Wexford RNLI attended a fire on board a boat in Wexford Harbour today. (File Pic; Wexford RNLI/Lorraine Galvin).
By Dan Walsh
A fire on board destroyed a small pleasure boat in Wexford Harbour today.
The fire was first noticed around 4pm and huge thick black smoke billowed into the sky on the warmest day of the year so far.
It has been confirmed that no one was on board the boat. The Harbour Master, Coast Guard and RNLI and the owner of the vessel were informed.
The boat was about 100 metres out in the harbour and Wexford RNLI Inshore Lifeboat were able to assist from the water.
Three appliances of Wexford Fire Service rushed to the scene. A spokesperson for Wexford County Council confirmed that “Wexford Fire Service received a call at 4.07pm this afternoon, reporting a fire on a boat in Wexford Harbour.”
A man and a young woman are currently receiving medical treatment in hospital for severe injuries sustained in a three-vehicle collision near Clonroche.
The incident occurred on the N30 at Forestwood around 2.40pm yesterday (Tuesday).
A man in his 50s and a woman in her late teens were removed from the scene to University Hospital Waterford for treatment.
Their injuries are understood to be ‘serious but not life-threatening’.
No other injuries were reported to Gardaí.
The N30 New Ross – Enniscorthy road has since reopened, and investigations are ongoing.
St. Colman’s Pipe Band will lead the Ballindaggin May Bush Procession in the village this evening (Wednesday) at 7.30pm sharp and perform in their own village. It promises to be an entertaining occasion.
Folklorist Michael Fortune told WexfordLocal.com; “We are so lucky to have our own pipe band here in the small village of Ballindaggin in north west Wexford. They are huge asset for the county and are the most obliging people you’d ever meet.
“Aileen’s father is one of the pipers and they are made up of young and old and they turn out rain or shine for events. If you want to see them in action this evening, head to Ballindaggin village for 7.30pm sharp and hear them perform in their home village.
“And if you are coming, you might as well bring a few flowers, ribbons and egg shells for the May Bush!, concluded Michael.All are welcome.
Followingthe death of Brendan Comiskey, Bishop of Ferns, 1984 to 2002, a statement was issued by the Diocese of Ferns and it reads as follows; “The diocese takes this opportunity to express its sympathies to his extended family, to the members of his religious order and to all those who grieve his passing.
May he rest in peace.
“Bishop Comiskey stood down as Bishop of Ferns in 2002. In 2005, the diocese accepted fully the findings of the Inquiry headed by Justice Frank Murphy. The diocese remains mindful of and available to those affected by the egregious wrongdoings that necessitated the Inquiry.”
There is also another statement that reads; “On behalf of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, it is with deep sadness I announce the death of our Brother, Bishop Brendan Comiskey ss.cc., D.D., who died earlier this morning in the Louth County Hospital, Dundalk.
“Bishop Brendan was the last surviving member of nine other siblings. Please remember Bishop Brendan and his family in your prayers.”
Coláiste Éamonn Rís Wexford golfer Luke Furlong won the All-Ireland Schools Senior Boys title after 38 stableford points at Milltown.
LUKE FURLONG, Coláiste Éamonn Rís Wexford, who won the All-Ireland Schools Senior Boys’ title. (Pic; Morgan Treacy / Inpho)
Just two days after his 16th birthday the Wexford native bounced back from a T30 finish in the Flogas Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Championship, to seal this crown.
“I played well, hit it great tee to green and really capitalised on the chances I gave myself. Didn’t put myself in too much trouble,” said Furlong who hopes to qualify for the East of Ireland on the June Bank Holiday weekend.
“I just want to take it as it comes now and enjoy the year.”
BISHOP BRENDAN COMISKEY, Bishop of Ferns, 1984-2002
The death has occurred of former Bishop of Ferns, Brendan Comiskey. He was aged 89.
He was appointed Bishop of Ferns on April 4th, 1984, consecrated in St. Aidan’s Cathedral, Enniscorthy, on May 20th and served in the position for 18 years.
Born on August 13th, 1935 in Clontibret, Co Monaghan, he was ordained a priest for the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary on June 25th, 1961.
He became head of his order in Ireland and the UK and was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin in 1979 when he was 45 and was appointed to the Diocese of Ferns in 1984.
He resigned in 2002 after the broadcast of the BBC documentary Suing the Pope, which uncovered over 100 allegations of abuse against 21 priests stretching back as far as 1962.
Bishop Comiskey failed to protect children from paedophile priests and did not report allegations against Fr Sean Fortune for abusing several children.
Following the publication of the Ferns Report, which documented a series of child sex abuse cases in the diocese over forty years, he withdrew from public life.
Bishop Comiskey received care from the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Ranelagh, Dublin in recent years.
Requiem Mass for Bishop Comiskey was held in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Clondalkin, Dublin. The celebrant was Rev. Jim Fegan from the Diocese of Ferns. Afterwards the bishop’s remains were taken to Annyalla in Co. Monaghan for burial.
