Enniscorthy () is the second-largest town in

County Wexford County Wexford ( ga, Contae Loch Garman) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was based on the historic Gaelic territory of Hy Kinsella (''Uí C ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

. At the 2016 census, the population of the town and environs was 11,381. The town is located on the picturesque

River Slaney The River Slaney () is a large river in the southeast of Ireland. It rises on Lugnaquilla Mountain in the western Wicklow Mountains and flows west and then south through counties Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford for 117.5 km (73 mi), be ...

and in close proximity to the Blackstairs Mountains and Ireland's longest beach,

Curracloe Curracloe () is a village in County Wexford, a few miles northeast of the town of Wexford, Ireland. It lies on the R742 regional road at the junction with R743, and is linked to the long and sandy Curracloe Strand (beach) by the short R743 ro ...

. The town is twinned with

Gimont Gimont (; ) is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France. It is about west of Toulouse. It is the seat (capital) of the canton of Gimone-Arrats. Geography The commune is bordered by seven other communes: Escornebœuf to the ...

, France. The Placenames Database of Ireland sheds no light on the origins of the town's name. It may refer either to the "Island of Corthaidh" or the "Island of Rocks". The cathedral of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns The Diocese of Ferns ( ga, Deoise Fhearna) is a Roman Catholic diocese in south-eastern Ireland. It is one of three suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin and is subject to the Archdiocese of Dublin.

is located in the town as well as an array of other historical sites such as Enniscorthy Castle and the key battle site of the 1798 Rebellion.

History

Enniscorthy Castle

Enniscorthy Castle is an imposing Norman stronghold, which dates from 1205 and was a private dwelling until 1951. The castle was built by the DePrendergasts. In the early 1580s, the poet

Edmund Spenser Edmund Spenser (; 1552/1553 – 13 January 1599) was an English poet best known for '' The Faerie Queene'', an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen o ...

leased the property that included the castle. The castle was also once owned by Sir Henry Wallop. The castle was the site of many fierce battles during the Cromwellian years and also during the

1798 Rising The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1798; Ulster-Scots: ''The Hurries'') was a major uprising against British rule in Ireland. The main organising force was the Society of United Irishmen, a republican revolutionary group influenced ...

. The castle houses the Wexford County Museum, which contains extensive 1798 rebellion-related material, as well as items of local and agricultural interest. It was closed for major refurbishment from 2007 until May 2011.

Vinegar Hill

Vinegar Hill (' in Irish which translates as 'hill of the berry-tree'), a pudding-shaped hill overlooking the town, was the largest camp and headquarters of the rebels of 1798 who controlled County Wexford for thirty days against vastly superior forces, before their defeat on 21 June. However, many managed to flee south through a gap left in the British lines by General Needham (now known as Needham's Gap). During this time, Beauchamp Bagnell Harvey was declared President of the Wexford Republic.

The National 1798 Rebellion Centre

MAXWELL(1845) p126 Destruction of the Church of Enniscorthy

The National 1798 Rebellion Centre is devoted to the history and aftermath of the 1798 Rebellion, setting it in its European context. It is housed in the former Congregation of Christian Brothers monastery. The Centre offers people the chance to see what famous figures were involved in the 1798 Rebellion.

Saint Aidan's Cathedral

Following the relaxation of the Penal Laws at the beginning of the 19th century, it became possible for the

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

community to consider building a cathedral to replace the one in Ferns that had been appropriated for use by the

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the sec ...

during the

English Reformation The English Reformation took place in 16th-century England when the Church of England broke away from the authority of the pope and the Catholic Church. These events were part of the wider European Protestant Reformation, a religious and poli ...

. Built in 1843, St. Aidan's Cathedral was designed by Augustus Welby Pugin, famous for having designed London's

Houses of Parliament The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parliament, the Palace lies on the north ban ...

. The cathedral is in the same

Neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

style. Notable features include the striking façade, a

reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for e ...

carved from Caen stone and a great north window with intricate stone tracery. The cathedral was subsequently much renovated (in line with reforms promulgated by the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...

