Wexford County Council and Enniscorthy Municipal District Council are seeking expressions of interest for sponsorship of landscaping and maintenance of roundabouts in the Enniscorthy area.
This is not an original idea, roundabouts around Gorey have been sponsored for more than a decade!
According to the Council, “Sponsorship of the roundabout will entitle the sponsor to have defined advertising rights on the roundabout. Roundabouts offer an excellent promotional opportunity for businesses and organisations.”
At this point businesses and organisations are invited to register their interest in sponsorship. When the interested parties are identified a short meeting will be held to outline the Sponsorship Scheme Policy.
To Register: Please send in the details of your company or organisation, the roundabout(s) you are interested in sponsoring and details of the person in your organisation who will attend the briefing meeting.
Expressions of Interest should be returned in a sealed envelope clearly marked to: “Expressions of Interest for Sponsorship of Roundabouts”, Enniscorthy Municipal District Office, Market Square, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, Y21 W2V4. Closing Date extended to 31st December 2025.
The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Revd John McDowell, has announced that the Revd Canon Nicola Halford, Rector of Enniscorthy and Monart Union, at the invitation of the House of Bishops, has accepted the position of Central Director of Ordinands for the Church of Ireland.
Archbishop McDowell said; “I am confident that Canon Nicola will build on the work of previous CDOs in helping to encourage vocations in a Church and on an island that has changed dramatically over the past twenty years.”
On accepting the appointment, Canon Nicola commented; “It is an honour to be asked to take on the role of Central Director of Ordinands and contribute to the important work of encouraging vocations within our Church.
“I enjoy my work as Diocesan Director of Ordinands for my Diocese of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory. Spending time with people who are discerning God’s call on their life is a real privilege.
“I look forward to serving the Church in a wider capacity as Central Director for Ordinands and helping build on the wonderful work that is already being done by the Diocesan Directors of Ordinands across this island.”
Pictured at the launch of ‘Enniscorthy Digital Retail Village’ today were (left to right); Breege Cosgrave, Head of Enterprise & Economic Development Wexford County Council, Gabrielle Lombos, Tap Retail; John Walsh, Mahady-Breen shoes; Cllr John O’Rourke, Barbara Nolan, Enniscorthy Municipal District Council; Barry Moylan, Tap Retail; Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy, Cathaoirleach Enniscorthy Municipal District Council; Claire Lawless, Enniscorthy District Manager; Stephen Hallahan, CEO Tap Retail; Theresa and Aidan Frayne, General Office & School Supplies; Senator Cathal Byrne; and Bipasha Kapadia, Tap Retail. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
By Dan Walsh in Enniscorthy
The Enniscorthy Digital Retail Village was officially launched in the Market Square today showcasing Co. Wexford’s first Digital Retail Village, featuring platform demonstrations, and a united message; Support small businesses — Shop Local.
Fourteen businesses have signed up for the scheme, namely Stafford’s Butchers, Evolv Health Store, Gillen’s Café, My Sport, Mahady Breen’s shoe shop, Authentic European Food Shop, Prep and Go, Reid’s Off-Licence, General Office & School Supplies, Meet Brazil, Easons Toy Department, Meraki Greek Café, Londis and Pet Depot.
Cathaoirleach of Enniscorthy Municipal District Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy stressed the initiative’s importance for the local economy. “The Enniscorthy Digital Retail Village is a major step forward in supporting small businesses and keeping our town’s retail sector strong and ensure towns are not left behind in retails digital transformation. By making it easier than ever to shop local, we are ensuring that Enniscorthy’s independent retailers continue to be at the heart of our community. This project shows the power of collaboration and innovation in protecting our local economy.”
Breege Cosgrave Head of Enterprise & Economic Development said that supporting small businesses is at the core of everything done at the Local Enterprise Office. “The Enniscorthy Digital Retail Village is an excellent example of how digital innovation can help local retailers grow, compete, and stay visible in a changing marketplace. We are delighted to support this initiative that encourages more people to shop local.”
Stephen Hallihan, CEO Tap Retail, highlighted the impact on small retailers. “The Digital Retail Village gives independent local retailers the digital tools they need to compete with big online platforms while making it simple for customers to choose local first. It is about creating something that works for retailers, customers, and the community, and I am excited to see the positive impact that this will have.”
Stephen Hallihan, Founder and CEO of Tap Retail designed the innovative Irish retail platform to make supporting small businesses easier, more convenient, and more accessible for everyone. The initiative offers:
An online shopping village that highlights Enniscorthy’s local businesses
User-friendly eCommerce tools to help small retailers grow and compete
Training and digital support to businesses
Collective marketing campaigns to strengthen the shop local message
Click-and-collect and delivery options, making it easy to support local and offers free delivery within a 3km radius.
The Enniscorthy Digital Retail Village scheme funded by Wexford County Council’s Local Enterprise Office and Enniscorthy Municipal District, unites local businesses on a single digital platform and allows consumers to buy from multiple local shops in one single transaction.
