120% increase in UK traffic into Rosslare Europort 

By Dan Walsh

Rosslare Europort is once again playing a strategic role for the country, working in conjunction with shipping partners and the logistics industry by providing additional capacity at the port to help alleviate the issues that are currently being experienced due to the closure of Holyhead port caused by storm damage.

Rosslare Europort is experiencing an increase of over 120% in freight volumes from the UK when compared to previous weeks.

Glenn Carr Director of Commercial Business Units and Port Authority for Rosslare Europort said: “We are working with all stakeholders and focusing on how Rosslare Europort can once again play its part in ensuring the continuous movement of freight and passengers from the UK while the Port of Holyhead is out of commission.

“This is an extremely busy and critical time for our freight and tourism sectors and we at Rosslare Europort will do all in power to provide additional capacity and support at the port that will help address the challenges and concerns being experienced.

“I want to thank all our colleagues at the port along with those in the shipping and freight sectors who are working tirelessly at this moment to ensure continuity for freight and passengers.

“I would ask that all customers keep up to date with information from the shipping lines and understand that in these exceptional times flexibility on all sides is required and only by us all working together will we best get through this current situation which will pass.

“Finally, events like this further emphasises the need for continuous investment in Rosslare Europort and the vital role that this port plays for our country,” concluded Mr Carr.

New Sinn Féin councillor for Gorey

CRAIG DOYLE (centre) flanked by Gary Ó Brien and Mylie O Brien following tonight’s meeting ratifying his approval as Sinn Féin councillor for Gorey. (Pic; Sinn Féin).

By Dan Walsh

In the Loch Garman Arms, Gorey, tonight Craig Doyle was chosen by Sinn Féin to fill the vacancy on Wexford County Council created by ex-cllr Fionntán Ó Súilleabhain who was elected to Dáil Éireann in the newly created Wicklow-Wexford constituency in the recent General Election.

From Allenwood Drive in Gorey Mr Doyle (28) is well-known and well respected and comes from a long-standing Gorey town family.

Announcing the news on social media, Gary Ó Brien said; “A super proud night our new Sinn Féin councillor from my home street of Allenwood Drive, a solid republican. the future is bright. Thanks to all who came out and voted tonight for him. Gorey Sinn Féin Abú.”

Mr Doyle will be proposed and seconded at next Monday’s special meeting of Wexford County Council in the Council Chamber at Caricklawn, Wexford, and will be Cllr Craig Doyle when he is eligible to attend his first session at the December meeting of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council in the Council Chamber at Gorey Civic Centre next Tuesday.

A Wexford school could be Ireland’s fittest!

By Dan Walsh

A call has gone out to schools in Wexford from one of Ireland’s best-known Olympians, sprinter David Gillick who has joined forces with Fyffes once again in a quest to find ‘Ireland’s Fittest School 2025’.

A call has gone out to schools across the country from Olympian sprinter David Gillick who has joined forces with Fyffes in a quest to find ‘Ireland’s Fittest School 2025’.

Aimed at promoting the importance of exercise, fitness and healthy eating amongst young people, a central feature of the programme will be a series of exercise routines – recorded by Gillick, alongside Irish fitness trainer, Sharon Flanagan – which competing schools can adopt as part of their PE curriculum and against which performance will be measured and tracked online. 

Running for 10 weeks from January 20th, the upcoming competition will see a new element introduced in which the top four schools from each province will compete head-to-head across four live regional qualifier events in April.

The top school from Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster will then progress to May’s grand final at which the prize package will include €8,000 worth of sports equipment.

School registrations open January 6th, and further details can be found online at  www.fyffesfittestschool.ie

Writer Jean supports Christmas charities

Look out for JEAN MASKELL signing her book for local charities this week. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

By Dan Walsh at Wexford Library

Jean Maskell is a multi-disciplinary writer and artist, and her collection of poems and short stories was published in 2013 under the title The Space Between. The illustrations, which are plenty and colourful is also her own work.

