WexfordLocal.com

Invitation to join Bunclody Town Centre Team

By Dan Walsh

Wexford County Council extends an invitation to residents to join the Bunclody Town Team which has been allocated €10,000 towards the establishment of a Town Centre First Team, under measure 1 of the 2024 Town Centre First suite of supports.

To ensure that as broad a representation as possible sit on the Bunclody Town Centre First Team, Wexford County Council are hosting a drop-in information session in St Aidan’s Hall Bunclody, on Monday, September 2^nd from 2pm to 6pm, and they are looking for local people to express an interest in serving team.

Welcoming the news Chair of the Bunclody Town Centre First Team. Cllr. Barbara-Anne Murphy said; “I am looking forward to working closely with the Bunclody community and the new Town Team in starting a process that will strengthen Bunclody Town Centre and enhance the lives of the residents of Bunclody and surrounding areas. This is a great opportunity for Bunclody and encouraged as many groups and people as possible to attend this event.”

Town Regeneration Officer with Wexford County Council, Mick McCormack will be on hand to host information briefings on the hour and will meet and answer questions from anyone who calls to the event. It is hoped that all the sectors/groups within and around Bunclody will come and express an interest in sitting on this new Town Centre First Team, which are typically made up of representatives from business, community groups, residents, tourism groups, An Garda Siochana, charities, social enterprises, sports organisations, cultural groups, voluntary groups, Chamber of Commerce, retailers, developers, and educational facilities.

Castletown River and Nature Festival 2024

By Dan Walsh

The Castletown River and Nature Festival 2024 takes place this weekend – Saturday 2-4pm and Sunday 12pm-3pm – and the catchy theme is “Take A Walk On The Wild Side” and it happens in a most beautiful part of North Wexford at Kilanerin Woods and Clone Strand. It is part of the National Heritage Week programme of events.

**CATHY LEE, Chair of the Ahare River and Biodiversity Development Group welcomes all to Kilanerin Woods and Clone Strand to enjoy the two-day Castletown River & Nature Festival 2024.**

On Saturday assembly is at 2pm at the smaller lower car park at Kilanerin Woods, the travel up the Inch River Catchment and connect with the upper River community. According to Cathy Lee, Chair of the Ahare River and Biodiversity Development Group, this is “a family and nature lover event” and “you will discover the secrets of the river and explore the nature of the woods.” And before leaving there is an opportunity to take part in a woodland nature Treasure Hunt!

On Sunday at 12 noon Clone Beach, Castletown, is the destination with a Family Fun Day and lots of beach-based activities, celebrating Water Heritage Day.

**CLONE STRAND celebrating Water Heritage Day.** (File Pic; *WexfordLocal.com*)

At Clone Strand there is a designated field for car parking which is signposted locally.
There will lots of traditional activities such as: An Egg and Spoon Race; A Sack Race; A Sand Art Competition; A Lucky Duck Race and a chance to take part in a Seashore Treasure Hunt and discover nature on the shore.

The message is to “bring the family, friends and a picnic and have a wonderful day!” For more details and to book events, see Eventbrite, friendsoftheahare river@gmail.com, the Ahare River Group on Facebook or call Cathy Lee (087 6254863) or Jackie Byrne (087 1231525).

Gorey plans will enhance road safety

By Dan Walsh

**CLLR JOE SULLIVAN**; “**This roundabout will enhance road safety in the area which has become very busy in the last number of years due to the success of Ballyloughan Business Park.”** (File Pic; *WexfordLocal.com*)

A busy junction on the old Arklow Road a short distance from Gorey town centre will be safer for roadusers and provide better conditions for all when it is fully constructed and operational after planning has been approved.

Cllr Joe Sullivan welcomes the granting of planning last week to a local company in the Ballyloughan area for the provision of a roundabout at the junction of the R772 and the L5032 known locally as Ballyloughan Cross.

“This roundabout will enhance road safety in the area which has become very busy in the last number of years due to the huge success that the Ballyloughan Business Park has become,” Cllr Sullivan told WexfordLocal.com earlier today.

Wexford residents invited to join Town Team

By Dan Walsh

Wexford County Council under the National Town Centre First Initiative are establishing a Town Centre First Team in Wexford Town to help drive the town centre agenda in Wexford Town and will be central to the delivery of a Town Centre strategy and vision for Wexford.