Every purchase made through the Digital Retail Village directly benefits Enniscorthy’s small businesses, helping them thrive and ensures that money spent locally continues to support local jobs and the future of Enniscorthy’s small business community.
Actor Ryan Andrews pictured alongside his wife Michaela Andrews and their son Rowen (13 months) at the launch of The Santa Truck in aid of LauraLynn, Ireland’s Only Children’s Hospice. The Santa Truck will be in Kilmuckridge on Saturday. (Pic; Justin Farrelly).
By Dan Walsh
Judge Haulage officially launched its beloved Santa Truck fundraiser for LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice with the help of actors Ryan and Michaela Andrews along with their son Rowan.
The couple joined Santa, Mrs Claus, and the crew at Judge Haulage to kick off the festive campaign, which will see the dazzling Santa Truck travel to towns and villages across Ireland this Christmas to raise vital funds for children with life-limiting conditions and will visit Kilmuckridge on Saturday from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.
The Santa Truck is a heartwarming initiative that transforms a Judge Haulage truck into a mobile winter wonderland, complete with lights, music, and festive cheer while supporting LauraLynn. Families are invited to meet Santa, take photos, come on board and enjoy the spectacle with donations collected for LauraLynn.
“I am delighted to be supporting the Santa Truck fundraiser this year in aid of LauraLynn, who do incredible work for seriously ill children and their families right across the country.” said Ryan Andrews. “Make sure to check the Santa Truck in Kilmuckridge and get out and support LauraLynn all while having an amazing festive evening. It’s not to be missed!”
LauraLynn provides specialist palliative care to children from birth to 18 years, offering services such as symptom management, music and play therapy, psychological support, and end-of-life care, all delivered in the hospice, in hospitals, and in family homes across Ireland.
New Ross Municipal District is celebrating the success of the first-ever Christmas Art Competition for local primary schools, with hundreds of colourful and imaginative entries bringing festive cheer to the town.
Cathaoirleach of New Ross Municipal District, Cllr John Dwyer, extended heartfelt thanks to every primary school that participated and to the pupils who poured their creativity into capturing ‘The Meaning of Christmas’, the theme for the Art Competition.
The competition was divided into four age-based categories (Junior & Senior Infants, 1st & 2nd Class, 3rd & 4th Class, and 5th & 6th Class), with one lucky overall winner having the honour of switching on the lights alongside Santa Claus at our Christmas Lights Switch-on Event, which took place recently.
Lucky winners of each category:
Victoriia Yanevska, winner of the Fifth & Sixth Class Category, in 5th Class in Clongeen National School.
Emmanuella Chinaka winner of the Third & Fourth Class Category, in 3rd Class in Raheen National School.
Matvii Milkovsky, winner of the First & Second Class Category, in 1st Class in Ramsgrange National School.
C.J. Young, our overall winner having won the Junior & Senior Infants Category, in Senior Infants in Scoil Mhuire, Horeswood.
While entry to the competition was completely free, schools were invited to make a voluntary donation towards charity partners, South East Palliative Care Centre (Oak Ward).
Judge Ciaran Brennan had the difficult task of selecting the winning entries from each category. All of the entries are currently on display at New Ross Public Library.
Members of Bree Macra celebrating All-Ireland Public Speaking success.
By Dan Walsh
Bree Macra has been crowned this year’s All-Ireland Public Speaking champions at the National Final in Macroom, Co. Cork, last Saturday.
The team of chairperson Mary Byrne, and speakers Sarah Byrne and Eddie Casey, saw off teams from Tullyallen Macra, from Louth, and Waterfall Macra, from Cork, to claim the title. The Bree trio spoke on the topic “Prison in Ireland is like a hotel experience” with Eddie examining whether our open prisons compared to a hotel stay, and Sarah discussing our medium- and high-security prisons and comparing the experiences of prison officers with those in the hospitality industry.
The presentation was skilfully chaired by Mary Byrne, who earned the title of Best Speaker on the night. Saturday’s win makes her the only person from Wexford to win Macra’s Team Public Speaking competition twice, having also been part of the 2023 All-Ireland winning team.
The Bree team were ably assisted by coaches James Byrne and PJ D’Arcy, two Bree Macra alumni that have each achieved great success in Speaking and Debating, both as competitors, and as coaches.
James was a member of the first Bree team to win an All-Ireland Debating title in 1986, while PJ was a member of the 1970 team that won the All-Ireland Team Public Speaking – the first ever All-Ireland Title for Bree Macra. The club has gone on to win the Public Speaking competition a total of five times; in 1970, 1980, 2001, 2023, and now 2025.
As National Public Speaking champions, the team each received a commemorative plaque, while Mary also received a trophy for her performance as Best Speaker. The three speakers have been awarded a place on the annual Macra Prizewinners Trip, which will take place next year. They were also presented with the Rory Murphy Perpetual Trophy – the very same trophy that the 1970 Bree Public Speaking team first won.
