WexfordLocal.com

RACING NEWS; Six for O’Neill, three for Codd

By Dan Walsh

Four winners for Barry O’Neill today at Fairwood, Tinahely, and two yesterday in Derry, gave the champion rider half a dozen victories for the weekend, while Jamie Codd celebrates his first winner of the season with a treble at Westmeath this afternoon, to make the point-to-point headlines.

The opening race for four-year-old maidens at Fairwood was won by Routine Excellence for Colin Bowe and Barry O’Neill. One and a half lengths were the verdict. Half an hour later and the double was up for the champions when Milans Edge ran out the five lengths winner of the maiden race for five-year-old mares.

Gordon Elliott, who sent out four winners across the different tracks, dispatched Mighty Stowaway from his Meath stables, Barry O’Neill got the leg up, and the runaway combination won the Open Race by ‘a distance’.

But O’Neill and Bowe added another victory before departure for Kiltealy as Heuston Texas, twice runner-up, got to the front and stayed there in style to take the maiden race for ‘older’ geldings.

**JAMIE CODD… first winners of the new point-to-point season with a treble at Moate, Co. Westmeath, today.**

Jamie Codd and Denis Murphy had their first victory of the season with Get A Tonic in the maiden race for four-year-old mares. Donnchadh Doyle’s Bonbon Balko (Rob James) was runner-up, three and a half lengths behind the winner and Michael Goff’s Ask Blossomfort (Shane Fitzgerald) was third to give a 1,2,3, to Wexford raiders at Moate, Co. Westmeath, this afternoon.

Codd teamed up with Gordon Elliott to win division one of the maiden geldings race for four year olds with Percy Warner, by four lengths, and ended up with a treble when bringing home Heather Rocco for Galway handler John Nellan by one length in the five and six year old maiden geldings race.

And also at the Westmeath track, Rob James, Killanne, saddled his first winner as a handler in My Bad Lucy for the Matchmaker Syndicate, by eight lengths with Brian Lawless up, in the first division of the four year old geldings maiden race.

No Wexford trained winners at Portrush, Co. Derry, yesterday (Saturday) although Barry O’Neill scored twice for the owner/handler team of John Hegarty and David Christie from Fermanagh. Success came in the Open Race on Winged Leader, who was winning his fifth race in succession, by six lengths, and Ask D’Man completed the double in the race for ‘older maidens’.

Barry O’Neill is already 16 wins clear of his nearest rival in the riders’ championship with a 41% strike rate this season.

Minister Browne backs medical card for over 70s

By Dan Walsh

Wexford TD and Minister of State for Law Reform James Browne has backed the move to extend medical cards for over 56,000 people over the age of 70. He welcomes Cabinet’s approval for the reduction in prescription charges and the Drugs Payment Scheme.

Under the new measures the gross income limit for medical card eligibility for those aged 70 or over will be increased to €550 per week for a single person or €1,050 per week for a couple. This represents an increase of €50 and €150 respectively and will mean an extra 56,000 people over the age of 70 will be eligible for a medical card.

Prescription charges will be reduced by 50c and the Drugs Payment Scheme threshold will be reduced from €124 per month to €114 per month.

Commenting Minister Browne said; “Cabinet approved these measures which will take effect on November 1st. This will undoubtedly help people across Wexford and is a demonstration of the Government’s commitment to fulfilling the obligations in the Programme for Government.

“Looking after those who are older and more vulnerable among us is a key priority and this measure will not only ease the financial burden on people aged over 70 but also encourage them to seek medical attention sooner rather than later. My office can help in completing medical card application forms,” Minister Browne told WexfordLocal.com.

“Those under 70 will now only pay a maximum of €15 per month for prescribed medicines while those over 70 will only pay a maximum of €10 per month for prescribed medicines. 1.38 million people availing of the Drugs Payment Scheme will have €10 per month back in their packet – these are measures to be welcomed,” Minister Browne concluded.

Big changes planned for Gorey’s Esmonde St.

By Dan Walsh

A fully segregated two-way cycle lane and an enhanced streetscape central to Wexford County Council’s plans for the regeneration and transformation of Esmonde Street, Gorey, took a significant step forward this week as a planning application was lodged for the scheme.

