A man in his late 30s has died in single vehicle road traffic collision that occurred at approximately 9.25am today (Thursday) at Ballyeden, Davidstown, on the Clonroche/Wexford road (R730) just off the N30 junction at Ballymackessey.
The only occupant of the car involved was pronounced dead at the scene. The body has since been removed for a post-mortem which will be carried out at a later date.
The road was closed for a period as Forensic Collision Investigators examined the scene but is now fully reopened.
Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward and for any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling in the area at the time to make this footage available to Gardaí.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Enniscorthy Garda Station on 053 9242580, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
The New Ross bypass scheme was opened to traffic at 10.15am on Thursday, January 30th, 2020. It eased chronic traffic congestion in New Ross town offering time savings of up to 30 minutes and provided efficiencies on the strategic N25 route from Cork to Rosslare Europort while also supporting the future growth and sustainability of New Ross town and the South East region.
TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR unveiling the memorial stone at Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge. Also in picture are Minister Paul Kehoe, Cllr Michael Sheehan, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council, Rose Katherine Kennedy, Cllr Peter Cleere, Cathaoirleach Kilkenny County Council, and Cllr Joh Fleming, Cathaoirleach New Ross Municipal District Council.
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar joined Rose Katherine Kennedy Townsend at the official opening ceremony of the N25 New Ross Bypass on Wednesday, January 29th 2020.
An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said; “This new bypass, which includes Ireland’s longest bridge, will transform New Ross, Wexford, Kilkenny and the South-East.”
Speaking at the event great-grandchild of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy; Rose Katherine Kennedy Townsend said, “This bridge is a wonderful tribute to my great grandmother, and a symbol of her enduring love and lesson that it does not matter who you are, where you come from, we are all God’s children. When some leaders threaten to drive us apart we need to honour those who build bridges that bring us together.”
An Taoiseach LEO VARADKAR and Rose Katherine Kennedy take a quiet stroll on the new N25 New Ross Bypass.
Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council Cllr Michael Sheehan said the new road network will enable the redevelopment of the region, unleash potential and rejuvenate New Ross. “I would like to congratulate all of the people involved in every aspect of today’s project on a job well done. Our time has come; a new chapter in our future is now ours to write. With a global marvel of engineering and a sophisticated road network at our door, County Wexford is now ripe for a new era of investment, industry and interest.”
Wexford County Council Chief Executive, Tom Enright said; “The N25 New Ross Bypass is another vital link in the overall connectivity and safer access to and from the South East Region; to and from County Wexford and the town of New Ross in particular. This major infrastructural development will help to attract investment into the Region. The resolution of the chronic traffic congestion in New Ross will result in environmental and quality of life improvements, which will make the historic town a destination of choice.”
The 15km Bypass Project includes the 887-metre long structure named the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge, the longest bridge in Ireland, and its two main spans are the longest post-tensioned concrete spans of their type in the world. The bridge crosses the River Barrow between Wexford and Kilkenny and forms a major part of the €230 million investment in the South East region and was delivered within budget.
The delivery of the N25 New Ross Bypass is the culmination of over 20 years work by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (formerly National Roads Authority), Wexford County Council and Kilkenny County Council as well as technical advisors for the scheme, Mott MacDonald Ireland. Construction works were undertaken by New Ross Joint Venture, consisting of BAM Civil and Dragados. On average, a workforce of 300 people was employed throughout construction and approximately 2.5 million work hours were completed on-site to bring the scheme to fruition.
The viewing stand at the opening of the N25 New Ross Bypass and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge as An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar addresses the invited attendance on January 29th 2020.
The 35th president of the United States, John F Kennedy’s ancestors hailed from Dunganstown and the Kennedy Homestead is less than one mile from the new bridge. President Kennedy proudly visited his family town of New Ross in the summer of 1963.
County Wexford will get a new fire engine, there will be continued support for the new fire station in New Ross, refurbishment works for Gorey Fire Station and continued upgrades to communications and mobilisation systems.
Welcoming the announcement Minister James Browne said; “This is a very welcome announcement for Wexford. Works are already underway on a new fire station in New Ross which are expected to cost an estimated €1.7 million. Gorey, which is one of nine fire stations nationally to be allocated funding for refurbishment, is currently at design stage with €0.5 million allocated for the works and a new fire engine for the county comes at a cost of approximately €0.5 million meaning just under €3 million in funding for Wexford under this programme.
GOREY FIRE STATION has been allocated €0.5 million for upgrading and refurbishment works.
“This year of all years we are very aware of the vital work our emergency services do for us. We are all so grateful to them and thank them for continuing to keep us safe,” he concluded.
Welcoming today’s news, Senator Malcolm Byrne said; “We have a great team working at the fire station in Gorey and they deserve to be working in a modern environment with the latest equipment.”
Cllr Michael Sheehan welcomed news of the new New Ross Fire Station at Hewittsland, (opposite Tesco) on WexfordLocal.com last October.
