County Wexford ( ga, Contae Loch Garman) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It is in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...

and is part of the Southern Region. Named after the town of

Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N1 ...

, it was based on the historic

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

territory of Hy Kinsella (''Uí Ceinnsealaigh''), whose capital was

Ferns A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except t ...

Wexford County Council Wexford County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae Loch Garman) is the authority responsible for local government in County Wexford, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for ho ...

is the

local authority Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...

for the county. The population of the county was 149,722 at the 2016 census.

History

The county is rich in evidence of early human habitation.Stout, Geraldine. "Essay 1: Wexford in Prehistory 5000 B.C. to 300 AD" in ''Wexford: History and Society'', pp 1 - 39. ''Portal tombs'' (sometimes called

dolmen A dolmen () or portal tomb is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the early Neolithic (40003000 BCE) and were so ...

s) exist at Ballybrittas (on Bree Hill) and at

Newbawn Newbawn () is a small village located in the southwest of County Wexford, in Ireland. It is located on the R735 regional road about 3 km (~2 miles) south of the N25 national primary road. Etymology Newbawn in the Irish language is . me ...

— and date from the

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several part ...

period or earlier. Remains from the

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

period are far more widespread. Early Irish tribes formed the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnsealaig, an area that was slightly larger than the current County Wexford. County Wexford was one of the earliest areas of

to be Christianised, in the early 5th century. Later, from 819 onwards, the Vikings invaded and plundered many Christian sites in the county.

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or mediev ...

(A.F.M.) Vikings settled at Wexford town near the end of the 9th century. In 1169, Wexford was the site of the invasion of Ireland by

Normans The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. T ...

at the behest of Diarmuid Mac Murrough, King of Uí Cheinnsealaig and

king of Leinster The kings of Leinster ( ga, Rí Laighín), ruled from the establishment of Leinster during the Irish Iron Age, until the 17th century Early Modern Ireland. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasio ...

(Laigin). This was followed by the subsequent colonisation of the country by the

Cambro-Normans Cambro-Normans ( la, Cambria; "Wales", cy, Normaniaid Cymreig; nrf, Nouormands Galles) were Normans who settled in southern Wales, and the Welsh Marches, after the Norman invasion of Wales, allied with their counterpart families who settled ...

. The native Irish began to regain some of their former territories in the 14th century, especially in the north of the county, principally under Art MacMurrough Kavanagh. Under

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disagr ...

, the great religious houses were dissolved, 1536–41; in County Wexford this included Glascarrig Priory, Clonmines Priory,

Tintern Abbey Tintern Abbey ( cy, Abaty Tyndyrn ) was founded on 9 May 1131 by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow. It is situated adjacent to the village of Tintern in Monmouthshire, on the Welsh bank of the River Wye, which at this location forms the bo ...

, and

Dunbrody Abbey Dunbrody Abbey ( ga, Mainistir Dhún Bróithe) is a former Cistercian monastery in County Wexford, Ireland.B. Colfer, ''The Hook Peninsula: County Wexford'', Irish Rural Landscapes: II (Cork University Press 2004)pp. 61-68(Google). The cross ...

. On 23 October 1641, a major rebellion broke out in Ireland, and County Wexford produced strong support for

Confederate Ireland Confederate Ireland, also referred to as the Irish Catholic Confederation, was a period of Irish Catholic self-government between 1642 and 1649, during the Eleven Years' War. Formed by Catholic aristocrats, landed gentry, clergy and military ...

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three K ...

and his

English Parliamentarian The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the great council of bishops and peers that advised ...

Army arrived in 1649 in the county and captured it. The lands of the Irish and Anglo-Normans were confiscated and given to Cromwell's soldiers as payment for their service in the Parliamentarian Army. At

Duncannon Duncannon () is a village in southwest County Wexford, Ireland. Bordered to the west by Waterford harbour and sitting on a rocky headland jutting into the channel is the strategically prominent Duncannon Fort which dominates the village. Pri ...