How Gorey’s Esmonde Street will look in the future? (Artist’s impression supplied by Wexford County Council).

The vision for the proposed project is to improve the public realm along Esmonde Street and Esmonde Lane, and further develop the area as an attractive place to live, work and do business.

Esmonde Street will see an enhanced streetscape, with improvements to footpaths, road pavement, tasteful hard and soft landscaping and undergrounding of overhead services.

Modifications to traffic management, through the proposed introduction of a one-way system, seek to reduce vehicle dominance on the street and make it a friendlier environment for pedestrians and cyclists.

A fully segregated two-way cycle lane will be facilitated along the length of the street as part of the works. Esmonde Lane, which runs parallel to Esmonde Street, is planned to be upgraded so that students and members of the public can walk and cycle safely between Gorey Community School, Bunscoil Loreto and St Michael’s Church car park.

Site for new 500-student school to be sourced for Gorey

By Dan Walsh

Confirmation from the Department of Education and Skills that an additional secondary school for as many as 500 children will be constructed in Gorey. The Department of Education and Skills has approved in principle the provision of an additional secondary school and will now seek to identify a patron and site for the school.

Wexford TD and Minister of State for Law Reform James Browne has welcomed the announcement as a huge step forward that will benefit the children and parents in Gorey and North Wexford.

“While serving as an opposition TD, I frequently highlighted the need for a third secondary school in North Wexford. In March 2019, I highlighted the clear concerns of parents in Gorey town and Riverchapel. It was clear that there was a significant spike in the number of sixth class students moving to secondary school. This is a major step forward for north Wexford,” Minister Browne told WexfordLocal.com

“Following recent requests to the Education Minister, Norma Foley T.D., I’m delighted that Minister Foley understood the situation and that a patron and site for a new school will now be sourced. Families across North Wexford will be delighted with this news and I will now make sure that this is a top priority for the Department of Education and Skills forward-planning unit”, Minister Browne concluded.

The process to source a patron for the site will get underway with a deadline of October 31^st, 2020. A parental survey will also take place.

Flynn sniffs over €45k at Rosslare Europort

Today (Thursday), at Gorey District Court, Revenue officers were granted a three-month cash detention order by Judge Miriam Walsh. This followed the seizure of €45,635 at Rosslare Europort on Tuesday when, as a result of routine profiling, and with the assistance of detector dog Flynn, Revenue officers stopped a vehicle boarding a ferry to Cherbourg, France.

Detector dog FLYNN is delighted with his success at Rosslare Europort

Four people, originally from Romania, were questioned in relation to the seizure and investigations are ongoing.

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.

These operations are 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.

Seizure of €20,000 at Rosslare Europort

By Dan Walsh

Revenue officers were granted a three-month cash detention order by Judge John Cheatle at a sitting of Gorey District Court yesterday (Wednesday). This followed the seizure of €20,000 at Rosslare Europort on Monday, October 12^th, when, because of routine profiling, Revenue officers stopped a vehicle that had disembarked a ferry from Cherbourg, France.

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, originally from Lithuania, was questioned in relation to the seizure.

Funding for Wexford Community Monuments

By Dan Walsh

Wexford TD and Minister of State for Law Reform at the Department of Justice and Equality, James Browne has welcomed the news that three Wexford monuments and historic sites will receive funding under the new Community Monuments Fund.

The core objective of the Community Monuments Fund is to support the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites.

View from the pilgrimage site at OUR LADY’S ISLAND

Minister Browne told WexfordLocal.com; “I am delighted that three Wexford sites have benefitted from the Community Monuments Fund. The funding will ensure that heritage is protected as a community asset and made more accessible. This measure will also allow steps to be taken under the Climate Change Action Plan in relation to our archaeological heritage.

“Wexford’s Norman Way Heritage Route boasts terrific potential. The southern coast of Wexford is brimming with medieval history. Lady’s Island’s historic monuments and the medieval church of St. Mary’s in Bannow will benefit from conservation work. Barntown Castle will benefit from improved public access because of this funding too”, Minister Browne concluded.

