Pictured at the Official Opening of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2024 in Wexford Town are Agnes O’Donoghue (5), Edel Kavanagh (6) Regina O’Donoghue (7). Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is a week-long celebration of Irish music, dance, song, storytelling, and comhrá Gaeilge
By Dan Walsh
The 2025 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann takes place from August 3rd-10th in Wexford Town and preparations are coming together and before the official launch of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the Wexford Fleadh Executive Committee is calling on the people of Wexford to volunteer.
Over 600,000 visitors are expected to visit Wexford this August to celebrate Irish culture. With such an unprecedented number of attendees visiting the county, there is a real need for volunteers who can help during the Fleadh week, with many opportunities to lend a hand.
Volunteers will be asked to fill several roles, including:
Street Ambassadors
Competitions Stewards
Concert Stewards
Cultural Events Stewards
Fleadh Green Team
Volunteer Photographers
And other support roles for the Wexford Fleadh Executive Committee
Cathaoirleach of the Wexford Fleadh Executive Committee and Chief Executive of Wexford County Council, Eddie Taaffe, told WexfordLocal.com; “We are delighted to welcome the Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to Wexford once again this summer. Comhaltas Ceóltoirí Éireann and Wexford County Council continue to share a mutual vision for the joy that is traditional Irish music and culture, and we are working together to make the 2025 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann even more memorable than last year.
“Volunteers are the heart of the Fleadh and will be instrumental in welcoming the world to Wexford. We are recruiting volunteers from all over our great county, and further afield, to lend a hand,” said Mr Taaffe, who added; “By volunteering, people can make lasting connections with fellow volunteers, performers, and traditional Irish music lovers from across the globe while being a key part of this landmark event for County Wexford.”
The Wexford Fleadh Executive Committee welcomes everyone to sign up as volunteers for the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2025! Get in on the action and join the team!
For more information and to sign up as a volunteer for the Wexford Fleadh Cheoil 2025, visit http://www.fleadhcheoil.ie
The Enniscorthy Flood Relief scheme was raised in Seanad Éireann yesterday (Wednesday) by Senator Cathal Byrne who brought the matter before Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.
Senator Byrne gave some background to the situation.“I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to address the very urgent matter I raise, namely, flooding in Enniscorthy, the population of which is approaching 12,500.
“Regrettably, the town’s location on the beautiful banks of the River Slaney means it is prone to flooding. There has been flooding of a severe nature in 1924, 1947, 1965, 2000, 2002, 2009, 2014, 2016 and, most recently, in 2021, when the flooding took place on Christmas Day.
“For the past ten years, the Government has committed to delivering a flood relief scheme in Enniscorthy. Unfortunately, the reality is that while funding was allocated after the flooding in 2014, local residents and businesses affected by it have not seen progress.
“In 2020, Wexford County Council and the Minister of State’s Department submitted a planning application to the then Minister for public expenditure to deliver a flood relief scheme in Enniscorthy that would have involved taking out the Seamus Rafter Bridge, dredging the river and erecting glass walls. The scheme had buy-in from the local community, including the 105 residents and 127 owners of the business and commercial properties affected by flooding on an ongoing basis, with no objections or submissions put forward as part of the public consultation process. “Regrettably, in 2022, two years after the application was submitted to the Minister for public expenditure, it was rejected, citing environmental considerations.
SENATOR CATHAL BYRNE (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
“When heavy rain is anticipated in Enniscorthy, residents live in fear that, once again, their homes, businesses or commercial properties will be flooded.
“This has created an unfortunate situation whereby investment in the Templeshannon side of the town has stalled and properties on Island Road have been devalued, with their owners unable to access flood insurance.
“People have adopted a cynical attitude in that they genuinely do not believe we will ever have flood defences in Enniscorthy.
“I am here today to give a voice to their fears and to advocate on their behalf to ensure this project gets the priority it deserves. I know the Minister of State has taken a personal interest in the project in the past, including by visiting Enniscorthy. In fact, when he was previously Minister of State, the project made it to the point that it could go forward for planning approval,” concluded Senator Byrne.