, in the south-west of the county, James II, after his defeat at the

Battle of the Boyne The Battle of the Boyne ( ga, Cath na Bóinne ) was a battle in 1690 between the forces of the deposed King James II of England and Ireland, VII of Scotland, and those of King William III who, with his wife Queen Mary II (his cousin and J ...

, embarked for

Kinsale Kinsale ( ; ) is a historic port and fishing town in County Cork, Ireland. Located approximately south of Cork City on the southeast coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon, and has a population of 5,281 ...

and then to exile in France. County Wexford was the most important area in which the

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

was fought, during which significant battles occurred at The

Battle of Oulart Hill The Battle of Oulart Hill took place on 27 May 1798 when a rebel gathering of between 4,000 and 5,000 annihilated a detachment of 110 militia sent from Wexford town to stamp out the spreading rebellion in County Wexford. Background When news ...

during the

1798 rebellion 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 b ...

Vinegar Hill (Enniscorthy) Enniscorthy () is the second-largest town in County Wexford, Ireland. At the 2016 census, the population of the town and environs was 11,381. The town is located on the picturesque River Slaney and in close proximity to the Blackstairs Mountai ...

and

New Ross New Ross (, formerly ) is a town in southwest County Wexford, Ireland. It is located on the River Barrow, near the border with County Kilkenny, and is around northeast of Waterford. In 2016 it had a population of 8,040 people, making it t ...

. The famous ballad "

Boolavogue Boolavogue, also spelt Boolavoge or Boleyvogue (), is a village 12 km northeast of Enniscorthy in County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Roman Catholic Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns, Diocese of Ferns. It has given its na ...

" was written in remembrance of the Wexford Rising. At Easter 1916, a small

rebellion Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

occurred at

Enniscorthy Enniscorthy () is the second-largest town in County Wexford, Ireland. At the 2016 census, the population of the town and environs was 11,381. The town is located on the picturesque River Slaney and in close proximity to the Blackstairs Mounta ...

town, on cue with that in

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 ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, German planes bombed

Campile Campile () is a small village situated in County Wexford in the south of Ireland. It is south of the town of New Ross. As of the 2016 census, Campile had a population of 448 people. History Archaeological evidence of ancient settlement in t ...

. In 1963

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

, then

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

, visited the county and his ancestral home at Dunganstown, near

Geography and subdivisions

Wexford is the 13th-largest of Ireland's thirty-two traditional counties in area, and 14th-largest in terms of population. It is the largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size, and fourth-largest in terms of population. The county is located in the south-east corner of the island of Ireland. It is bounded by the sea on two sides—on the south by the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Afr ...

and on the east by

St. George's Channel St George's Channel ( cy, Sianel San Siôr, ga, Muir Bhreatan) is a sea channel connecting the Irish Sea to the north and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. Historically, the name "St George's Channel" was used interchangeably with "Irish Sea" ...

and the

Irish Sea The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...

. The

River Barrow The Barrow ( ga, An Bhearú) is a river in Ireland. It is one of The Three Sisters; the other two being the River Suir and the River Nore. The Barrow is the longest of the three rivers, and at 192 km (120 mi), the second-longest ...

forms its western boundary. The

Blackstairs Mountains The Blackstairs Mountains ( ga, Na Staighrí Dubha) run roughly north/south along the border between County Carlow and County Wexford in Ireland. The highest peak is Mount Leinster with a total height of 2612 ft/ 796 metres. See also *List ...

form part of the boundary to the north, as do the southern edges of the

Wicklow Mountains The Wicklow Mountains (, archaic: '' Cualu'') form the largest continuous upland area in the Republic of Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into the counties of Dublin, Wexford and Carlow. Wh ...

. The adjoining counties are

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

to the south-west, Kilkenny to the west,

Carlow Carlow ( ; ) is the county town of County Carlow, in the south-east of Ireland, from Dublin. At the 2016 census, it had a combined urban and rural population of 24,272. The River Barrow flows through the town and forms the historic bounda ...

to the north-west and

Wicklow Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has ...

in the north.

