No tenders for famous Enniscorthy landmark site

The old Murphy Floods site at Enniscorthy during the demolition stages last year. (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy Municipal District meeting

Machinery arrived at the old Murphy Floods site in Enniscorthy on Monday morning. At the Enniscorthy Municipal District Council meeting on Tuesday, it was announced that the original plans for the site had been significantly scaled down, and only a temporary car park is to be opened on the site, which should be completed in six weeks.

Local councillors were taken aback by the news. Their primary concern was that they had not been consulted prior to the meeting.

A site valuation was received, indicating an estimated value of €280,000. It was recommended that the site be placed on the market with a development clause. The valuation notes that the current development viability of the site may be challenging due to associated costs.

In the interim Enniscorthy Municipal District has decided to proceed with installing a temporary car park on the old Murphy Floods site in Enniscorthy town centre.

Senior Engineer Neville Shaw informed the meeting that no tenders were received, so negotiations were initiated with a local consultant who estimated the cost of the previously agreed plan at €250,000. The plan includes 28 parking spaces, public realm improvements, seating, walkways, and a decorative metal railing perimeter finish. High quality, but that scenario has changed!

The current plan excludes the public realm, seating, some of the lighting, and relies on lower spec wooden fencing, a lower spec surface in the car park, although six or seven spaces will be added, and it comes in at a cost of €145,000.

Mr Shaw said “We must keep down the cost as low as possible. We don’t know the future of this car park. It may be short term – 3/5 years- or it may be longer.”

Cathaoirleach Cllr Aidan Browne lamented that the plan was going ahead without consultation with the elected members and he was concerned about the timber picket fence in the town centre as one came down Main Street!

Cllr Pat Kehoe was delighted that there would be an extra 20 or more car parking spaces, and he didn’t see a major problem with it. “Get it done,” he added.

Cllr Jackser Owens was disappointed that he was not consulted in advance of the meeting, he had issues with the fence “show it up not hide it”, he stated, and he recommended a public toilet could be useful when people exited their parked their cars! Mr Shaw assured Cllr Owens that “there is no chance of a toilet at this stage.”

Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy was disappointed that some of the park had been removed from the plan and she felt the seating should be put back. And she said; “As a woman I am uncomfortable at the thought that lighting for the evenings and night-time would be removed. Maybe one large light in the middle of the car park could light up the area.”

Cllr Murphy added that she understood the need for cutting costs and claimed that she is reliably informed that development on the site (old Murphy Floods) would cost at least €10 million and “there isn’t a developer at the moment who is going to put that kind of investment in.”

Cllr John O’Rourke suggesting engagement with the Farmers’ Market and taking them onto the site. “It would free up car parking at Abbey Square,” he suggested.

Water supply affected in Bannow area

By Dan Walsh

Uisce Éireann is working to restore water supply to Bannow customers affected by a power outage.  

Uisce Éireann customers in Carrick, Bannow and surrounding areas are affected. 

Following the return of power, it typically takes three to four hours for normal water supply to be fully restored to all areas as the network refills. It may take longer for customers on higher ground or at the end of the network.
Uisce Éireann’s Padraig Lyng thanked customers for their patience for the duration of the outage. “We understand how disruptive unplanned outages are and we regret the inconvenience caused”, he said. 

Meanwhile Uisce Éireann crews have restored normal water supply to homes and businesses in the Cluain Dara area of Wexford Town after an issue in the local network. 

For updates, please see the water supply and services section of the Uisce Éireann  website.

Brave efforts at Tara Hill fire

Smoke from Tara Hill fire clearly visible from Main Street, Gorey, on Sunday afternoon. (Pic; Ger Leacy).

By Dan Walsh at Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal Council monthly meeting

At today’s monthly meeting of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council, Cathaoirleach Cllr Oliver Walsh recalled the ‘serious incident of the fire on Tara Hill over the weekend” and he commended the bravery of everyone involved including the fire service, road crews, Gardaí, Coillte, the Air Corps and, especially, the people of the community.

A major outbreak of fire at Tara Hill, first noticed at 4pm on Sunday. An Air Corps helicopter unit arrived at 12.40pm on Monday and was successful in dispersing water and reducing the fire, prioritising residential areas. 

Seven fire appliances from Gorey, Enniscorthy, Bunclody, Carnew and Arklow attended the scene.

They are being assisted by Coillte, An Garda Siochána and local farmers who supplied water tankers, traffic control and the creation of fire breaks in the area.

Director of Services Liz Hore acknowledged the bravery of the staff while Roads Engineer Joanne Kehoe told the meeting that road staff had been stood down at 9am this morning (Tuesday).

Cllr Joe Sullivan who resides closest to the fire site and visited the scene of the fire on several occasions said; “The fire service and Wexford County Council were exceptional, and he wished to complement the people in the services.” He pointed out that the services are never found wanting when an emergency arises.

Cllr Sullivan also acknowledged the local farmers and contractors who put their lives in danger to assist others. “Rural communities are never found wanting at times like this and I want to say thanks to everyone for working so hard in times of emergency.”

Cllrs Darragh McDonald and Pip Breen also praised “community spirit”.