In reply, Minister Moran said; “I have seen first-hand the devastation that flooding has on people, businesses and communities. The town of Enniscorthy has a long history of flooding. The most recent flood events occurred in 2000 and 2015. Flooding represents a risk to health and safety.
Minister Moran continued with a history lesson! He outlined; “In March 2020, the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland submitted the Enniscorthy food relief scheme to the then Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for statutory confirmation under the provisions of the Arterial Drainage Acts 1945 and 1995.
“The main elements of the proposed scheme included construction of flood defence walls, river channel widening and deepening, and removal of the Seamus Rafter Bridge, with construction of new and replacement road and pedestrian bridges over the River Slaney.
Cllr Willie Kavanagh, Chairman Enniscorthy Municipal District; Mr Tom Enright, Chief Executive Wexford County Council, Minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, Minister Paul Kehoe and Cllr Keith Doyle, Chairman Wexford County Council at the launch of the Enniscorthy Drainage Scheme Public Exhibition of Scheme Documents in Enniscorthy Library in May 2019. (Pic; John Walsh/Enniscorthy Guardian).
“In March 2022, the then Minister made a decision to refuse this scheme consent under section 7E(1)(b) of the Arterial Drainage Acts, as amended by the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Arterial Drainage) Regulations 2019. The Minister reached the decision to refuse consent for the scheme due primarily to concerns regarding its impact on the environment and protected species, including the freshwater pearl mussel.
“My ministerial predecessor, Deputy Patrick O’Donovan, at a meeting of Enniscorthy MDC on 4 May 2022, gave a commitment to deliver the flood relief scheme in Enniscorthy. I confirm to the Senator today that I am 100% committed to the flood relief scheme in Enniscorthy.
“People ask us to visit, and I will gladly do that but there are issues. The environmental element is slowing down the process and delivery of the scheme but I am looking at ways to streamline that. I will also gladly take up the offer to meet the Senator and his colleagues, particularly the councillors.
“I was very good to Enniscorthy when I was Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works. I continue my work now by giving the Senator a commitment that I want the delivery of the scheme and I promise that,” concluded Minister Moran.
It’s hard to avoid Bob Dylan these days. There’s the acclaimed new film A Complete Unknown, another film due based on Conor McPherson’s stage musical Girl From The North Country with a narrative twined around Dylan songs, and the on-line availability of his own sell-out Rough and Rowdy tours at the age of 83.
PAUL KIRWAN
Now along comes news of a special tribute show called Bringing Dylan Home “A Bob Dylan Tribute Like No Other” presented by Bree-based performer Paul Kirwan who is already known for his spot-on tributes to singers of the calibre of Johnny Cash and Neil Young.
It will have its premiere in St Michael’s Theatre in New Ross, Co Wexford on Friday, March 28th and tickets are already on sale on the theatre’s website.
Kirwan cut his musical teeth with several bands when he was based in Dublin, and his adventures include supporting the American rock heroes Counting Crows at the famed Bowery Ballroom in New York City.
Key Dylan classics from Kirwan’s New Ross show will include ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ and ‘Tangled Up In Blue’ as well as ‘It’s Alright Ma’ and ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ for both of which award-winning film producer Michael Benson has directed promotional teaser videos.
Bringing Dylan Home at St Michael’s Theatre in New Ross, Co Wexford is staged by Tribute Presents.
The Greenlink electricity interconnector between Great Island, Campile, in south-west Wexford and Pembrokeshire in Wales has been purchased by Equitix and Baltic Cable in a deal estimated to be worth €1 billion.
The agreement with the private developers of the project, Partners Group, will take over the 504 MW electricity interconnector which runs from Wexford to Pembrokeshire on the Welsh coast, and which is likely to have a capacity to power 380,000 homes.
Greenlink is the first privately financed interconnector project in Europe, developed by the Partners Group a Swiss-US publicly listed private investment group with more than €137m in assets under management.
The cable runs between EirGrid’s Great Island substation in Wexford and the UK’s National Grid’s Pembroke substation, using high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology, which is efficient for long-distance power transmission.
