Members of Fethard RNLI; Nadia Blanchfield, Rebecca Doyle and Natasha Blanchfield accepting a cheque from Good Counsel College TY representatives. (Pic; Fethard RNLI).
By Dan Walsh
Members of Fethard RNLI travelled to Good Counsel College in New Ross where they were presented with a cheque for over €1,500 that the students raised through a sponsored 5K run on the New Ross Greenway last December.
Fethard RNLI’s water safety team visited the college to deliver a talk to the TY students. Over 80 students took part in the session learning how to stay safe around the water.
Safety messages included how to spot dangers, the importance of never going alone, practising how to ‘Float to Live’ and calling 999 or 112 for help.
Following the water safety talk, the students set off on their sponsored 5km run along the shore of the River Barrow in New Ross.
Rebecca Doyle, Fethard RNLI Water Safety Officer said; “We are very grateful to the Good Counsel College TY students for giving up their time to raise money for Fethard RNLI. Donations like this help to power our volunteer’s lifesaving work at sea.”
By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy and Gorey Kilmuckridge meetings today
According to Wexford County Council “the presentation of the town is of utmost importance” and the Council has raised concerns about the “issue of sandwich boards and bollard sleeves becoming more prevalent across the county.”
The matter was raised at meetings of Gorey Kilmuckridge and Enniscorthy Municipal Districts today, the Cathedral town decided to take the issue “as read” although the District Manager informed the members that “letters will be going out” to the business community.
At the Gorey Kilmuckridge meeting, District Manager Philip Knight addressed “unauthorised advertising signage” under ‘any other business’ and he called on “the goodwill of the business community to remove the signs”, otherwise “further action will be taken.”
There were almost no reaction although Cllr Joe Sullivan asked about the situation around advertising community events, ‘for sale’ signs and promotion of tourism and special local events, but to no avail.
A statement issued by Enniscorthy Municipal District Council informs us that “a walkability audit was carried out in recent years and captured the existing conditions on set walking routes in Enniscorthy.
“The audit was carried out by a wide range of people of various ages and abilities including disability and older peoples’ organisations, those caring for people living with dementia, members of the public and Wexford County Council staff.
“The audit process highlighted this issue. Wexford County Council are undertaking a countywide review on this, and letters will be issued to offenders in late February and March.”
At a time when business is on the floor, streets are empty for most of the day, tourism is almost non-existent, surely changing the character of the towns and isolating the business community from its valued customers is the wrong direction to go about things. And don’t get me started on traffic management and parking in our intimate market towns?
A man has died in a multi-vehicle road traffic collision on the N25 Rosslare road between Orristown junction and Killinick village this evening (Tuesday).
At least three vehicles were involved in the incident which occurred at approximately 5.30pm.
Emergency services rushed to the scene. The man (70’s) was declared dead at the scene.
Other drivers involved in the incident were treated at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.
The incident caused major tailbacks on the busy road leading to Rosslare Europort.
A stop/go system will remain in place overnight, however, the road will be fully closed to traffic from 8am to 11am tomorrow (Wednesday) to allow Garda Forensic Collision Investigators to carry out a full technical examination.
Gardai are appealing for witnesses and any road users who were travelling in the area at the time and may have camera footage are asked to make it available to Gardaí.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Wexford Garda Station on 053 9165200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
DEEPS BRIDGE linking Crossabeg and Killurin over the River Slaney has been allocated €805,000 to complete works. (Pic; wexfordLocal.com)
By Dan Walsh
Wexford County Council has been allocated funding of €23,437,550 for the improvement and maintenance of local and regional roads across Co. Wexford for 2025, almost two months into the year.
The breakdown includes €11,080,500 for restoration improvement, with €1,515,500 for restoration maintenance and €1,326,000 for supplementary restoration maintenance. €3,043,500 will be provided for discretionary grants.
A total of €603,000 will be allocated to bridge rehabilitation. Crossings listed for attention are the Still Pond Bridge, Enniscorthy, Borrmount Bridge, (work is already complete there), Ahare Bridge, Castletown, Oulartleigh Bridge, Annagh Bridge, Dunbrody Bridge, Abbey Bridge Phase 2, Ambrosetown Bridge, Goffsbridge Horetown, Knockahone Bridge, Old Boley Bridge, Templescoby Bridge, Ballycadden Bridge and Peppardscastle Bridge.
€1,005,000 of the €23.4m is set aside for specific improvement works, namely the Deeps Bridge at Killurin at €805,000 and repairs to the embankment on the R733 at Wellingtonbridge at a cost of €200,000.
A total of €398,000 will be provided for safety improvement works. The breakdown of these works is: Main Street and Red Row Riverchapel (€80,000); Arklow Road, Gorey (€120,000); McCurtain Street/Clogh Road, Gorey (€80,000); Junction of Bride Street, St Joseph’s Street and Thomas Street, Wexford town (€20,000), St John’s Road outside the Mercy School in Wexford (€35,000); Templeshannon Quay, Enniscorthy (€36,500); Rathnacknee to Ballynass €13,000; Rathangan to Muchtown (€8,000) and Rathaspeck Junction (€5,500).
Funding of €420,000 has been made available for former national roads and in Wexford will be spent entirely on the old N11, while €19,000 will be allocated to cycle signs and a combined total of €49,200 for speed limit signage.
There are several projects earmarked for funding, difficult to unravel at this time, but no doubt they will surface through the district meetings, and in many cases the work may have been completed, and it is just a matter of honouring the invoice. Will it make much difference to most communities, probably not!
The funding is part of a €658 million package announced nationally last week.
