Tributes to Killinick road victim

By Dan Walsh

The man who lost his life in a road traffic collision on the N25 at Killinick on Tuesday evening has been named as Dave ‘Taff’ Thomas, a 73-year-old who lived at Pugin Park, Tagoat.

DAVE (Taff0 THOMAS

Mr Thomas was involved in a four-vehicle incident on the N25 at Orristown. He may have suffered a medical event. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Originally from Rhyl in Wales and affectionately known as ‘Taff’ he was due to celebrate his 74th birthday in a few days.

Many tributes have been paid to his wife Rita, children Tye, Keith, Naomi and Shauna, other relatives and friends.

FAMILY NOTICE; The death has occurred of Dave (Taff) Thomas, Pugin Park, Tagoat, Co. Wexford and formerly of Rhyl, Wales, February 18, 2025, beloved husband of Rita, father of Tye, step-father of Keith, Naomi and Shauna; sadly missed by his family, son-in-law Mark, grandchildren Scott and Emilia, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

May He Rest In Peace

Reposing in Mulligans Funeral Home, The Faythe, Wexford (Y35 DH6V) on Saturday from 6pm until 9pm. Removal on Sunday at 11.15am to St. Mary’s Church, Tagoat for funeral Mass at 12noon. Cremation will take place privately. No flowers by request.

Don’t mention the IPAS Centre!

The proposed IPAS Centre at the old Mercy Convent site at Templeshannon, Enniscorthy, remains a ‘live’ planning issue despite the public protest.

By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy Municipal Council monthly meeting

Last Saturday an estimated 600 people marched through Enniscorthy town in opposition to the proposed IPAS Centre for the old Mercy Convent at Templeshannon.

“The crowd would have been much bigger than it was had the weather been clear and dry,” said Cllr Jackser Owens at Tuesday’s meeting of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council held in the Presentation Centre.

Cllr Owens was one of only two public representatives who supported the protesters – the other was Cllr Paddy Kavanagh – and both addressed the attendance on the day.

At Tuesday’s meeting Cathaoirleach Cllr Aidan Browne welcomed the Council’s decision to enforce the requirement for planning permission that will require the applicant to either appeal or re-apply.

Cllr Browne said that “maybe the Council can approach the owner of the building and see about buying the property and have assisted living there.”

Cllr Owens told the meeting that he is “delighted now that it has gone to planning, so we will see what will happen. Hopefully the outcome will be in the people’s favour.”

Then Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy closed the discussion when she stated, “the decision can be appealed to An Bord Pleanála which means it is still a ‘live’ planning issue, so we probably should not be discussing it here in the chamber.”

“We just need to be aware of what we are saying,” she concluded.  

BOIL WATER NOTICE FOR WEXFORD TOWN

By Dan Walsh

Uisce Éireann has issued a Boil Water Notice to protect the health of approximately 22,000 customers in Wexford town supplied by the Newtown Water Treatment Plant with immediate effect.

Following consultation with the Health Service Executive (HSE), this notice is issued as a precautionary measure due to the detection of cryptosporidium in the water supply.

FIONNUALA CALLERY, Technical Operations Manager Uisce Éireann. (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)


Uisce Éireann’s Technical Operations Manager for the region Fionnuala Callery apologised to impacted customers.

She told WexfordLocal.com this evening; “Public health is Uisce Éireann’s number one priority and we would like to assure customers that the notice has been put in place to protect public health. We acknowledge the inconvenience caused to homes and businesses and would like to assure customers that we are working to resolve the issue and lift the notice as quickly and as safely possible.”

Customers can check if their property is included by visiting the Water Quality section and entering the property’s Eircode or by calling the Uisce Éireann’s customer care helpline, open 24/7, on 1800 278 278. A map of the area is attached and available to view on the supply and service section of water.ie.

New Ross students support for Fethard RNLI

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.”

No promo signs for street businesses?

Enniscorthy’s Market Square. (Pic; File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

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?

Man (70’s) dies in Rosslare road crash

By Dan Walsh

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.

€23.4m for Wexford roads 2025 programme

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.

Tinahely races refixed for next Sunday

By Dan Walsh

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.com will update ground conditions here on this page next Saturday evening.  

Update on development at Rosslare Europort

By Dan Walsh

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.

Tinahely races are cancelled

By Dan Walsh

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.