The five libraries across County Wexford at Bunclody, Enniscorthy, Gorey, New Ross and Wexford town are closed under Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions, but library services remain open to the public.
WEXFORD LIBRARY (Pic; Wexford County Council)
You can continue to use your library 24/7 and free of charge online too!
· join the library online;
· download eBooks and eAudiobooks;
· read magazines and newspapers
· take eLearning or language courses;
· watch or listen to storytimes; or,
· take part in other activities like online bookclubs.
Do you know someone who is isolated and unable to use online library services? Would they like library staff to select some books and deliver them to their door? If so, please get in touch with library staff on 053 9196566.
AUDIO ADDITION – County Librarian EILEEN MORRISSEY explains how to keep in touch with your local library during the Level 5 restrictions
Three Wexford organisations will benefit from EMFF Fisheries Local Action Group funding through the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine. Total funding amounts to €92,265.
OUR LADY’S ISLAND gets funding for Tourism Centre
Our Lady’s Island’s Community Development group will receive €64,000 towards the development of a tourist interpretive centre.
St. Kearns Rowing Club, Saltmills, benefits from €22,380 for an anti-vandal unit and rowing machines while Ramsgrange Men’s Shed will receive €5,885 for a woodwork project enhancement.
Wexford T.D. and Minister of State for Law Reform at the Department of Justice and Equality James Browne told WexfordLocal.com; “I’m delighted that three Wexford coastal projects will benefit from the funding. These grants are designed to support coastal communities. I know that Our Lady’s Island Community Development Group, St. Kearns Rowing Club and Ramsgrange Men’s Shed will enjoy terrific economic and social benefits because of these funding allocations.”
Following a parliamentary question Wexford TD and Minister of State for Law Reform James Browne T.D. has welcomed a commitment from Transport Minister, Eamon Ryan T.D., to review the assessment of North Wexford Park and Ride locations.
The Transport Minister says that the National Transport Authority (NTA) will review the potential for Park and Ride locations in the North Wexford area once works on a core bus corridor along the N11/M11 are advanced.
“I’m glad Transport Minister, Eamon Ryan T.D., recognises the importance of the NTA reviewing the need for North Wexford bus-based Park and Ride locations. North Wexford is home to many people who commute to Dublin for their work. People in the Gorey area regularly park in the hard shoulders near the M11 exits 22 and 23. Burglars have previously targeted these cars.
“Overall, the NTA is seeking to develop a bus priority lane between Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow and the Loughlinstown Roundabout in south Dublin. If established, a core bus corridor would stretch between Kilmacanogue and the city centre. This provides a brilliant opportunity to develop a bus-based Park and Ride location in North Wexford. I will continue to keep this development at the forefront of the Transport Minister and the NTA’s plans”, Minister Browne concluded.
Minister Eamonn Ryan confirmed that in line with Action 89 of the Climate Action Plan 2019, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has established a ‘Park and Ride Development Office’. “I understand that the initial work of the Park and Ride Development Office is to prepare a Park and Ride Strategy, which will guide the NTA’s activities in this area over the coming years. Most of the work of the office is focussed on providing strategic (regional level) Park and Ride facilities to enable access to the main urban areas, in addition to rail-based Park and Ride facilities at rail stations and key Luas stops. More local Park and Ride facilities will continue to be the responsibility of the relevant local authority,” stated Minister Ryan.
It was the last race of the day before a local winner obliged at day two of the October racing festival at Bettyville Park on a fine and dry Bank Holiday Monday afternoon, but once again a competitive card and, possibly, the seasonal debut of the next Gold Cup winner?
Eleven fixtures are run at Wexford every year and the richest event is the Grade 3 M.W. Hickey Memorial Chase over two miles and seven furlongs. Today’s renewal saw a classy winner in Minella Indo (8/13 fav.), trained in Waterford by Henry de Bromhead, who is quoted at 8/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next March
A winner of the Albert Bartlett at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival meeting, Minella Indo was runner up in the RSA Chase at the same track last March, and the plan is to aim for the Cheltenham Gold Cup next year.