Towns and villages

*County Town:

*Market Town:

Gorey Gorey () is a market town in north County Wexford, Ireland. It is beside the main M11 Dublin to Wexford road. The town is also connected to the railway network along the same route. Local newspapers include the ''Gorey Guardian''. As a growi ...

Adamstown Adamstown may refer to: Locations Australia * Adamstown, New South Wales, a suburb in New South Wales Ireland * Adamstown, Castletownkindalen, a townland in Castletownkindalen civil parish, barony of Moycashel, County Westmeath * Adamstown, Conr ...

Arthurstown Arthurstown () is a small village in the townland of Coleman in southwest County Wexford, Ireland. It is located at the junction of the R733 and R770 regional roads on the eastern shore of the Waterford Harbour estuary, where The Three Siste ...

* Ballycanew *

Ballycullane Ballycullane () is a small village located in the south-west of County Wexford, in Ireland. As of the 2016 census, it had a population of 318 people. Transport Ballycullane Railway Station opened on 1 August 1906. In its final years the rail s ...

Ballyedmond Ballyedmond () is a small village and townland in County Wexford in Ireland. It is situated on the R741 regional road The term regional road (or route) is used in a number of places to designate roads of more than purely ''local'' but less th ...

Ballyfad In Ireland Counties are divided into Civil Parishes and Parishes are further divided into townlands. The following is a list of townlands in County Antrim, Northern Ireland: __NOTOC__ A Acravally, Aganlane (also known as Parkmore), Aghaboy, ...

Ballygarrett Ballygarrett () is a rural village in the southeastern corner of Ireland. It is situated in County Wexford south of Gorey on the R742 regional road. The birthplace of Texas empresario James Power, Ballygarrett is twinned with Refugio, ...

* Ballyhack * Ballymitty * Ballywilliam *

Bannow Bannow () is a village and civil parish lying east of Bannow Bay on the south-west coast of County Wexford, Ireland. In modern times the main settlement is the village of Carrig-on-Bannow (or ''Carrig''). In Norman times there was a borough ...

Barntown Barntown () is a townland and village in County Wexford, Ireland. Located just outside the boundary of Wexford town, as of the 2016 census, Barntown had a population of 459 people. The remains of Barntown Castle, a Norman tower house, lie to ...

Blackwater Blackwater or Black Water may refer to: Health and ecology * Blackwater (coal), liquid waste from coal preparation * Blackwater (waste), wastewater containing feces, urine, and flushwater from flush toilets * Blackwater fever, an acute kidney disea ...

* Bree *

Bridgetown Bridgetown (UN/LOCODE: BB BGI) is the capital and largest city of Barbados. Formerly The Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael. Bridgetown is sometimes locally referred to as "The Cit ...

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

Bunclody Bunclody (), formerly Newtownbarry (until 1950), is a small town on the River Slaney in Wexford, Ireland. It is located near the foot of Mount Leinster. Most of the town is in County Wexford; a small area at the north end of town is in Count ...

* Camolin *

Castlebridge Castlebridge () is a small town on the R741 regional road in County Wexford, Ireland, north of Wexford Town. It is located near the River Slaney and just north of Wexford Harbour. Castlebridge is a rapidly expanding suburb of Wexford To ...

* Castletown *

Cleariestown Cleariestown (), or Cleristown, is a small village situated in the south of County Wexford, in Ireland. Cleariestown village has a Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civili ...

Clohamon Clohamon () is a small, rural village and townland near Bunclody in County Wexford, Ireland. Located on the River Slaney The River Slaney () is a large river in the southeast of Ireland. It rises on Lugnaquilla Mountain in the western Wi ...

Clonroche Clonroche () is a village in County Wexford, Ireland. It is located approximately west of Enniscorthy and approximately east of New Ross, on the N30 national primary route. History From the mid-17th century until the early 20th century, th ...

Coolgreany Coolgreany () is a village located in north County Wexford in Ireland, in the shadow of Croghan Mountain, overlooking Tara Hill in the extreme north of County Wexford. The village is located about 3 km from the N11 Dublin-Wexford road ...