Tara Hill was still smouldering today when the Council meeting began but an expected short spell of thunder and heavy rain brought heavenly relief to the area and reassured the residents that their homes and property have survived.    

Enniscorthy bans street advertising!

By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy Municipal District Council meeting

Billboards will be banned in Enniscorthy, and any remaining after May 31st will be removed by Wexford County Council, it was revealed at today’s (Tuesday) Enniscorthy Municipal District Council meeting held in the Council Chamber, Presentation Centre. Cllr Aidan Browne, Cathaoirleach, presided.

The meeting heard that the Council has issued correspondence to businesses in the town to advise that the use of advertising structures on or along public paths and roadways is not permitted.

It was argued that the unauthorised use of advertisement structures including sandwich boards and bollard sleeves can cause difficulties for the public, particularly those with visual impairments and people relying on mechanised support for mobility.

It was also suggested that structures also detract from the presentation of the town centre. No mention was made that billboards and outdoor advertising, particularly by the hospitality industry, can define the character of a town and has done so since the days of street markets.

There was full support for the ban from Cllrs Aidan Browne, John O’Rourke and Pat Kehoe, while Cllr Jackser Owens said that shops are closing down, advertising is their business, he suggested that “more businesses will close down” and he stated that the “business community is not very happy with it”.

District Manager Claire Lawlor confirmed that “we have received a lot of complaints, and we are looking at ways to come up with alternatives” such as using windows or the telephone stand recently erected on Rafter Street.

Unauthorised structures including sandwich boards and bollard sleeves are subject to the provisions of the Planning and Development Acts, The Litter Acts and the Roads Acts.

Business have been requested to reconsider the use of these structures, discontinue and remove the structures without the need for further involvement of the Council.

Unauthorised structures which remain in place after the 31st May,2025 will without any further notice be removed by Wexford County Council.

No undertaking is given in respect of items removed, Wexford County Council will not be responsible for storing nor for any damage arising and may attach costs for storage or retrieval.

Water supply issues in Wexford Town

By Dan Walsh
 
Uisce Éireann is working to restore water supply to customers in the Cluain Dara area of Wexford Town who are experiencing a disruption to their water supply following an issue with the local network.

Water service crews have been dispatched and are carrying out the required works, with every effort being made to complete this work as quickly as possible.

Following repair works, it typically takes three to four hours for normal supply to be fully restored to all areas as the water refills the network, especially for those on higher ground or at the end of the network.
 
Uisce Éireann’s Padraig Lyng thanked customers for their patience while crews work to return a normal supply to those affected. 

“We understand how disruptive unplanned outages are and we regret the inconvenience caused. We thank those impacted and assure them we are working to return a normal supply as quicky as possible,” said Mr Lyng.

For updates, please see the water supply and services section on Uisce Éireann’s website.

Eugene waves farewell to lifeboat

By Dan Walsh

RNLI volunteer lifeboat coxswain Eugene Kehoe has retired from his station at Kilmore Quay after nearly 50 years’ service.

EUGENE KEHOE (Pic; RNLI/Vincent O’Donovon)

During National Volunteer Week in Ireland, the RNLI acknowledged Eugene for his dedicated service and noted their dependency on volunteers for over 200 years.

Kilmore Quay RNLI celebrated the retirement of Eugene Keogh who has been a volunteer at the Wexford station for over 48 years with over 20 years as coxswain.

Eugene did his last exercise on Saturday, which was also his birthday. He began volunteering with the RNLI when he was just 18 years old alongside his grandfather, father and uncles and he retired surrounded by his family and friends.

Commenting about his time with the RNLI, he said: ‘As soon as I was old enough to help, I was in it. From a young age, we would help on shore and as soon as I turned 18, I was on the lifeboat.’ When asked if he had any advice for our volunteers, he added ‘Keep on doing it. You will never be sorry for doing it.’

During his time as coxswain, Eugene was presented with a Bronze Medal for Gallantry for his role in a rescue in 2020, where Kilmore Quay, Dunmore East and Rosslare Harbour crews saved nine lives and prevented a large cargo vessel from hitting rocks at Hook Head.

Tara Hill fire is under control

Clouds of smoke engulfed Tara Hill as brave fire crews from counties Wexford and Wicklow spent many hours bringing the fire under control. (Pic; Tara Hill Community Development Association)

By Dan Walsh

A major outbreak of fire at Tara Hill, raging since Sunday afternoon, is under control tonight.

An Air Corps helicopter unit arrived at 12.40pm today (Monday) and has been very successful in dispersing water and reducing the fire, prioritising residential areas. 

The fire moved from a traditional in-flame phase to dampening down. Seven fire appliances from Gorey, Enniscorthy, Bunclody, Carnew and Arklow attended the scene continue to dampen down the remaining fire.

Firefighters spent several hours combating a fire at the top of the hill, with no homes currently at risk. Some homes were evacuated on Sunday night as a precautionary measure.

They are being assisted by Coillte, An Garda Siochána and local farmers who supplied water tankers, traffic control and the creation of fire breaks in the area.