Her writing has appeared in several publications in Ireland and the UK. Jean is an active member of Ceramics Ireland and Liverpool Irish Festival Cultural Connections Network, and to add to her enormous talent, her painting, ceramics and photography have appeared in over 20 exhibitions in Ireland and the UK. During the recent Wexford Festival Opera Jean shared an exhibition with Michelle O’Neill in Clayton Whites Hotel.

Jean is back in Clayton Whites Hotel, Wexford, tomorrow. “I’ll be in the foyer of Clayton White’s Hotel supporting their Christmas charity campaign and signing copies of my short story and poetry book ‘The Space Between’ from 11.30am to 1.30pm on Thursday 12th December,” she told WexfordLocal.com when we met in Wexford Library on Tuesday night.

Jean’s book is “a not-for-profit publication and any funds raised by the sales will be donated to two registered charities – Wexford Marine Watch and Wexford Tidy Towns.”

Jean assures us that The Space Between makes a great present, she will be signing again in The Wexford Book Centre next Saturday, where it is on sale along with Red Books, St. Peter’s Square, Wexford.

Payphone project calls to Enniscorthy

by Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy

Enniscorthy has an additional structure of modern street furniture at the Market Square entrance to Rafter Street which is attracting public curiosity in the form of a public payphone.

As agreed at the Enniscorthy Municipal District meeting in September 2023, Clear Channel Ireland have removed the payphone on Wafer Street and have installed a new upgraded payphone and a public information Interactive Touch Screen on Rafter Street.

The Clear Channel Public Phone Kiosks Removal/Upgrade Project has already been rolled out in several city and town locations across the country and originated in the ComReg-EU Universal Regulations 2011.

Described as “a design of modern functionality and aesthetically sympathetic” it is a fact that public payphones are still in situ due to public need and serves as an aid to people without access to mobile service.

The interactive touch screen will have links to QR codes and map apps and serves as a Bord Fáilte database including Visit Wexford.ie, Local Area Map and Wayfinding and Emergency Helplines. The public information screen will also promote local tourism and events. 

The project was of no cost to Wexford County Council. 

Sharing new songs event at the Library

At the New Songs presentation in Wexford Library were (left to right); Jean Maskell (artist and writer), Aileen Lambert (singer, songwriter and composer) and Eileen Morrissey, County Librarian. (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

By Dan Walsh at Wexford Library

Traditional singer, songwriter and composer Aileen Lambert was awarded the Commemorations Artist Bursary 2024 from Wexford County Council earlier this year and last night in Wexford Library she presented an evening of ‘New Songs’.

Aileen shared songs which she has written which attempt to tell the story of ordinary people’s lives and experiences around the time of the formation of the Irish Free State.

One of Aileen’s unique talents is putting airs to old song words, or indeed, new works.

She discussed her research, composition process and the background to each song. There were four newly written songs while Aileen has also composed new airs for two poems by Jean Maskall.

Taking common forms in traditional song such as a lament and an emigration song, Aileen has penned new pieces to relate stories from diverse voices such as a bereaved mother, impoverished family, and people who experienced time in institutions such as Industrial Schools and Magdalene Laundries.

Aileen has composed beautiful, sorrowful, expressive airs to deliver the songs and this event was a unique opportunity to hear them and was enjoyed and appreciated by the audience which included County Arts Officer Liz Burns and County Librarian, Eileen Morrissey.

This event was part of Wexford County Council’s 2024 Commemorations Programme and is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

French ESB crews arrive at Rosslare Europort

By Dan Walsh

ESB Networks met crews from French counterparts Enedis on Monday morning at Rosslare Europort who have arrived to assist with power restoration in the aftermath of Storm Darragh.

Storm Darragh caused widespread and extensive damage to electricity infrastructure across the country on last Saturday, which impacted 395,000 customers at the peak.

James Browne, Minister of State at the Department of Justice with responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice, and H.E. Céline Place, Ambassador of France in Ireland were in attendance for the arrival of crews at Rosslare Europort.

Minister Browne said; “The impact of Storm Darragh has been felt right across the country and ESB Networks teams have been working around the clock to restore power to those impacted. But given the scale of damage they need support, so I am delighted to be here to welcome the skilled personnel from their French colleagues Enedis.