Courtown Courtown () is a village in County Wexford, Ireland. It was developed after Lord Courtown ordered the construction of a harbour during the Famine years, 1839–1846. The economic boost of the new harbour led to a small village developing with ...

Craanford Craanford () is a small village in north County Wexford, Ireland, situated on the R725 regional road midway between Gorey and Carnew. It is closely associated with the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The village features an early 17th-century cor ...

Crossabeg Crossabeg or Crosabeg () is a small village in County Wexford, Ireland, just north of Wexford town. It contains The Forge Storytelling House, Foley's Pub, St Patrick, St Brigid and St Killian's Catholic church with adjoining cemetery and a pri ...

Cullenstown Cullenstown () is a townland and small village located on the south coast of County Wexford, in Ireland. A small beach, Cullenstown Strand, is located nearby. Cullenstown is home to the "shell cottage" (also known as "cliff cottage"), a 19th c ...

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 roa ...

Duncormick Duncormick or Duncormac () is a rural village and surrounding community located in County Wexford, Ireland. At the time of the 2016 census, the village of Duncormick had a population of 116 people. The village is from Wexford Town, close to t ...

Fethard-on-Sea Fethard-on-Sea or Fethard () is a village in southwest County Wexford in Ireland. It lies on the R734 road on the eastern side of the Hook peninsula, between Waterford Harbour and Bannow Bay. The village had a population of 311 as of the ...

* Foulkesmill *

Hollyfort Hollyfort () is a village north of County Wexford, Ireland. It lies within the townland of Mongan () in the valley of the River Bann, 5 km northwest of Gorey. Like its neighbour Monaseed Monaseed () is a small village in north Count ...

Inch Measuring tape with inches The inch (symbol: in or ″) is a unit of length in the British imperial and the United States customary systems of measurement. It is equal to yard or of a foot. Derived from the Roman uncia ("twelft ...

Killinierin Kilanerin or Killinierin () is a village in north County Wexford, Ireland, 4 kilometres west of the N11 road, near the village of Inch and approximately 12 kilometres from the town of Gorey. It lies in the foothills of Croghan Mountain, the ...

* Kilmore *

Kilmore Quay Kilmore Quay () is a fishing village near Kilmore, County Wexford, Kilmore, in County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. As of 2016, it has a population of 372. It is a fishing village, but its leisure facilities such as sailing, and Anglin ...

Kilmuckridge Kilmuckridge (), formerly Ford or The Ford, is a village in County Wexford in Ireland, near the Irish Sea coast. As of the 2016 census, the village had a population of 722 people, having more than tripled in size (from 235) in the 20 years since ...

Kiltealy Kiltealy () is a small village in the southeastern corner of Ireland. It is situated on the foothills of the Blackstairs Mountains in County Wexford at the junction of the R702 and R730 regional roads, on the eastern flank of the Blackstairs ...

Monamolin Monamolin or Monamoling () is a small rural village in County Wexford, Ireland, about south of the town of Gorey. Monamolin (in the parish of the same name),Monaseed Monaseed () is a small village in north County Wexford. The small village centre comprises a primary national school (established in 1913), a Catholic church, and a community hall. Monaseed is approximately 4 km from Craanford, and 14 ...

Murrintown Murrintown (), also spelled Murntown, is a small village located in the southeast of County Wexford, in Ireland, close to Wexford town. It is part of the parish of Piercestown. Murrintown village contains a pub, primary school, Roman Catholic ...

Monageer Monageer (), or Monagear, is a small village situated in the centre of County Wexford, in Ireland. It is located a few kilometres roughly northeast of Enniscorthy town. Monageer village contains a shop, a pub, a primary school, and a Roman Cat ...

Monbeg Monbeg ( ga, an Mhoing Bheag) is a townland north-west of Enniscorthy, Ireland, in County Wexford. The population is about 101 inhabitants. There are views of surrounding areas from Monbeg Lane. The name Monbeg is derived from the Irish Iri ...