Pictured at Cnoc na Gréine, Enniscorthy, last Monday were; (left to right); Eddie Taaffe, Chief Executive Wexford County Council, Anthony Neville, Neville Homes, Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy, Cathaoirleach Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne TD and Cllr Joe Sullivan, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council. (Pic; Wexford County Council).
By Dan Walsh
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD has launched the new housing development – Cnoc na Greine at Greenville Lane, Enniscorthy – where 179 homes have been delivered including 48 social homes and 16 affordable purchase homes.
The attendance included Cllr Joe Sullivan, Cathaoirleach Wexford County Council; Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy, Cathaoirleach Enniscorthy Municipal District Council and Cllrs Aidan Browne, Pat Kehoe, Patricia Byrne and John O’Rourke.
Akso present were Eddie Taaffe, Chief Executive Wexford County Council, Anthony Neville, Neville Homes, Darragh O’Grady, Anthony Neville Homes, Carol Kavanagh Director of Planning & Legal Affairs Neville Homes, Anthony Neville, Neville Homes and Director of Services, Carolyne Godkin.
The development at Cnoc na Gréine, Greenville Lane, Enniscorthy, involves a multi-phase residential project. The initial phase, was approved in November 2023, includes the construction of 89 dwellings with various house types, a new link road, and associated infrastructure.
By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council monthly meeting
Gusserane Community Action Group protested outside County Hall, Wexford, yesterday (Monday) before the Wexford County Council December meeting and were met by some elected representatives, including Cathaoirleach Joe Sullivan.
The group protested a planning application and renewable energy project, describing it as “a very extensive and intrusive sized energy development”—specifically, solar farms in the district.
The group told WexfordLocal.com that the size of this development is not in any way sympathetic to the small tight knit rural community of Gusserane and neighbours in Cushinstown and Newbawn and this rural community was never designed for a high-impact industrial energy complex!
“Prime agricultural land is being taken to solar farm – this is not allowed in many countries -and land in the same area sold for agriculture at a record breaking prices last year, said the Group spokesperson, who added; “This implications of this will have a devastating effect on local farmers who lease land to produce crops and vegetables and rear livestock. Farmers and the associated agri-industries will be adversely affected by the imposition of this industrial energy compound.”
There are other worries too, like the high risk of pollution and habitat damage to the environment and the Terrerath and Owenduff rivers that flow towards Bannow and the destruction of hedgerows and biodiversity corridors used by pollinators, birds, and wildlife.
And while this issue is at the planning stages it is understood that “local knowledge informs us that other landowners in the district have signed option agreements for future phases of this development.”
CLLR MARTY MURPHY
When the matter came before the meeting, Cllr Marty Murphy, who farms 220 acres in the area outlined much personal information and explained how his 220 acres can sustain 115 people in the community and expressed his concerns for “an industrial sized solar farm at Gusserane” which he described as “the best production land in the country.”
Cllr John Fleming suggested “the area would be turned into a glasshouse,” and Cllr Michael Sheehan talked about “green washing the area.”
Cllr Pat Barden said it was a huge development in a rural area, and a lot of people are very unhappy! “It is the best agricultural land in the country, and no one will want to build if the place is covered in glass,” added Cllr Barden.
Cllr Vicky Barron suggested a need to reconsider the locations of solar farms. Cllr Lisa McDonald expressed concerns that the plan was too large for such a small rural community, and Cllr Pip Breen highlighted issues with the road infrastructure as well as a potential food crisis.
Cllr John Dwyer suggested removing “good quality farmland out of the system”, Cllr AoifeRose O’Brien added to the debate and Cllr Jim Codd alluded to food prices and suggested that “tillage farmers are being crippled.” Cllr Ger Carthy also commented.
Chief Executive Eddie Taaffe said it was a national issue and needs to be addressed nationally.
The overall feeling from the meeting was that the Gusserane Community Action Group was entitled to support from the elected representatives.
It emerged that the Cathaoirleach could seek legal advice on behalf of the Council. Cllr Sullivan said; “We will seek the necessary advice. The Executive has a job to do… so do we.”
Funding to the tune of €992,000 has been announced for GreenTechHQ at the New Technology Park at Enniscorthy under the Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme, designed to strengthen regional enterprise, drive innovation, and support sustainable economic growth.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD has welcomed the funding.
“It provides ongoing enterprise infrastructure, cluster development, and business animation services that benefit entrepreneurs and enterprise growth every single day,” said Minister Browne, who added; “This particular scheme will see facilities and training opportunities made available to businesses. Greentech has been awarded much deserved funding under Stream three of the scheme ‘SME Training and Development’ aimed at programmes to boost competitiveness through innovative solutions.”
Co-funded by the government of Ireland and the European Union, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Southern, Eastern & Midland and Northern & Western Regional Programmes 2021-2027, the Smart Regions scheme supports the different regions of the country in harnessing cutting-edge technologies and world-class expertise.
Aligned with the regional priorities set out in the National Smart Specialisation Strategy for Innovation and the nine Regional Enterprise Plans, Smart Regions drives high-impact projects in priority sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), agri-tech and food, sustainability, insurance technology, and advanced manufacturing.
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