Crews from France arriving at Rosslare Europort to assist ESB Networks post-Storm Darragh

“Last year, ESB Networks travelled to France to assist in the aftermath of Storm Ciarán so it is great to see this reciprocated as part of the longstanding cooperation agreement in place between the electricity network operators.”

Nicholas Tarrant, Managing Director of ESB Networks, commented; “Storm Darragh has been the most damaging storm we have experienced since Storm Ophelia in 2017, during which French crews provided considerable support to ESB Networks in electricity restoration efforts.

“We are delighted to be joined in this effort by our French counterparts Enedis. We have a proud track record of supporting neighbouring countries if requested by electricity network operators following major storm damage.”

Fishing trawler returns to Kilmore Quay

By Dan Walsh

Kilmore Quay RNLI were requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guarda at 11.55am today to assist the crew of a 24-metre fishing trawler experiencing engine failure a mile and a half south of Kilmore Quay harbour.

KILMORE QUAY RNLI (File Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

Arriving on scene at 12.11pm, the lifeboat crew checked that all on board the vessel was safe and well before assessing the situation.

Weather at the time was described as fresh with a Force 4 to Force 5 easterly wind and slight to moderate sea state.

While on scene, the crew of the fishing vessel managed to get the engine restarted.

The fishing vessel with five crew on board returned to Kilmore Quay harbour under escort by the lifeboat and did not require any further assistance.

The lifeboat returned to its berth in the marina at 1.23pm.

Support RNLI’s Christmas Appeal

The seven female lifeboat and shore crew at Fethard RNLI are ready for the Christmas ‘shout’! (back row from left) are Siani Blanchfield, Clara Bracken, Rebecca Doyle and Eileen Murphy and (front row); Natasha Blanchfield, Tricia Rice and Nadia Blanchfield. (Pic;RNLI/Fethard).

By Dan Walsh

On average, RNLI lifeboats launch over 100 times during the Christmas period every year. Whatever weather winter throws at them, RNLI crews such as those at Courtown, Wexford, Rosslare Harbour, Fethard and Kilmore Quay, are ready to battle the elements to save lives at sea.

These rescues, and others all year round, are only made possible by the RNLI’s generous supporters, helping to fund the essential kit, training and equipment needed to keep crews prepared and protected.

Christmas is a time for family and friends, but the RNLI’s volunteer crews are ready to leave their own celebrations this festive season and answer the call for help.

Among the thousands of volunteers preparing for Christmas are seven female lifeboat and shore crew at Fethard RNLI including Rebecca Doyle, a trainee crew member.

Rebecca is a long serving volunteer, predominantly in fundraising but also acts as the station’s Water Safety Officer and has in the past served as Lifeboat Press Officer.

“Because we operate around the Hook Peninsula from New Ross to Kilmore Quay, our lifeboat has 12 different launching sites. As part of the crew training, I need to complete an exercise at each. I have one more to do and I will then be ready to respond to my first call out,” Rebecca told WexfordLocal.com.

As she looks ahead to Christmas, Rebecca knows her fellow crew are ready to respond if needed; “For a crew member, there’s no feeling quite like bringing someone home safe to their families – especially at Christmas. Even at this time of year, people still get in trouble in the water, and like all RNLI crews, we at Fethard RNLI are prepared to leave our own celebrations to help others.

“But as volunteer lifeboat crew we couldn’t launch without kind donations from the public which fund the kit, training and equipment we need to save others and get home safely to our own families.”

To make a donation to the RNLI’s Christmas Appeal, and enable the charity to continue its lifesaving work, visit: RNLI.org/WinterAppeal.

Woman (50s) dies in New Ross collision

By Dan Walsh

A pedestrian, a woman in her 50s, has died in a fatal road traffic collision on the N25 at Stokestown, New Ross, which occurred at approximately 7.10pm on Sunday.

The collision involved a car and a pedestrian. No other injuries were reported.

The N25 Eastbound Road remains closed this morning and local diversions are in place through New Ross town. A technical examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators is taking place.

Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward. Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area at the time are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact New Ross Garda Station on 051 426030, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.