Oulart Oulart (, formerly ''Ubhallghort'' - ''"the orchard"''), is a small village in the southeastern corner of Ireland. It is situated in County Wexford just off the R741 regional road halfway between the towns of Gorey to the north and Wexford t ...

Oylegate Oylegate or Oilgate (), also known previously as Mullinagore (), is a small village in Ireland, located about halfway between Wexford and Enniscorthy towns, in County Wexford. It had a population of 358 as of the 2016 census. Name The nam ...

Poulpeasty Poulpeasty, officially Pollpeasty (), is a small village in the west of County Wexford, Ireland. History and development The village and surrounding area were once part of the large estate of the Carew family in the nearby, but now ruined, Cas ...

* Rathangan * Rosslare *

Rosslare Harbour The village of Rosslare Harbour (), also known as Ballygeary, grew up to serve the needs of the harbour of the same name (now called Rosslare Europort), first developed in 1906 by the Great Western Railway and the Great Southern and Western Rai ...

* Raheen *

Rathnure Rathnure () is a small village on the R731 regional road about from the town of Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland. The village is located at the foot of the Blackstairs Mountain, which borders County Carlow on the opposite side. Place ...

Saltmills Saltmills () is a small village located in the south-west of County Wexford, in Ireland. The village is located at the head of a small inlet that enters Bannow Bay. The village received its name from the medieval mills that existed just outside ...

Taghmon Taghmon (; ) is a village in County Wexford, Ireland. It lies on the R738 regional road, 14 km west of Wexford Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estua ...

Watch House Village Watch House Village is a small village in County Wexford, Ireland, on the River Derry. It is a twin village of the much larger Clonegal in County Carlow County Carlow ( ; ga, Contae Cheatharlach) is a Counties of Ireland, county locate ...

Wellingtonbridge Wellingtonbridge (), also spelled Wellington Bridge, is a village in south County Wexford, Ireland. It lies some 24 km west of Wexford and 28 km east of Waterford, at the intersection of the R733 and R736 regional roads. It was his ...

Mountains and hills

Largely low-lying fertile land is the characteristic landscape of the county. The highest point in the county is Mount Leinster at , in the

in the north-west on the boundary with County Carlow. Other high points: *

Black Rock Mountain Black Rock Mountain State Park is a Georgia, United States, state park west of Mountain City in Rabun County, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is named after its sheer cliffs of dark-colored biotite gneiss. Astride the Eastern Continental Di ...

, , located near the Wexford-Carlow border, within County Wexford. *

Croghan Mountain Croghan Mountain or Croghan Kinsella () at , is the 211th–highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 258th–highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The V ...

(or ''Croghan Kinsella'') on the Wexford-Wicklow border - *Annagh Hill, , near the Wicklow border * Slieveboy, Notable hills include: Carrigbyrne Hill; Camross (or Camaross) Hill, ;OSI, ''Discovery Series 77''. Carrigmaistia, ; Bree Hill, ; Gibbet Hill; Vinegar Hill; Slievecoiltia; Forth Mountain, ; and Tara Hill. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge

Rivers and lakes

The major rivers are the Slaney and the Barrow. At in length, the river Barrow is the second-longest river on the island of Ireland. Smaller rivers of note are the Owenduff, Pollmounty, Corrock, Urrin, Boro, Owenavorragh (also spelt Ounavarra), Sow and Bann rivers. There are no significant fresh-water lakes in the county. Small seaside lakes or

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into '' coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons' ...

s exist at two locations – one is called

Lady's Island Lake Lady's Island Lake () is a brackish lake in the south of County Wexford, Ireland. The lake is technically a back-barrier seepage lagoon, one of only two in Ireland. The other is nearby Tacumshin Lake. The lake has no natural outlet, but is sep ...

and the other Tacumshin Lake. The ''Wexford Cot'' is a flat-bottomed boat used for fishing on the tidal mudflats in Wexford. A canoe-shaped punt fitted with a gun, called a ''float'' in Wexford, is used traditionally to shoot game birds in the