Point-to-point action at Fairwood Park. Tinahely (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
The Bray Harriers point-to-point at Fairwood Park, Tinahely, cancelled last Sunday as a mark of respect to Michael O’Sullivan, the young Cork jockey who died following a fall at Thurles racecourse, has been rescheduled for next Sunday, February 23rd.
This news was announced today (Monday) by the Irish Horse Racing Board (IHRB) and the original entries stand.
83 entries for the six-race programme. First race at 1pm.
WexfordLocal.comwill update ground conditions here on this page next Saturday evening.
The Office of Public Works is undertaking the construction of a new Border Control Post – known as Terminal 7 which will provide the necessary permanent infrastructure at Rosslare Europort to comply with Customs, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and official food controls because of Brexit.
Rosslare Europort will be undergoing significant infrastructure upgrades until September 2025. These works will ensure the Port continues to play a critical economic role for the area and region.
The upgrades will also support future growth planned at the Port. They will be the most significant in the Port’s history and will bring about much needed benefits for those that use and live within the vicinity of the Port as it continues to expand.
The works will consist of various phases of construction that will deliver new and improved facilities, entry and exit routes, and significant upgrading of the infrastructure across the Port in several areas.
Initial ground works took place in 2023 in preparation of the substantial works which are ongoing. These ground works have also ensured that the Port can continue to operate safely and efficiently for all users for the duration of the substantial works that are taking place.
The works at Rosslare Europort broadly entail the demolition of 25 buildings and structures including 11 lighting masts, below ground services and tanks, existing fences, gates, barriers and signage.
The new construction works will consist of a new Border Control Post (BCP) and Customs Control Facility made up of 28 new buildings with an overall floor area of 9360m² on a site with an area of 19.5 Hectares.
Construction is taking place on a phased basis. As areas of the site are completed and handed over, it may be necessary to change the way the public access the port by road and foot. These changes will be clearly signposted.
The construction works are being undertaken by John Paul Construction and the Office of Public Works (OPW) on behalf of the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of Health/Health Service Executive and the Department of Justice/An Garda Síochána. The Project Team are also working closely with Irish Rail who operate Rosslare Europort.
The duration of the overall works will be approximately 28 months from commencement.
The OPW has informed WexfordLocal.com that it will continue to communicate regularly throughout project to keep the public updated as changes occur.
The IHRB have sadly confirmed that former under-21 champion point-to-point rider, and Grade 1-winning Cheltenham jockey Michael O’Sullivan has passed away on Sunday morning following injuries that he sustained in a fall at Thurles.
As a mark of respect to Michael, the fixture at Punchestown today (Sunday) and the point-to-point fixtures Avondu (F) Knockanard, North Tipperary (F) Nenagh and Bray (H) Tinahely have all been cancelled.
Senator Cathal Byrne stood tall for his maiden speech in Seanad Éireann this week. He was proudly joined by his parents, Peter and Theresa Byrne from Ballyhogue.
SENATOR CATHAL BYRNE (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
“It is a particularly honourable moment for me given the fact I started out in public life when I was elected at 27 to Wexford County Council. I contested three elections in the last year. When I started out on Wexford County Council, I never expected that I would end up as a Member of Seanad Éireann. It is a particular honour to be here, and I very much look forward to the time ahead.
“I am conscious that I am, and am proud to be, from Wexford. To the best of my knowledge, I am the only Member of the House from Wexford and that will be very important for me with regard to the issues I prioritise in the Chamber.
“We have challenges in County Wexford, and I am thinking in particular of the need for the Oylegate to Rosslare motorway to be developed and finished.
“I am thinking particularly of Wexford General Hospital and ensuring it is resourced with staff, that the long-promised 97-bed unit extension gets delivered and that we have all of the supports necessary for our accident and emergency department, which covers not only County Wexford but the south-east region.”
The first female Ceann Comhairle and Wexford Independent TD Verona Murphy is to issue an invite this week to the female county councillors to save the date – Thursday, March 6th.
VERONA MURPHY TD and Ceann Comhairle Dáil Éireann. (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
“As Ceann Comhairle, I am delighted to invite the female councillors of County Wexford to Leinster House to join in a celebration to mark International Women’s Day,” said Deputy Murphy in correspondence read at last Monday’s February meeting of Wexford County Council.
Deputy Murphy also sent congratulations to Cllr Bridín Murphy from New Ross Municipal District on her appointment to the European Committee of the Regions.
Some male members in the chamber wondered why the letter had to be read out by County Secretary, Michael Drea, when there were copies in front of all councillors in attendance; but the gender gap was immediately forgotten when the lads quickly dreamed of a day on the golf course, the Cheltenham racing festival and the endless league and championship hurling and football games coming in the weeks ahead!
All set for the Bray Harriers point-to-point at Fairwood, Tinahely, tomorrow (Sunday). 83 entries for the six-race programme. First race at 1pm.
JACK HENDRICK …double at Oldtown today. (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)
Going is described as ‘yielding to soft.’
Denis Murphy and Jack Hendrick shared a double in the first two races at the Ward Union point-to-point at Oldtown, Co. Meath today (Saturday).
Jet of Stars got the Murphy/Hendrick team off to a perfect start with a four lengths success in the maiden race for four-year-olds and half an hour later and Apache Tribe made it a quick double with a similar verdict on the line for the maiden race for five-year-olds.
Barry O’Neill also rode a winner. He was aboard Hathaways Cottage who scored ‘a neck’ victory over Get Off Your Phone for the Darragh Berry/Josh Berry team in the Winners of Three race.
WexfordLocal.com 