). It was restored to its near original design in 1994 when authentic colours, materials and techniques were used. The restoration took a year, during which time cathedral services were held at St Mary's church (Church of Ireland) nearby.

1916 Rising

In 1916 Enniscorthy patriots again took their place in history, when James Connolly requested that the Enniscorthy Volunteers take and hold the railway line to prevent

reinforcements Military organization or military organisation is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer such military capability as a national defense policy may require. In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a nation' ...

from reaching

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

. 600 Volunteers took the town, led by Robert Brennan, Seamus Doyle and J R Etchingham, they surrounded the

police station A police station (sometimes called a "station house" or just "house") is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, a ...

but did not attempt to take it. The RIC barracks was held by a police inspector and five constables while a RIC sergeant and one constable prevented the rebels from taking over a bank in the town. They established their headquarters at the Athenaeum, and held control until asked to

surrender Surrender may refer to: * Surrender (law), the early relinquishment of a tenancy * Surrender (military), the relinquishment of territory, combatants, facilities, or armaments to another power Film and television * ''Surrender'' (1927 film), an ...

by Padraig Pearse. The Volunteers also established a strong position on Vinegar Hill, overlooking the town. The railway line was cut and men dispatched to Gorey and Ferns. The government responded by sending a force of more than 1,000 men to retake Enniscorthy and the rebels retired to their positions on Vinegar Hill. Before hostilities could develop, the news of the Dublin surrender arrived, but the Volunteers refused to believe it. To avoid bloodshed, the army commander Col. F A French offered safe conduct for the Wexford leaders so that they could go to Dublin and hear of the surrender directly from Pearse. There were no fatalities.

Early aviation

The first successful flight from Britain to Ireland was made from Goodwick's Harbour Village on 22 April

1912 Events January * January 1 – The Republic of China is established. * January 5 – The Prague Conference (6th All-Russian Conference of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party) opens. * January 6 ** German geophysicist Alfred ...

by Denys Corbett Wilson, flying a Bleriot XI. The flight lasted one hour 40 minutes, with landfall near Enniscorthy, Ireland. The achievement was commemorated in Centenary Celebrations held in Fishguard and Goodwick on the weekend of 21/22 April 2012 and in a specially commissioned stage play by Derek Webb, called '100 Minutes' which was performed in Fishguard and Wexford the same week.

Amenities

Enniscorthy is situated by the

, and has riverside walks beside it to the north and to the south, on the west bank. Further walking trails are available nearby such Vinegar Hill, Ringwood Forest, Borodale Forest and Oulart Hill. There is a swimming pool/recreation centre, several sports grounds including a rugby club, soccer clubs, GAA clubs and several hotels including the four-star Riverside Park Hotel and Leisure Club. Outside of the town, there is an 18-hole golf course, several pitch and putts, freshwater fishing, and a five-star spa, Monart Spa Hotel, is beside "The Still Pond". The town is also a base for adventure activity such as kayaking on the River Slaney, mountain biking on Bree Hill or hiking in the Blackstairs Mountains. The town has a number of historical sites and museums as well as an Arts Centre and Theatre Groups. It is the cathedral town of the Diocese of Ferns and has two

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

churches spread over two parishes — St. Aidan's and St Senan's, under the shadow of Vinegar Hill. The town also has a Church of Ireland, a joint

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

church, a non-denominational Christian Alive Church, a Society of Friends meeting hall, and a Masonic Lodge.

Events

Enniscorthy Arts Trail

Established in 2018, Enniscorthy Arts Trail is an artist led initiative that sees vacant buildings in Enniscorthy town transformed and offered to visual artists as gallery spaces, workshop hubs, and cultural centres during the August Bank Holiday weekend. Enniscorthy Arts Trail also offers a number of tours and arts performances, hosted by St. Mary's Church and The Presentation Centre.