North Slob The North Slob is an area of mud-flats at the estuary of the River Slaney at Wexford Harbour, Ireland. The North Slob is an area of that was reclaimed in the mid-19th century by the building of a sea wall.Saltee Islands The Saltee Islands ( Irish: ''Oileán an tSalainn''; Old Norse: ''Salt ey'' ) are a pair of small islands lying 5 kilometres off the southern coast of County Wexford in Ireland. The two islands are Great Saltee (89 hectares) and Little Saltee (3 ...

lie offshore from Kilmore Quay, while the smaller

Keeragh Islands The Keeragh Islands (Irish: ''Oileáin na gCaorach'') are a pair of small islets located approximately 1.5 km (1 mile) off the coast of Bannow in south County Wexford, Ireland (GPS: Latitude: 52.1983, Longitude: -6.73778). They are a design ...

are offshore from Bannow.

Climate

Curracloe dunes and beach along Wexford Bay - geograph

County Wexford, sometimes dubbed Ireland's "sunny southeast", has in general a higher number of hours of sunshine recorded daily than in the rest of the country. This has resulted in Wexford becoming one of the most popular places in Ireland in which to reside. The county has a mild, but changeable,

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...

with few extremes. The

North Atlantic Drift The North Atlantic Current (NAC), also known as North Atlantic Drift and North Atlantic Sea Movement, is a powerful warm western boundary current within the Atlantic Ocean that extends the Gulf Stream northeastward. The NAC originates from where ...

, a continuation of the

Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension the North Atlantic Drift, is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the Uni ...

, moderates winter temperatures. There is a

meteorological station A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for measuring atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include tempera ...

located at

. January and February are generally the coldest months, with temperatures ranging from on average. July and August are generally the warmest months, with average temperatures ranging from in coastal areas and in inland areas. The

prevailing winds In meteorology, prevailing wind in a region of the Earth's surface is a surface wind that blows predominantly from a particular direction. The dominant winds are the trends in direction of wind with the highest speed over a particular point on ...

blow from the south-west. Precipitation falls throughout the year. Mean annual rainfall is . Generally, the county receives less snow than more northerly parts of

. Heavy snowfalls are relatively rare, but can occur. The one exception is

Mount Leinster Mount Leinster ( ga, Stua Laighean) is a mountain in the Republic of Ireland. It straddles the border between Counties Carlow and Wexford, in the province of Leinster. It is the fifth-highest mountain in Leinster after Lugnaquilla , Mullaghcle ...

, visible from a large portion of the county, and frequently covered with snow during the winter months.

Frost Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above- freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a g ...

is frequent in winter months, less so in coastal areas.

Soil

ice sheet In glaciology, an ice sheet, also known as a continental glacier, is a mass of glacial ice that covers surrounding terrain and is greater than . The only current ice sheets are in Antarctica and Greenland; during the Last Glacial Period at ...

covered most, but not all, of the county during the last

Ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages and gre ...

. As the

ice Ice is water frozen into a solid state, typically forming at or below temperatures of 0 degrees Celsius or Depending on the presence of impurities such as particles of soil or bubbles of air, it can appear transparent or a more or less opaq ...

retreated, County Wexford would have been one of the first areas to be covered with

glacial drift In geology, drift is a name for all sediment (clay, silt, sand, gravel, boulders) transported by a glacier and deposited directly by or from the ice, or by glacial meltwater. Drift is often subdivided into (unsorted and) unstratified drift (glaci ...

(a mixture of

boulder In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In ...

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay part ...

sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a soil texture, textur ...

and

gravel Gravel is a loose aggregation of rock fragments. Gravel occurs naturally throughout the world as a result of sedimentary and erosive geologic processes; it is also produced in large quantities commercially as crushed stone. Gravel is classif ...

) that blanketed the existing

bedrock In geology, bedrock is solid rock that lies under loose material ( regolith) within the crust of Earth or another terrestrial planet. Definition Bedrock is the solid rock that underlies looser surface material. An exposed portion of be ...