To ensure that as broad a representation as possible sit on the Wexford Town Centre First Team, Wexford County Council are hosting a drop-in information session in the Wexford Town Library on Friday, August 23^rd from 1pm to 5pmand are looking for local people to express an interest in serving on the Wexford Town Team.

**Mayor of Wexford, Cllr George Lawlor**; *“I am looking forward to building a team who are ambitious for Wexford and keen to develop a strategy that will ensure Wexford Town builds on its huge potential. (”*Pic; *Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD .)*

Town Regeneration Officer with Wexford County Council, Mick McCormack will be on hand to host information briefings on the hour and will meet and answer questions from anyone who calls to the event. It is hoped that all the sectors/groups within Wexford Town will come and express an interest in sitting on this new Town Centre First Team. Town Teams are typically made up of reps from business, community groups, residents, tourism groups, An Garda Siochana, charities, social enterprises, sports organisations, cultural groups, voluntary groups, Chamber of Commerce, retailers, developers, and educational facilities. “Each town, however, is different and it is important that the Team reflects the town,” added Mr. McCormick.

Welcoming the news, Chair of the Wexford Town Centre First Team, Mayor of Wexford, Cllr. George Lawlor told WexfordLocal.com; “I am looking forward to building a team who are ambitious for Wexford and keen to develop a strategy that will ensure Wexford Town builds on its huge potential.”

Mayor of Wexford, Cllr George Lawlor; “I am looking forward to building a team who are ambitious for Wexford and keen to develop a strategy that will ensure Wexford Town builds on its huge potential.”

Come and join the Taghmon Town Team

By Dan Walsh

Taghmon has been allocated €10,000 towards the establishment of a Town Centre First Team and to ensure that as broad a representation as possible sit on the Taghmon Town Team, Wexford County Council are hosting a drop-in information session in the Taghmon Action Group (TAG) building on Monday, August 26^th from 2pm to 6pm, with a wish to encourage local people to express an interest in serving on the team.

**CLLR JIM CODD**; “It is an opportunity to develop on the fantastic community development work that has been ongoing in Taghmon and I look forward to working with all groups including Taghmon Action group who have done fantastic work in the town and area.” (Pic; *WexfordLocal.com).*

Town Teams are typically made up of representatives from business, community groups, residents, tourism groups, An Garda Siochana, charities, social enterprises, sports organisations, cultural groups, voluntary groups, Chamber of Commerce, retailers, developers, and educational facilities. Each town however is different, and it is important that the Team reflects the ethos of the town.

Welcoming the news, Cathaoirleach of Rosslare Municipal District and Chair of the Taghmon Town Centre First Team, Cllr Jim Codd said; “I am looking forward to working closely with the Taghmon community and the new Town Team in starting a process that will strengthen Taghmon Town Centre and enhance the lives of the residents of Taghmon and surrounding areas. It is an opportunity to develop on the fantastic community development work that has been ongoing in Taghmon and I look forward to working with all groups including Taghmon Action group who have done fantastic work in the town and area.”

Town Centre First aims to create towns that function as viable, vibrant and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit. It supports towns to function as the service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community, is Government Policy informed by data and best practice and is delivered by local authorities in partnership with communities.

Illicit alcohol seized at Rosslare Europort

By Dan Walsh

Revenue officers seized almost 19,800 litres of alcohol, with an estimated value of €80,400, at Rosslare Europort on Saturday.

The illicit alcohol consisted of approximately 19,600 litres of beer and 180 litres of prosecco and represented a loss to the Exchequer of almost €38,000.

**ROSSLARE EUROPORT** (File Pic; *WexfordLocal.com*)

The consignment was seized when Revenue officers stopped and searched an accompanied trailer that had disembarked a ferry from Dunkirk, France.

The driver that had accompanied the load was questioned in relation to the seizure, and the trailer carrying the alcohol products was also seized.

Investigations are ongoing.

This seizure is part of Revenue’s ongoing work targeting smuggling and shadow economy activity. If businesses, or members of the public have any information, they can contact Revenue in confidence on 1800 295 295.

Lecture and Garden Tour at Monksgrange

By Dan Walsh

Busy week of heritage celebration across Co. Wexford in the coming days, but booking is open for the Heritage Week Lecture and Garden Tour at Monksgrange, near Rathnure, Enniscorthy, which takes place on Saturday, August 24^th from 2-5pm.