Minella Indo only faced three rivals today in soft conditions where Rachael Blackmore had a comfortable ride all the way and cruised past the winning post 25 lengths ahead of everything else.
The de Bromhead/Blackmore combination enjoyed a double with Kapard (3/1) taking the Kehoe Farming Rated Novice Hurdle. Third was Fortune Street for Paul Nolan and Sean O’Keeffe.
The local winner was IlCourra (6/1) in the bumper for owner/breeder Mary Griffin, trained at Ballypreacus, Bunclody, and ridden by Simon Cavanagh. In third place was Mercury Lane for Paul Nolan and Barry O’Neill. The winning distance was three quarters of a length.
The next race meeting at Bettyville Park is scheduled for Wednesday, March 17th, 2021, St. Patrick’s Day.
Gardaí have arrested and charged a man in connection with the seizure by Customs Officials of €427,465 in cash at Rosslare Europort last Wednesday.
The man, aged in his 30s, was arrested on Saturday, on suspicion of committing an offence contrary to Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, after Gardaí from Meath, Wexford and the Criminal Assets Bureau searched a number of residences under warrant in County Meath.
He was detained at Trim Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. He has since been charged and appeared at a special sitting of Trim District Court yesterday (Sunday) afternoon.
An investigation is taking place into a serious incident at Bree United’s Astro pitch at Macmine were a vehicle was used to vandalise the surface in a mindless act of anti-social behaviour that occurred around 1.10am this morning.
Damage to the playing surface at Bree United’s pitch at Macmine that occurred early this morning.
It appears that the intention was to drive across the pitch when the vehicle stuck in the muddy surface. Leftover Astro turf was removed from the clubhouse and placed underneath the sinking wheels of the vehicle, however, removal efforts failed, and weather conditions deteriorated rapidly.
Back-up arrived at 2.15 am and during a thunderstorm a tow was attached to a second vehicle, but it took some time before the stuck vehicle was freed and eventually both vehicles left in the direction of Bree village.
The activity was captured on CCTV and Bree United have taken to social media calling on those responsible to come forward before handing the footage over to the Gardaí.
Fortunately, for the foreseeable future no games are scheduled for the pitch due to the Covid-19 restrictions, however, Bree United is determined to repair the damage and bring the pitch back to its usual high standard as soon as possible.
It did not take long for the locals to strike success at sunny Wexford this afternoon. The opening race, the Hook Head Maiden Hurdle, went to Gibberwell (16/5), named after a local townsland, trained at Rathangan by Brian Jordan for Wiliam Bates, Kimore, and ridden by Caim jockey JJ Slevin. The local success upset the long odds-on Mr Jackman (4/9) from the Gordon Elliott stables who was runner-up; one and three-quarter lengths back on ground that was officially ‘soft to heavy’.
Adamstown jockey Jonathan Moore enjoyed success on his home track aboard Gavin Cromwell’s Clonguile Way, (11/4 fav.) in the St. Patrick’s Bridge Handicap Hurdle.
The richest race of the day was the Slade Handicap Chase where three of JP McManus’ five entries finished first, second and fourth. Two did not make the handicap. The winner was Scoir Mear (9/2) trained by Tom Mullins at Goresbridge and ridden by Simon Torrens.
Low-lying sun was causing problems at the Meath point-to-point held at Fairyhouse, but it did not stop the Wexford raiders who left a trail of success. Three winners for Jamie Codd and a double for the Sean Doyle/Jamie Scallan combination were amongst the highlights.
Jamie Codd teamed up with Gordon Elliott to win the four-year-old geldings maiden by twelve lengths with Ginto getting the better of Since Day One in the Matchmaker Syndicate colours for handler/rider Rob James.
JAMIE CODD… three winners at Fairyhouse this afternoon.
Codd made it a double on Passion View for Meath handler Peter Flood in the maiden race for five-year-old mares. Two lengths were the winning distance.
Codd’s treble was aboard the four lengths winner Fanamix, running in the colours of Edelle Logan and trained by Denis Murphy, The Ballagh.