The €500m construction began in 2022, and the interconnector is now fully operational, bringing its first electricity to market on January 29 this year.
The new owners are Equitix; an investment firm with more than £11.5bn (€13.6bn) in assets under management based in 22 countries – and Baltic Cable, a Swedish firm which has operated an underwater interconnector between Sweden and Germany for 30 years.
SOUTH EAST RADIO studios on Custom House Quay, Wexford. (Pic; Radio Days).
By Dan Walsh
Midlands 103 has announced an agreement to acquire the popular Wexford town-based radio station South East Radio.No financial detail has been disclosed.
The proposed transaction is subject to standard closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Midlands 103 is part of the Tindle Group, which also operates local media outlets in the UK and Channel Islands.
Presenter Alan Corcoran told RTE News that the 20 plus staff at the radio station were feeling confident about the move and see it as a positive step forward.
Managing Director of Midlands 103, Will Faulkner, said he was committed to preserving the local ethos that has made South East Radio a trusted voice in Co Wexford.
“This investment reflects our confidence in the future of audio, particularly locally sourced, quality content,” he added.
South East Radio’s Managing Director, Eamonn Buttle, said this was an exciting new chapter in the station’s 35 years of operations.
“On behalf of my brother Norman, the Buttle family, and myself, I would like to express what an honour it has been to serve the media industry for over four decades,” Mr Buttle told WexfordLocal.com.
History of South East Radio; South East Radio broadcasting studios were constructed in the old bank premises on Wexford’s Custom House Quay and the station was officially launched on Friday, October 20th 1989 by the then Minister for Justice and Communications, Mr Ray Burke.
Bishop of Ferns, Bishop Comiskey blessed the premises, and the first live broadcast was made by the first Head of Programmes, Noel Andrews, brother of the famous BBC ‘This is Your Life’ and other shows presenter, Eamonn Andrews.
The Chief Executive of South East Radio was Eamonn Buttle, who was also Managing Director of the Echo Group of Newspapers. Mr Buttle had led a successful application for the Wexford radio licence at the South East hearing of the Independent Radio and Television Commission in Waterford the previous April.
County Wexford Chamber is bringing top employers and talented employees together for the County Wexford Job Fest later this month.
The County Wexford Job Fest offers a fresh, modern approach, designed to encourage genuine, relaxed interactions between employers and local talent – in person. This is a valuable chance to highlight your business, connect with skilled candidates, and support job creation in our community.
The Job Fest will be on Thursday, March 27th, in the Talbot Hotel, Wexford. It is open to the public from 11.30am – 4.30pm. Wexford Rotary have been of huge assistance, organising secondary school pupils to attend the early morning session.
With exhibitors from key employment sectors, from private enterprises to State agencies, this is a great opportunity for anyone looking for a first job or a career change.
For employers seeking the best recruits, this is also a valuable chance to highlight your business, connect with skilled candidates, and support job creation in our community.
Paul Nolan, Sean O’Keeffe, Cormac Loughlin (and his young son, Harry) and James Nolan pictured at Small Doses success at Wexford races today. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
There wasn’t a lot of shamrock to be seen at today’s St. Patrick’s Day races at Bettyville Park, but there was a large crowd in cold, but dry conditions and the locals managed to share in many of the celebrations.
Fresh from Cheltenham Festival success last Thursday, Paul Nolan saddled a few runners at his local track and delighted his supporters when Small Doses (3/1) scored in the maiden hurdle and ridden by another hero from Cheltenham last week, Sean O’Keeffe.
Tinahely trainer Philip Rothwell saddled the winner of the novice handicap hurdle, Mercury Mission (12/1) ridden by Aidan Kelly. A neck was the winning margin.
Top trainer Gordon Elliott had a fantastic St. Patrick’s Day saddling six winners at two tracks – four at Down Royal and two at Wexford.
His first Wexford success came in the opening mares’ maiden hurdle where Speculatrix (11/4) was victorious under Caim jockey Jordan Gainford. Eliott’s double was completed in the bumper where Thefyingking (6/5 fav.), ridden by Harry Swan, held off Paul Nolan’s Thedeviluno (Conor Smithers) by half a length.