It will be a state of the art three-bay fire station with 14 parking spaces, a training yard, tower, lecture room and offices. The tender has been allocated to local construction company Kevin Thorpe Ltd, Adamstown.
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, today announced a new €61 million Fire Service Capital Programme 2021-2015. The programme will see six new fire stations built, continued support for the construction of a further 12 new fire stations, nine fire station refurbishments and 35 new fire engines allocated.
Wexford trainer Liz Doyle was in the winners’ enclosure as her charge Burlesque Queen (8/1) prevailed in the the two and a half mile Irish Daily Mail Christmas Handicap Hurdle at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival today.
LIZ DOYLE saddled a winner at Leopardstown
The six-year-old mare, in the first-time hood, won by one and a half lengths for the Crossabeg stables and was a nice winner for conditional jockey James O’Sullivan, Ballydaniel, Camolin.
Commenting afterwards Liz Doyle said; “James gave her a beautiful ride, he does get on well with her. I tried ear plugs in her and it probably annoyed her. She had a first-time hood today but her improvement is purely due to settling and having a good gallop.”
Jonathan Moore from Tomgarrow, Adamstown, enjoyed his first Group 1 success at the Christmas Leopardstown Festival. Moore was riding for his Meath-based boss, Gavin Cromwell, on Flooring Porter (11/1) in the Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle and after making the running for most of the race ran on well at the finish with six lengths to spare,
“All credit to Gavin and the owners. They had the courage to supplement him for this race and it’s paid off. What a horse!,・ said the delighted jockey afterwards, who added; I felt like I was always in my comfort zone out there.”
Paul Nolan saddled a winner at the Limerick Christmas Festival today. Itsnotinit (5/1 jt-fav.) was a ready winner of the D Pack Packaging Handicap Hurdle ridden by Philip Enright.
Stable representative James Nolan said; “He is a big chaser in the making and will stay over hurdles this season.”
There was a second Wexford trained winner at Limerick when Seamus Neville, Brideswell, Bridgetown, won the CUBE Handicap Hurdle at Limerick with Notice To Close (5/4 fav.) in the colours of his wife, Ina, for a festival victory.
Entertainment was the first casualty of the Covid-19 lockdown and probably will be the last to return which turns our tradition firmly on its head as our nation likes to bogey, waltz, jive and smooch whenever a musician creates a rhythm.
St. Stephen’s Night used to be one of the great occasions. Thousands would flock to Adamstown. For many it was the highlight of the Christmas holidays and many teenagers would be on temporary release from boarding school. The atmosphere on the floor would be electric and there might be extra entertainment outside as to the choice of partner! There were always a sideshow in the old days!
ADAMSTOWN BALLROOM today.
Promoter Danny Doyle reckons that “60% of the people in Wexford met their husband or wife in Adamstown Ballroom.” The ceilí dance in the parish hall or dancing at the crossroads were the only form of rural entertainment at the time and most were tied in with festive occasions like the patron or fraughan day so it is little surprise that the spacious ballroom and the growing popularity of the showbands would take the country by storm.
Adamstown Show Society was founded in 1947 and one of its aims was to build a hall, so a 12-person committee was put in place to fundraise and oversee the construction and on May 1st, 1955 Adamstown Ballroom opened its doors for the first to celebrate that year’s Show Dance. It was named St. Abban’s Hall after the local patron saint.
The heyday of Adamstown Ballroom was from the end of the 1960s into the 1980s and for couples of a certain generation this place was their ‘Ballroom of Romance’. A meeting place ideally located in the centre of rural Wexford.
Passing Adamstown Ballroom brings back a flood of memories of thousands of happy dancers enjoying themselves with the biggest showbands in the business setting the walls alive with the sound of music until 2 in the morning. You can almost still hear the band playing! A bag of chips from Booth’s little shop next door and off home to begin work a few hours later on Monday morning!
AUDIO ADDITION – JOHNNY CARROLL and his trumpet always captured the ballroom mood.
The 49th annual Kilmore Parish Journal was ‘ghost launched’ this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and quickly found itself being swept off the shelves and into the homes of Kilmore people at home and abroad. Christmas would not be the same in Kilmore without the Journal which has a legion of readers.
The effects of the Covid-19 lockdown are captured in images while a survey on some of the Kilmore Diaspora makes interesting reading.
Ciaran Hayes from Grange works as a Water Treatment Engineer in Singapore. “One unusual restriction during the lockdown was that you had to be alone outside the home,” said Ciaran, who added; “So, despite sharing an apartment with my partner, we were not allowed even go for a walk together for about a month!”
KILMORE MEMORIAL
The parish has welcomed a new parish priest, Fr Pat Mernagh, who has left the Defence Forces having been Chaplain for the past 16 years at McKee Barracks, Dublin.
There was a warm send off for the departing parish priest Fr Denis Doyle who dedicated 18 years to the people of the community having arrived in 2002.