Sean Doyle’s good run continued in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings when Dunboyne, in the Monbeg Partnership colours, came in first by three lengths ridden by Jamie Scallan, Tomhaggard, who was enjoying his 15th career winner.
But the Doyle/Scallan team were not finished yet. They completed a double when Solomon Grundy ran out three lengths to the good in the Open Race which was confined to novice riders.
Rob James was amongst the winners on the Donnchadh Doyle runner Crystal Glory, victorious on his debut at Monksgrange last month, four lengths to the good in the Winner of One Race.
It was an amazing point-to-point Saturday across the country as five handlers named Doyle shared eight winners between them at Loughanmore, Co. Antrim, and Ballycrystal at the foot of Mount Leinster today with Cormac (2), Donnchadh (2) and Sean (1) from the Ballindaggin family, Mary Ellen (2) from Coolgarrow, Enniscorthy, and Pat Doyle, (1) Thurles, Co. Tipperary, all enjoying ‘D Day’ success.
The rain dampened proceedings for a while at the Ballycrystal track where racing took place under the auspices of the Island Hunt for a competitive seven-race card.
The maiden race for four year olds was divided with division one resulting in a half-length success for the Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe stable with Tamgho Borget just holding off the serious challenge of Unanswered Prayers for Harley Dunne and Donnchadh Doyle.
Jumping action from today’s point-to-point at Ballycrystal
Cormac Doyle saddled his first winner of the season when My Immortal triumphed by two lengths in division two ridden by Jack Hendrick from Mayglass. Simultaneously, Cormac was saddling winner number two up in Antrim with Undersupervision winning the four year old geldings’ maiden race by one length with Tiernan Power- Roche from Tomhaggard in the saddle.
Sean Doyle’s The Forge Hill, a winner at Monksgrange last month won her third race with a brilliant jumping performance in the Open Lightweight Race with Jordan Gainford, Caim, enjoyed a local success.
Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe made it a double on home turf with Gallow Ford in the Winners of One race.
Denis Murphy’s chestnut mare Get Sky High was a one and a half lengths winner of the maiden race for five and six year old mares. The winning rider was Simon Cavanagh. Now in his 15th year of training the Master of Ballyboy Stables, The Ballagh, was registering his 220th victory as a handler.
Pat Doyle from Thurles saddled Flamenco De Kerser in the maiden race for five year old geldings, winning by eight lengths with his daughter, Susie, in the saddle.
The final race was for ‘older maidens’ and a first winner for Ferns rider Gavin Collier aboard Kingston King, by six lengths, trained at Craanford by Liam Kenny.
At Loughanmore, Mary Ellen Doyle had a first and last race double. The Mean Queen, owned by Rodman Moorhead, took the maiden race for four year old mares by six lengths with John James O’Neill up; and the aptly named One For The Yard, a first success for Downpatrick rider Toni Quail, won the race for older geldings.
Rob James and Donnchadh Doyle scored twice. First with Gringo D’Aubrelle by three and a half lengths in the second division of the four year old geldings’ maiden, and secondly, won the maiden race for five year old geldings by three lengths with Our Surprise.
Vincent Devereux made the long journey from Rostoonstown, Tomhaggard, to Loughamore in Antrim worthwhile when home-bred Mr Mantilla won his third race from four runs by one length in the Winner of Two race. The successful rider was Shane O’Rourke, Foulksmills.
Revenue officers were granted a three-month cash detention order by Judge John Cheatle at Wexford District Court this morning (Friday).
This followed the seizure yesterday (Wednesday) of almost €427,500 at Rosslare Europort when, because of routine profiling and with the assistance of detector dog Flynn, Revenue officers stopped a UK registered vehicle boarding a ferry to Bilbao, Spain.
The cash is suspected to be the proceeds of, or intended for use in, criminal activity and is detained by Revenue in accordance with proceeds of crime legislation.
A man in his thirties, originally from Poland, was questioned in relation to the seizure and investigations are ongoing.
This seizure is part of Revenue’s ongoing work targeting smuggling and shadow economy activity. If businesses, or members of the public have any information, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295.
WexfordLocal.com 