.”
Others in attendance included Cllrs Lisa McDonald and Jim Codd.
Four point-to-point winners shared between the champions Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe at Tralee today sending both well on their way to retaining their respective championship crowns, but the day was extra special for Colin Bowe – he saddled his 400th point-to-point career winner!
COLIN BOWE saddled his 400th point-to-point winner with a four-timer at Tralee today.
The dynamic duo got off the mark in the four-year-olds mares’ maiden race with Havenella in the colours of Milestone Bloodstock Ltd coming him by two lengths. Next up was the Walter Connors owned Givega, also by two lengths, in the contest for five-year-old geldings’ maiden race. Leo McArdle’s Branson Missouri gave the O’Neill-Bowe partnership success number three with a 10 lengths victory in the mares’ Winner of Three race – and the magic four for both the handler and the rider came in the final race – the maiden race for geldings’ – six years old or older -with Sullivan’s Brow sporting the colours of the No Negative Partnership by three lengths.
Earlier the Denis Murphy newcomer City Chief and Luke Murphy, Gorey, took the maiden race for four-year-old geldings’ in a tight finish -three quarters of a length- depriving another O’Neill-Bowe challenge with Knowsley Road.
There was also Sunday point-to-point action on the second day at Ballingarry, Co. Tipperary, where the four-year-old geldings’ maiden race was won by newcomer Andy’s Flame for Caitriona and Michael Goff, Mongeer, by a neck to give Liam Gilligan his seventh success of the season and puts him one ahead for the under 21 riders’ title.
Miss McGugan was a 12 lengths winner for the Walsh family of Preban, Tinahely, in the maiden race for six-year-old mares. Twelfth winner of the season for rider James Walsh, who is lying fifth in the riders’ championship, and fifth winner of the season for James Edward Walsh, matching his previous training best in the 2018-19 season.
A driver has been arrested and his car seized following a serious incident on the M11 near Gorey last night.
Gardaí from the Wexford Divisional Roads Policing Unit stopped a car travelling at 155 kilometres per hour. Gardaí searched the car and seized €2,800 worth of cocaine.
The driver gave a false name and address. Gardaí discovered he was disqualified from driving and had no insurance.
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