Farmers have been transporting water from the Ahare River up the hill for the fire units and the local community has been gathering supplies to give to the emergency services at the local GAA club and Tara Vale pub.

Tara Hill Community Development Association thanked local farmers on Facebook.

“Last night, 15 local farmers worked tirelessly, drawing water from the Ahare river and nearby ponds. Their quick action and dedication were instrumental in helping to slow the spread of the fire,” said the statement.

Fire crews remain on Tara Hill

Smoke from the fire on Tara Hill could be seen from Gorey’s Main Street. (Pic; Ger Leacy)

By Dan Walsh

Five firefighting crews continue to be present at the site of a fire on Tara Hill in North Wexford, this afternoon after working through the night.

The crews, from Gorey, Bunclody, Arklow and Carnew, are currently keeping the fire under control, with assistance from Coillte, Gardaí and local farmers, through the supply of water tankers, traffic control and the creation of fire breaks in the area. 

The blaze started at around 15.45 yesterday afternoon and sent plumes of smoke into the air throughout the night.

People living or working in the immediate area are being asked to remain indoors, close all doors and windows and switch off ventilation systems.

Air quality monitoring, conducted by the Wexford County Council Environment team, indicates that while Gorey is being impacted by smoke from the fires, the overall air quality is considered Good, moving to Fair quality.  

Other towns, including Bunclody and Ferns, are being impacted to a lesser degree, and air quality remains good.

As a precautionary measure, vulnerable customers in these areas – elderly adults, those with small babies and those with breathing conditions- should close doors and windows and switch off ventilation systems.

It’s hoped the situation will continue to improve as a mist has started to fall in the Tara Hill area.

Large fire engulfs Tara Hill

By Dan Walsh

Scenes from the fire on Tara Hill at 1am this morning. Concerns in the area that the fire has intensified and may be out of control. Emergency services on the scene have a long night ahead of them. Update by Dan Walsh 1am for WexfordLocal.com
Firefighters, Gardaí and local farmers spent Sunday afternoon and late into the night working to control a fire that affected vegetation on Tara Hill in North Wexford.

The fire began in gorse and old vegetation on the eastern side of the hill. It was noticed around 2 pm, assisted by a sea breeze and large plumes of smoke.

Wexford County Council Fire Service sent a number of tenders and water tankers to the scene. Their efforts were strengthened by support from Arklow Fire Service and local farmers who assisted by drawing water from the nearby Ahare River.

The fire seemed under control initially, but it intensified later in the evening, requiring continued efforts throughout the night.

Although there was no threat to homes or property, the impact on wildlife and the environment is evident.

Outbreaks of fire on Tara Hill during dry weather periods are common and have been documented previously.

Tara Hill is included in Wexford’s Walking Trails and is a popular area for hillwalkers and sightseers.

Another treble for Barry O’Neill

By Dan Walsh

Barry O’Neill achieved a treble success at Ballindenisk, Co. Cork today, marking his 55th win of the season and securing his eighth national point-to-point riders’ championship with two weeks remaining.

Two of O’Neill’s winners today were for champion handler Colin Bowe; Axel Bleue by eight lengths in division one of the maiden race for five-and six-year-old geldings and a seven lengths victory with Practice Run in the Winner of One Race.

O’Neill’s third success came in the maiden race for four-year-old geldings on Time To Give handled at Gaynestown Stud, Cleariestown by Jonathan Fogarty. The winning margin was two and a half lengths.

SEAN STAPLES rode his 35th point-to-point winner today.

Duncormick rider Sean Staples scored his 35th career winner for Cormac Doyle with Jewel Hope scoring by twenty-five lengths in division one of the maiden race for four-year-old geldings. Division two went to Cormac’s brother, Sean Doyle, Ballindaggin, who saddled newcomer Royale Rocker who scored by three lengths with Jamie Scallan in the saddle.

Darragh Berry and the Run For Fun Syndicate were celebrating following division two of the five-and-six-year-old geldings maiden race after Anyoneforsnacks took the spoils with Brian Dunleavy up.

Jim O’Neill, brother of top rider Barry O’Neill also enjoyed victory at the Cork track. Connies Hill won for him in the five-year-old plus mares maiden race with Jack Hendrick up. Verdict was three parts of a length.

There was also point-to-point action at Tattersalls, Co. Meath today where newcomer Moonlight Paradise won the maiden race for four-year-old mares’ contest for Denis Murphy, Ballyboy Stables, The Ballagh. Shane Cotter took the mount. One length the verdict.

Cormac Doyle secured an across the card double when newcomer Timmys Jetaway (Darragh Higgins up) come off best by a length in the second division of the maiden race for four-year-old geldings.

Josh Berry bounced back from recent injury to join forces with his parents, Shirley and Johnny Berry, Tomhaggard, in celebrating the success of Five Star Getaway in the Open Race confined to novice riders.

Rob James saddled Coral Sunset for Benjamin Hill and took the ride himself, and the newcomer galloped to a 22 lengths victory in the five-year-old mares plus maiden race.

James and Barry Stone levelled on 21 winners each in the Eastern Region Riders’ Championship following this race, and sportingly Stone opted not to take his ride in the last race of the day. Both agreed to share the title.