Enniscorthy Rockin' Food Festival

The Enniscorthy Rockin' Food Festival has been an annual August Bank Holiday event in Enniscorthy since 2016. It primarily involves free outdoor 1950s/Rockabilly themed gigs, a trail of food and craft marquees, an artisan food market, and events and classes for adults and children. There are also food and drink workshops that run alongside the festival in local cafés and restaurants. Enniscorthy Rockin' Food Festival was born from the amalgamation of a number of smaller community festivals taking place in Enniscorthy. It was decided by a committee that there was demand for one larger festival combining all elements of the smaller community festivals. The Blackstairs Blues festival is also an annual event and includes international and local performers, in a variety of late-night concerts and workshops. Another music event, the Enniscorthy Street Rhythms and Dance Festival, takes place during two weekends in August and includes a parade, fireworks, a concert, and dance workshops.. The Strawberry Fair, which is an annual event and takes place in the last week of June.

Education

Enniscorthy has four second-level schools: Coláiste Bríde, St. Mary's CBS, Enniscorthy Community College and Meánscoil Gharman and four primary schools – St. Aidan's, St. Mary's, St. Senan's and Gaelscoil Inis Córthaidh. The town is also host to a range of high quality childcare options.

Arts and entertainment

The town's main visual arts and entertainment venue, the Presentation Arts Centre, is situated on the site of a former convent. Officially opened in 2012, it is a fully accessible multi-use arts venue which is developed and promoted by the Wexford Arts Centre and Wexford County Council. The Presentation Arts Centre's theatre space retains most of the features of the original 19th century convent church, including original stained glass windows, ornate timber ceiling, original wishbone floor, and several decorative arches. The Presentation Arts Centre hosts numerous exhibitions per year, with particular emphasis on supporting and promoting emerging artists. Enniscorthy is the home of the

Wexford Carol The Wexford Carol ( ga, Carúl Loch Garman, Carúl Inis Córthaidh) is a traditional religious Irish Christmas carol originating from County Wexford and, specifically, Enniscorthy (whence its other name). The subject of the song is the nativity ...

, a Christmas song dating back to the 16th century or possibly much earlier. In literature, Enniscorthy is mentioned in the

Ithaca Ithaca most commonly refers to: *Homer's Ithaca, an island featured in Homer's ''Odyssey'' *Ithaca (island), an island in Greece, possibly Homer's Ithaca *Ithaca, New York, a city, and home of Cornell University and Ithaca College Ithaca, Ithaka ...

chapter of

James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the Modernism, modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important ...

's ''Ulysses'' (p. 812) as a flyleaf note in a book belonging to Leopold Bloom, where it is described as "Ennifcorthy,

, the finest place in the world" (sic). Enniscorthy is also the home of Eilis Lacey, the central character of the novel ''

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

'' and its

film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...

. In the story, which is set in the early 1950s, Eilis travels alone from Enniscorthy to Brooklyn because of the lack of opportunities for her at home. Most, if not all, of the Enniscorthy scenes in the film were filmed in Enniscorthy, with multiple locations in the town being credited.

Economy

The current economy of Enniscorthy is a mix of sectors including food production (such as Slaney Foods), engineering (such as Aircon Mech), ICT (such as Taoglas), financial services (such as Opus Funds), life sciences (such as Becton Dickinson), hospitality (such as Riverside Park Hotel) and construction (including high performance buildings through the NZEB Training Centre.

Enniscorthy Business and Technology Park

Wexford County Council are currently developing a new Business and Technology Park on approximately 14.45 hectares close to the town centre.

Davies Distillery

As early as 1824 Francis Davies, a Miller, operated a spirit business from his mill in Enniscorthy. Davies then employed John Mullaly as a distiller. Mullaly had previously worked as a distiller with John McKenzie & Co in Mill Street Belfast. When the temperance reformer Theobald Mathew campaigned against alcohol, many distilleries in Ireland closed. After the Davies distillery closed, Mullaly and his family cast their lots together and emigrated to Australia on the Salsette in 1840.