. This has led to high-quality

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former ...

s, suitable for a wide range of

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peop ...

. A very detailed soil survey of the county was published in 1964 as part of the 'National Soil Survey of Ireland'. It classifies each area of the county according to its specific

soil type A soil type is a taxonomic unit in soil science. All soils that share a certain set of well-defined properties form a distinctive soil type. Soil type is a technical term of soil classification, the science that deals with the systematic categori ...

. Most of the county is covered with soils called ''

brown earth Brown earth is a type of soil. Brown earths are mostly located between 35° and 55° north of the Equator. The largest expanses cover western and central Europe, large areas of western and trans-Uralian Russia, the east coast of America and easter ...

s'', described as well-drained and having a wide use-range. After that, ''gleys'' (poorly to imperfectly drained with a limited use-range) are the next major soil type, primarily located in the south-east of the county and east of

(along the coast). Gleys are dotted elsewhere around the county in small areas, and where they occur they generally form

bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...

land. The last major soil type, ''

brown podzolic Brown podzolic soils are a subdivision of the Podzolic soils in the British soil classification. Although classed with podzols because they have an iron-rich, or spodic horizon, they are, in fact intermediate between podzols and Brown earths. ...

s'', occur mainly near the edges of the Blackstairs Mountain range and around

and in the

baronies Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the Britis ...

of East

Shelmalier Shelmalier or Shelmaliere (Irish: ''Síol Maoluír'', from Old Irish ''Síl Máel Uidir'', "Offspring of Maeleer") is a region in County Wexford, Ireland. It comprises two historical baronies Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office ...

and South Ballaghkeen. Though there are areas covered with other

s, these are of limited extent.

Flora

Common species of tree include

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

ash Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

sycamore Sycamore is a name which has been applied to several types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms. The name derives from the ancient Greek ' (''sūkomoros'') meaning "fig-mulberry". Species of trees known as sycamore: * '' Acer pseudoplat ...

alder Alders are trees comprising the genus ''Alnus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The genus comprises about 35 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, a few reaching a large size, distributed throughout the north temperate zone with a few sp ...

blackthorn ''Prunus spinosa'', called blackthorn or sloe, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. The species is native to Europe, western Asia, and regionally in northwest Africa. It is locally naturalized in New Zealand, Tasmania ...

hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...

beech Beech (''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Recent classifications recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, ''Engleriana'' and ''Fagus''. The ''Engl ...

and

birch A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech- oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 3 ...

. Less common (but plentiful) species include wild cherry and

Scots pine ''Pinus sylvestris'', the Scots pine (UK), Scotch pine (US) or Baltic pine, is a species of tree in the pine family Pinaceae that is native to Eurasia. It can readily be identified by its combination of fairly short, blue-green leaves and or ...

(also called red deal).

Elm Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the flowering plant genus ''Ulmus'' in the plant family Ulmaceae. They are distributed over most of the Northern Hemisphere, inhabiting the temperate and tropical-montane regions of Nor ...

is now far less common, due to the devastating effects of

Dutch elm disease Dutch elm disease (DED) is caused by a member of the sac fungi (Ascomycota) affecting elm trees, and is spread by elm bark beetles. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease was accidentally introduced into America, Europe, ...

Gorse ''Ulex'' (commonly known as gorse, furze, or whin) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. The genus comprises about 20 species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae. The species are ...

(or furze) is very common. A priority habitat in Wexford is the

grey dune Grey dunes are fixed, stable sand dunes that are covered by a continuous layer of herbaceous vegetation. These dunes are typically located 50–100 meters from the ocean shore and are found on the landward side of foredunes (also known as yell ...