Two historic sites along Wexford’s Norman Way Heritage Route will receive funding dedicated to capital conservation works. St. Mary’s Church in Bannow will receive €18,756 while €12,467 has been awarded to the historic site of Lady’s Island. Meanwhile, Barntown Castle will receive funding amounting to €8,364, which will be dedicated to identifying conservation works and improving public access.

32 jobs created at Johnstown Castle

By Dan Walsh

Thirty-two Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection civil servants began working in Johnstown Castle from last Monday dealing with pandemic unemployment payment-related matters.

**The well-kept Walled Garden in the grounds of Johnstown Castle is open to the public.**

Wexford TD and Minister of State for Law Reform James Browne told WexfordLocal.com; “I’m glad to see the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection create an additional section, which will be based in Johnstown Castle. The pandemic unemployment payment has been a vital source of income for thousands of County Wexford people. Given that the payment will continue to be paid until April 2021, there remains a great deal of administration work to be done.

“I wish every success to these hard-working Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection workers and I’m glad to see the Department recognise the hard-working ability of County Wexford civil servants”, Minister Browne concluded.

A lock of history from Famine times

By Dan Walsh

Jeremy Hill at Monksgrange Archives office is surrounded by bookshelves and, recently, he became curious about a small locked book he wondered what was inside… but there was one snag… no key for lock… it became lost with the passing years!

**JEREMY HILL showing the key that opened up a new chapter in the history of the Famine years.**

“I was going into Enniscorthy one day and I brought the ledger with me and I dropped into Paul Campbell, the locksmith on Church St., and asked if there was anything he could do for me, so he took a good look at it and said it might be tricky because the bronze locks were really solid in the old days, and, of course, I didn’t have the key to go with it!

Jeremy continues; “Paul took some time to consider the situation and after a few hours he came up with a new key that fitted into the lock, gave it a turn, it clicked, and history was unlocked.”

“It was amazing to open the pages. The handwriting was classic and there before my eyes was a small piece of history that had been in my family since the Famine years, it dates from 1848 and is in pristine condition with a grey embossed cover, 200 pages, and it measures 18.3×11.8cm.”

Enthusiastic about the new discovery, which he hopes to exhibit sometime in the future when the Covid-19 loosens its restrictions on public participation, Jeremy is happy to share his unlocked discovery and has spent a number of weeks doing research and finding out more about the history of the account book.

AUDIO – JEREMY HILL tells DAN WALSH about the discovery of an account book belonging to the Monksgrange estate from 1848.

Two weekend calls for Fethard Lifeboat

By Dan Walsh

The first call out came on Friday evening, when the volunteer crew were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat by the Irish Coast Guard at 5.15pm and go to the aid of a Bayliner cruiser with two people onboard that had suffered mechanical issues. The vessel had lost power and found itself in difficulty.

Fethard RNLI’s D-Class lifeboat launched from Duncannon Beach and the crew were soon alongside the casualty vessel. There were calm waters at the time and a Force 3 westerly wind. The crew assessed the situation and found that those onboard were safe and well. A towline was then established, and the vessel was towed to the safety of Dunmore East Harbour.

**FETHARD LIFEBOAT (Pic; RNLI/Fethard)**

A second call out came on Saturday afternoon when the Irish Coast Guard requested the lifeboat to go to the aid of a 35ft vessel that had ran aground at the spider buoy near King’s Bay. Dunmore East RNLI’s all-weather Trent class lifeboat was also requested to launch. Due to the size of the vessel, it was decided that it should stay and await a flooding tide to get it off the sandbank. The crew of Fethard lifeboat assisted the two-person crew by deploying their anchor. The vessel was secured and remained there until it was safely able to move on when there was enough water.

Mark Brennan, Fethard RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said: ‘We were happy to help the crew of both boats at the weekend. Situations can change very quickly at sea and mechanical failure is one of the main reasons for RNLI call outs.

“We would advise anyone out on the water to be prepared for an emergency by always wearing a lifejacket, checking your equipment before setting off, and always carrying some means of calling for help. Should you get into difficulty, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.”