**Magnificent MONKSGRANGE** (File Pic; *WexfordLocal.com*)

The programme is as follows;

2pm; Doors open

2.30pm; Jeremy Hill reviews the Farmleigh Gallery photographic exhibition; The vision of a 19^th century lensman. Goddard Orpen 1852-1932.

3pm; The Edward Richards-Orpen Memorial Trust Annual Lecture. “Under the influence: contextualising Lutyens/Jekyll design principles in the garden at Monksgrange.” David Averill, FRIAI, architect and member of the UK Lutyens Trust, will discuss the influence of Lutyens’ worldwide garden design work on Edward Richards-Orpen’s own redesign of the garden at Monksgrange in the 1900s.

3.45pm; Garden tour.

4.30pm; Tea/Coffee

5.00pm; Close.

Tickets, €15, from Eventbrite www.eventbrite.ie/e/under-the-influencecontextualising-the-garden-at-monksgrange-tickets-938745281407

Ballycross Apple Farm closed to the public

By Dan Walsh

The ever-popular Ballycross Apple Farm in Bridgetown, south Wexford, has announced its decision to close its doors to the public this week. The farm was open over weekends for visitors up to six months of the year from May to December, with a particular festive atmosphere around Halloween, where visitors could come and pick their own pumpkins.

**CLLR AOIFE ROSE O’BRIEN** (Pic; WexfordLocal.com)

In a statement, Ballycross Apple Farm said it was with “a heavy heart” that the decision to not re-open was made. “We would like to thank each and every customer who ever paid a visit to the farm over the many years we have been open, your custom has been very much appreciated,” the team at Ballycross Apple Farm stated.

Juice produce from the farm will remain available in the usual local and independent retailers in Wexford, but numerous families have been saddened by the news, and the community in Bridgetown is “feeling broken hearted”, according to Sinn Féin Cllr Aoife Rose O’Brien.

“It was a fantastic amenity that put Bridgetown on the map, and it was something us locals were quite proud of,” said Cllr O’Brien, who added; “It was like a home away from home for some people,”

Cllr O’Brien is asking that the public provide privacy to the family at the moment and to “hold on to the fond memories the farm created”.

Looking forward to Heritage Week in Ballymurn

**This is a view of the the older part of Kilmallock Cemetery, just a kilometre or two from Ballymurn village, where a QR Code of inscriptions will be launched during Wednesday Heritage Evening.** (Pic; *WexfordLocal*.com).

By Dan Walsh

We will all be hearing lots about Heritage Week in the coming days as the annual event swings into place and there is so much to look out for, but one event with the ‘not to be missed’ tag happens in Ballymurn Hall at 6.45pm next Wednesday where the Ballymurn Heritage Group is hosting a Heritage Evening with an interesting programme of events.

It all kicks off with a visit to the Maher Mausoleum, historian Brian Ó Cléirigh will extend the knowledge of local history, there is a fascinating launch of the QR (stands for ‘quick response’ and is in common use on mobile devices) Code of inscriptions for Kilmallock Cemetery and a display of photos and items from Kilmallock House dating back to 1800.

Incidentally, I paid a brief visit to Kilmallock Cemetery this afternoon where the locals were dressing the graves of their loved ones for the annual Patron which takes place today (Sunday).

Kilmallock House was built by the Huguenot family of Peare, started in 1714, and the family lived there for 250 years! Richard Peare married in 1750, and his name is still clearly visible on the family tomb in the older part of the graveyard.

Add on a vintage car and tractor display, traditional music and free refreshments for all; what better way to spend an August Wednesday evening? All are welcome.

Over 9.5 million cigarettes seized at Rosslare Europort

By Dan Walsh

Revenue officers seized 9,540,000 cigarettes with an estimated value of almost €8 million, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of approximately €6.3 million, at Rosslare Europort, yesterday (Thursday).

The cigarettes, branded ‘Marlboro Gold’, were discovered when Revenue officers stopped and searched an accompanied freight unit that had disembarked a ferry arriving from Dunkirk, France.

A man in his 20s was questioned in relation to the seizure.

Investigations are ongoing.

This seizure is part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting the sale and supply of illegal cigarettes and tobacco in the shadow economy. If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on 1800 295 295.