George Killian's Red

Enniscorthy was the location of a regional microbrewery opened in 1864 and owned by the descendants of George Killian Lett. During their operation, Killian's

ale Ale is a type of beer brewed using a warm fermentation method, resulting in a sweet, full-bodied and fruity taste. Historically, the term referred to a drink brewed without hops. As with most beers, ale typically has a bittering agent to bala ...

was sold almost entirely in Wexford county. GH Lett Company still operates today, but no longer brews its own products. They now focus on wholesale to shops, bars and hotels. Killian's Red is still sold abroad, and the brand is currently held by Brasseries Pelforth, S. A.

Pottery

Carley's Bridge Pottery is one of Ireland's oldest potteries, having made earthen pots for over three hundred years. Paddy Murphy was also an Enniscorthy potter and in 1980 founded Hill View pottery adjacent to his home and close to Carley's Bridge Pottery. The ''cul de sac'' "Potters' Way" is named after him — as he would walk that route to his home. Since his passing, Hill View pottery has been taken over by his relation Derek O'Rourke.

Enterprise Centre

Enniscorthy Enterprise & Technology Centre provides business support, training and incubation space for start-ups and small and medium enterprises.

Transport

Enniscorthy is well connected by 121 km of motorway directly to Dublin. The Enniscorthy Bypass project, which was officially opened on 18 July 2019, also includes a single carriageway that connects the N30 with the M11, significantly reducing journey times to Waterford. Enniscorthy railway station is on the Dublin–Rosslare line. The line terminates Dublin Connolly railway station in the northern direction, whilst in the southern direction it runs to

Rosslare Europort Rosslare Europort ( ga, Europort Ros Láir) is a modern seaport located at Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland, near the southeasternmost point of the island of Ireland. The port is the premier Irish port serving the European Contin ...

, where it connects with the

Stena Line Stena Line is a Swedish shipping line company and one of the largest ferry operators in the world. It services Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden. Stena Line is a major u ...

ferry to Fishguard Harbour. For connecting trains to

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the C ...

and Cardiff Central for

London Paddington Paddington, also known as London Paddington, is a Central London railway terminus and London Underground station complex, located on Praed Street in the Paddington area. The site has been the London terminus of services provided by the Great We ...

. There are also

Irish Ferries Irish Ferries is an Irish ferry and transport company that operates passenger and freight services on routes between Ireland, Britain and Continental Europe, including Dublin Port–Holyhead; Rosslare Europort to Pembroke as well as Dublin ...

connections from

to Pembroke and

Cherbourg Cherbourg (; , , ), nrf, Chèrbourg, ) is a former commune and subprefecture located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula in the northwestern French department of Manche. It was merged into the commune of Cherbourg-Octeville on 28 Febr ...

. The station opened on 16 November 1863. There is a bus stop at Templeshannon with connections to Dublin and other cities.

Sport

The local

Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional ...

(GAA) clubs include the Shamrocks and the Rapparees/Starlights. These two town-based clubs compete in both

hurling Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...

and

Gaelic football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by ki ...

. St. Patrick's Park is the name of the local GAA grounds. Shamrock rovers are the biggest football club in the town catering for schoolboys, schoolgirls, women’s and men’s football teams. The shamrocks are the biggest gaa club in the town Enniscorthy Rugby Club was founded in 1912 and competes in the All Ireland League (AIL).

People

Wallis Bird Wallis Bird (born 29 January 1982) is an Irish musician, living in Berlin since 2012. As of 2021, she has released six studio albums, including ''Architect (album), Architect'' in 2014 and ''Home (Wallis Bird album), Home'' in 2016. Career Bir ...

, singer *

Irish Mythen Irish Mythen is an Irish-born Canadian contemporary folk singer-songwriter. In recent years, Mythen has performed with Rod Stewart, Gordon Lightfoot and Lucinda Williams at major festival stages the world over. Mythen's first two full-length albu ...