Pat Flynn from Carrick-on-Suir enjoyed a training double. He took the handicap hurdle with Duke Otto (22/1), ridden by Gary Noonan before Bite That (8/1) added the handicap chase ridden by Alex Harvey.
Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead teamed up with Majestic Force to win the beginner’s chase.
The next Wexford races take place on Friday, April 4th. Won’t be long coming around.
There were three point-to-point meetings this afternoon across the country and brilliant results for Wexford connections with nine handlers and eight riders cheered to victory.
Racing took place at Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny, and in-form Garrett Murphy from Ballymitty saddled newcomer Hidden Fortune to a three-quarter-length victory in the mare’s maiden race for four-year-olds with Cheltenham hero, Barry Stone, in the saddle. This was Murphy’s 10th handler success in four years of training, and he is having his best season to date with four winners.
Jim O’Neill, Ballindaggin, also saddled a winner – newcomer Soomaroy in the four-year-old geldings’ maiden race ridden by Jack Hendrick. Four lengths the verdict.
Colin Bowe and Bertie Finn were the perfect team in the mares’ five-year-old plus maiden race and a half-a-length victory with Whiskey Serenade,
COLIN BOWE – winner today in Kilkenny (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
Ellen Doyle from Coolgarrow Lane, Enniscorthy, saddled Ciel De Neige, formerly with the champion Wille Mullins, in the Open Race for novice riders providing Blackwater rider Shane Butler with his second success. It was tight! – but one length was good enough.
And Donnchadh Doyle didn’t leave the Kilkenny track without a winner either. The Ballindaggin handler saddled Bass Hunter in the final Adjacent maiden race and enjoyed a seven lengths victory under another Cheltenham hero this week, Rob James.
At Knockanohill, Co. Cork, Cormac Doyle saddled newcomer Lancelot Du Large in the maiden race for four-year-olds and it ended good – a two and a half lengths success under rider Jamie Scallan.
Harley Dunne owned and handled the three lengths winner of the maiden race for five-year-old geldings at the Cork track – Captain Cool ridden by Frankie Murphy, who was on home territory.
There was also racing at Daramona House, Co. Longford where Barry O’Neill brought home a winning double. First up was Tip of the Wings in the colours of William Bates, handled by J.P. Berry, Tomhaggard, by four lengths in the maiden race for four-year-olds by four lengths followed by a six lengths success later in the day on Blueys Unicorse for David Christie.
Ubatuba was a popular winner for the Blackhall Stables Partnership and handler Paul Martin Pierce, Killurin, ridden by Sean Staples and two and a half lengths to the good in the maiden race for five-year-olds.
Point-to-point action returns to Co. Wexford next Saturday, March 22nd, when the Island Foxhounds race at Ballycrystal, Kiltealy. First race at 1pm. Entries close on Tuesday.
The 2025 season at Bettyville Park Racecourse, Wexford, gets underway on St. Patrick’s Day with the first of seven races off at 1.35pm.
The going is ‘good to yielding’ and selective watering is continuing. The weather is expected to remain dry and all is in readiness for a great sporting day out for all the family.
The card consists of four hurdle races, two steeplechases and an INH Flat Race. The total entry is 86.
Many of the stars of last week’s Cheltenham Festival including Sean Flanagan, Sean O’Keeffe and Paul Nolan will be involved.
A motorcyclist has died in a single vehicle road traffic collision on the L3071 local road between Camross and Harristown Little at Poulpeasty, near Taghmon.
The incident happened at around 6.50pm on Saturday.
The motorcyclist, a man aged in his 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
His body was taken to University Hospital Waterford for a post-mortem examination.
An appeal for witnesses has been issued and Gardaí are asking anyone who may have camera footage, including dashcam, and were travelling in the area between 6pm and 7pm to make it available to them.
Anyone with information is asked to contact New Ross Garda Station on 051-426030, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
WexfordLocal.com 