There was bad news in the parish too. “The year 2020 will be remembered by fishermen as one of our worst years. We started the year with very bad weather from November to January. Just as the weather picked up in February Covid-19 hit the markets in Europe and knocked fish prices flat and since then demand and prices have never recovered.”
In sport, Kilmore produced two county champions in 2020. Kilmore GAA Ladies Football Club won the County Intermediate Championship and Kilmore also won the County Junior A Hurling Championship – and both victorious groups were chosen to share the front page of this year’s Journal.
And for the historically minded readers there is a comprehensive article on Sigginstown Castle, which is a history of several hundred years and many families, penned by Liz and Gordon Jones, who purchased the castle in 2016.
Gardaí attached to the Garda Extradition Unit and Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) have executed nine European Arrest Warrants including the arrest of a 52-year-old male in Wexford wanted for fraud offences in Poland.
Detective Superintendent Michael J. Mullen of the Garda Extradition Unit remarked that, “the significant arrests, coordinated by detectives attached to Organised and Serious Crime, supported by local members across the country, represents our ongoing commitment to ensuring persons wanted on international arrest warrants are brought to justice.”
All nine have appeared before the High Court and are currently remanded to reappear before the High Court on 8th January 2021.
Our special image for Christmas 2020 is that of the beautiful outdoor crib erected at the entrance to Bree Community Centre as part of the Christmas Lights presentation in the village.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS to the thousands of readers who use WexfordLocal.com to stay in touch with the local news since its launch last June. It has been a period of growing the product and the public response has been encouraging. Getting the local news online is a new concept that will take time to grow on the readership, but we are facing in the right direction and the horizon is getting closer every day.
It has been a challenging time for all of us due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions placed in our path, however, we are all in this together so the emphasis has been on support local, and while our community existence has been tested to the limit, be positive and some sort of normality will brighten our days again because our friendship, our tradition of resilience and a strong spirit will prevail. We must protect our mental health and support each other in the dark days and be prepared to enjoy the sunshine and the joy when it returns.
WexfordLocal.com has the tag line; News and Sport and Events that matter across County Wexford.
The RNLI and the Coast Guard are appealing to the public to exercise caution while participating in activity on and near the water during the Christmas and New Year period and at all times to be mindful of the restrictions in place to deal with the COVID pandemic.
Many traditional Christmas and New Year swims which ordinarily had safety measures in place have been cancelled. Accordingly, anybody planning such activity should check up to date guidance and ensure that they have made appropriate safety arrangements.
The second half of 2020 saw a significant increase in water-based incidents placing extra demands on Search and Rescue providers including Coast Guard and RNLI volunteer crews. Mindful of the increased levels of participation in open water swimming both organisations are highlighting the risks of suffering cold water shock, which is a very real danger for anyone entering water which is 15°C or below. Average sea temperature around Ireland at this time of year are just 6-10°C. This can pose a risk of hypothermia, even for the most experienced of open water swimmers.
Irish Coast Guard, Head of Operations Gerard O’Flynn said: “People love to get out and about over the Christmas and New Year period. For those who have an opportunity to go on coastal walks always remember to Stay Back Stay High Stay Dry – and this year please be especially mindful of Covid related restrictions. Open water swimming this time of the year is only for experienced participants and never ever swim alone.”
Wexford County Council has joined with the HSE and the Gardaí and to reiterate basic messages on preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Speaking as one in a special Christmas appeal and after a schedule of additional restrictions were announced on Tuesday by the government, the three principal agencies say the recent rise in figures for those contracting the virus are very concerning.
The agencies point to the hope being provided in 2021 by the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine and are reminding everyone of the importance in ensuring older and vulnerable people are kept safe in the meantime, so that it may be availed of.
TOM ENRIGHT CEO Wexford County Council
The Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council Cllr. Ger Carthy and Chief Executive Tom Enright are also urging people not to allow everyone’s hard work to date in 2020 to be undermined and are reiterating that individual actions do matter – including adherence to all the public health restrictions.
Director of the HSE’s South East Public Health Dept. Dr. Carmel Mullaney, the Chief Officer of South East Community Healthcare Kate Killeen White and General Manager of Wexford General Hospital Linda O’ Leary say the HSE is anxious that individuals, families and communities act to avoid any further spikes in infections, which would place pressures on frontline services.
CLLR GER CARTHY, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council.
The Garda Chief Superintendent in Wexford Denis Ferry says we are at a critical point in tackling the spread of Covid-19 and that people in Co. Wexford must take personal responsibility to avoid situations that are a risk to themselves, their family and their friends.
Wexford County Council, the HSE and the Gardaí will be working hard to protect people through Christmas and beyond with the aim in mind of getting to a better and safer place as a society in 2021, they are urging people to continue taking precautions in relation to transmissions of Covid-19, to adhere to restrictions, and practice “the basics”:
WexfordLocal.com 