, singer *

Martin Cash Martin Cash (baptised 10 October 1808 – 26 August 1877) was a notorious Irish-Australian convict bushranger, known for escaping twice from Port Arthur, Van Diemen's Land. His 1870 autobiography, ''The Adventures of Martin Cash'', ghostwritten ...

, a transported

convict A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison". Convicts are often also known as " prisoners" or "inmates" or by the slang term "con", while a common label for former conv ...

who became a

bushranger Bushrangers were originally escaped convicts in the early years of the British settlement of Australia who used the bush as a refuge to hide from the authorities. By the 1820s, the term had evolved to refer to those who took up " robbery unde ...

Van Diemen's Land Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania used by the British during the European exploration of Australia in the 19th century. A British settlement was established in Van Diemen's Land in 1803 before it became a sep ...

(now Tasmania, Australia) was born in Enniscorthy in 1808 *

Anthony Cronin Anthony Gerard Richard Cronin (28 December 1923 – 27 December 2016) was an Irish poet, arts activist, biographer, commentator, critic, editor and barrister. Early life and family Cronin was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford on 28 December ...

, poet and biographer of

Flann O'Brien Brian O'Nolan ( ga, Brian Ó Nualláin; 5 October 1911 – 1 April 1966), better known by his pen name Flann O'Brien, was an Irish civil service official, novelist, playwright and satirist, who is now considered a major figure in twentieth c ...

and

Samuel Beckett Samuel Barclay Beckett (; 13 April 1906 – 22 December 1989) was an Irish novelist, dramatist, short story writer, theatre director, poet, and literary translator. His literary and theatrical work features bleak, impersonal and Tragicomedy, tr ...

, is a native of Enniscorthy * Maria Doyle Kennedy, Irish singer and actress who lived in the town as a child * Festy Ebosele, footballer who plays for Udinese *

James Edmond James Edmond (21 April 1859 – 21 March 1933) was a Scottish-Australian journalist and writer of short stories, and notable as an editor of '' The Bulletin''. Edmond was born in Glasgow, the son of James Edmond, carpet-maker, and his wife Jan ...

(1822–1890), pioneering gold prospector in Australia, Eureka Rebellion leader * William Henry Grattan Flood (1859–1928), a prolific author, historian and musicologist, resided in Enniscorthy from 1895 until his death in 1928 *

Eileen Gray Eileen Gray (born Kathleen Eileen Moray Smith; 9 August 187831 October 1976) was an Irish architect and furniture designer who became a pioneer of the Modern Movement in architecture. Over her career, she was associated with many notable Euro ...

was born in Brownswood and later became famous as a furniture designer and architect * Daryl Jacob, jockey and rider of the winning horse in the 2012 Aintree Grand National is from Enniscorthy * Bill Lacey, dual international footballer, who played for both

Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Founded in 1892, the club joined the Football League the following year and has ...

and

Everton FC Everton Football Club () is an English professional association football club based in Liverpool that competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club was a founder member of the Football League in 1888 and has compe ...

in the early 20th century * Adam Nolan, a

welterweight Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like Muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify th ...

boxer who represented Ireland at the

2012 Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

* Seamus Rafter, Irish revolutionary *

Colm Tóibín Colm Tóibín (, approximately ; born 30 May 1955) is an Irish novelist, short story writer, essayist, journalist, critic, playwright and poet. His first novel, '' The South'', was published in 1990. ''The Blackwater Lightship'' was shortlist ...

, born in the town, has written several novels set in the area *Brothers

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

(1836–1912) and Richard Reeves (1836–1910), who emigrated to New Zealand, were born in Enniscorthy. Charles became a prominent businessman, and Richard became a politician. *

Gerard Whelan Gerard Whelan (born 1957), is an Irish writer. Career overview Whelan was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, and has lived and worked in several European countries. After some time living in Dublin, he has returned to live in his native Wex ...

, author, was born and lives in Enniscorthy

International relations

Enniscorthy is twinned with

in France. :fr:Gimont Enniscorthy was also the host town of the team and supporters from

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...