Rob James exhibited outstanding performance at the Fairyhouse point-to-point event today (Sunday), achieving four victories. The weekend was successful with numerous races and fixtures, and stables and riders from Wexford performed exceptionally well.
ROB JAMESwon four races today. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
Rob James rode and handled two winners in the Matchmaker Syndicate colours winning both divisions of the maiden race for four-year-olds with Princess Day by three lengths and Royale Navy by four lengths.
James added two more with Donnchadh Doyle charges-King Du Brivet by eight lengths in division one of the five-year-old geldings race by eight lengths and added a fourth success with Sioux Falls in the concluding race for maidens.
Also at Fairyhouse Barry Stone and Jonathan Fogarty scored a one and a half lengths victory with Smoke Trail in the maiden race for four-year-olds geldings and Luke Murphy from Gorey was the successful rider and handler of Ballyfad who came home four lengths to the good in division two of the four-year-old geldings maiden race.
Jonathan Fogarty had an across the cards double when Wyoming Line was a four lengths winner on his debut under Finian Maguire in the maiden race for four-year-olds at Dromahane.
Matt Gahan and Michael Goff triumphed in the five-year-old geldings maiden with El Bugsy. Thirteen and a half lengths the verdict and there was a victory Somersby Roost in the colours of Phyllis O’Rourke, handled by her husband Pat and ridden by James O’Rourke, Belmont Stud, Wexford, in the mares’ maiden race.
Shane O’Rourke, Foulksmills, rode a double in Kilkenny today (Sunday). He was aboard Double The Dance for Kilmacow handler Ian Power in the maiden race for four-year-old geldings and also scored for Vincent Devereux on Deliverinstyle in the ‘older’ geldings’ race.
John Martin Walsh from Duncormick saddled the first and second in the Winner of One race with Lynsey Larue (Troy Walsh up) holding off Where’s Cato (Jack Hendrick) by two lengths.
Eamonn Doyle, Ballindaggin, saddled Stay Hopeful in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings and it resulted in a victory under Jamie Scallan, who earlier won on Sean Doyle’s newcomer Cheers To You in the maiden race for four-year-old mares.
Saturday races took place at Ballysteen where the four-year-old maiden was divided due to a large entry and both divisions were won by Wexford stables. Division one was won by newcomer Midtown Manhattan by six and a half lengths for Colin Bowe and Barry O’Neill and the second division went to Cog Noir by a neck for Cormac Doyle and Jack Hendrick.
Jack Hendrick went on to ride a double on the day when he took the mount on newcomer Some Song for Pierce Michael Power from The Hook and they crossed the line four lengths ahead of the field in the maiden race for five-year-old geldings.
Easter Monday point-to-point action took place at Loughanmore, Co. Antrim, where Kiltealy handler Matthew Flynn O’Connor saddled his 35th career winner in eight seasons as a licence holder.
His impressive winner, who will now go to the sales, was Max’d Out who had six lengths to spare at the finish of the maiden race for four-year-olds. Wicklow rider Brian Lawless was in the saddle.
On the same card Barry O’Neill scored an eight and a half lengths victory on Winged Leader for Fermanagh handler David Christie with the 11-year-old winning for the 32nd time in his career in the Open Race.
Celebrated Requiem Mass in memory of Pope Francis takes place in St. Aidan’s Cathedral, Enniscorthy at 7pm on Friday, April 25th. The chief celebrant will be Most Rev. Ger Nash, DD, Bishop of Ferns. All are welcome to attend.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17th, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2013 until his death on April 21st, 2025.
In June 2021 Bishop Nash was appointed by Pope Francis to be Bishop of Ferns and was ordained as the 81st Bishop of the diocese in St Aidan’s Cathedral on September 5th, 2021.
Pope Francis’s funeral will begin at 10am local time (4am ET) on Saturday, April 26th, and will be televised worldwide.
The future of the vacant former health centre in Camolin was raised at the April meeting of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council meeting and it has been the subject of a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil TD for Wicklow-Wexford, Deputy Malcolm Byrne.
CAMOLIN HEALTH CENTRE has been vacant for 11 years. Should the HSE sell it?
Deputy Byrne was informed that of the 234 vacant properties in the control of the HSE as of February 28th, 2025, 93 are deemed “surplus to requirement” and in various stages of disposal.
Some 38 of the 234 vacant properties are under review by the HSE, meaning they are being considered for retention, reuse or disposal.
The figures were released by the HSE in response to a parliamentary question from Deputy Byrne, who stated he is frustrated over the level of vacant properties held by the HSE and the “slow pace at which they are dealing with these unused assets”.
Deputy Byrne said; “For over 11 years, for example, there has been a fine building in Camolin left vacant – it used to be a health centre – and every effort to get it back into use has failed because of HSE inaction.”
The health centre, or the dispensary as it was also known, in Camolin has been vacant since closure in 2014. What happens next?
“It also raises the wider question of how many vacant properties owned by State bodies are lying empty around the country,” said Deputy Byrne.
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