, on which many native wild flora grow, including

bee orchid Bee orchid is a common name for several orchids and may refer to: *''Cottonia peduncularis'', a species of orchid from India and Sri Lanka *''Diuris carinata'', a species of orchid from the south-west of Western Australia *'' Ida barringtoniae'', a ...

and

pyramidal orchid ''Anacamptis pyramidalis'', the pyramidal orchid, is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the genus ''Anacamptis'' of the family Orchidaceae. The scientific name ''Anacamptis'' derives from Greek ανακάμτειν 'anakamptein' meaning 'b ...

. Despite the designation of much of this habitat as a

Special Area of Conservation A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and a ...

, it remains threatened by destruction for agricultural intensification. There is very little natural forest in the county. Most natural trees and vegetation grow on

hedge A hedge or hedgerow is a line of closely spaced shrubs and sometimes trees, planted and trained to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area, such as between neighbouring properties. Hedges that are used to separate a road from adjoin ...

rows.

Fauna

South-eastern Wexford is an important site for wild birds—the north side of

Wexford Harbour Wexford Harbour ( gle, Loch Garman) in County Wexford, Ireland is the natural harbour at the mouth of the River Slaney. In earlier times, the area occupied by the harbour was considerably larger than it is today, up to ten miles (16 km) w ...

, the

North Slob The North Slob is an area of mud-flats at the estuary of the River Slaney at Wexford Harbour, Ireland. The North Slob is an area of that was reclaimed in the mid-19th century by the building of a sea wall.Greenland white-fronted geese each winter (roughly one third of the entire world's population), while in the summer

is an important breeding site for

tern Terns are seabirds in the family Laridae that have a worldwide distribution and are normally found near the sea, rivers, or wetlands. Terns are treated as a subgroup of the family Laridae which includes gulls and skimmers and consists o ...

s, especially the

roseate tern The roseate tern (''Sterna dougallii'') is a species of tern in the family Laridae. The genus name ''Sterna'' is derived from Old English "stearn", "tern", and the specific ''dougallii'' refers to Scottish physician and collector Dr Peter McDo ...

. The

grey heron The grey heron (''Ardea cinerea'') is a long-legged wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in much of its range, but some populations from the more northern ...

is also seen. Throughout the county

pheasant Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera native range is restricted to Eurasia ...

woodpigeon The common wood pigeon or common woodpigeon (''Columba palumbus''), also known as simply wood pigeon, wood-pigeon or woodpigeon, is a large species in the dove and pigeon family (Columbidae), native to the western Palearctic. It belongs to the g ...

and

feral A feral () animal or plant is one that lives in the wild but is descended from domesticated individuals. As with an introduced species, the introduction of feral animals or plants to non-native regions may disrupt ecosystems and has, in some ...

pigeons Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

are widespread.

Mute swan The mute swan (''Cygnus olor'') is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae. It is native to much of Eurosiberia, and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa. It is an introduced species in North America, ho ...

mallard The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...

kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania ...

, and owls (the

long-eared owl The long-eared owl (''Asio otus''), also known as the northern long-eared owlOlsen, P.D. & Marks, J.S. (2019). ''Northern Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)''. In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook o ...

, the

short-eared owl The short-eared owl (''Asio flammeus'') is a widespread grassland species in the family Strigidae. Owls belonging to genus ''Asio'' are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or ...

, and the

barn owl The barn owl (''Tyto alba'') is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds, being found almost everywhere except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himala ...

) are less common - but plentiful.

Red grouse The red grouse (''Lagopus lagopus scotica'') is a medium-sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It is usually classified as a subspecies of the willow ptarmigan but is sometimes consid ...

, once common, is now extremely scarce. The species has been in decline for some decades. Threats include habitat degradation, disease, predation and over-hunting. Red grouse in Ireland are now considered threatened. The

corncrake The corn crake, corncrake or landrail (''Crex crex'') is a bird in the rail family. It breeds in Europe and Asia as far east as western China, and migrates to Africa for the Northern Hemisphere's winter. It is a medium-sized crake with buff- ...

, also once very common, is now almost never seen. Smaller birds—such as crows, swallows, robins, wrens and so on—are very common. The first

magpies Magpies are birds of the Corvidae family. Like other members of their family, they are widely considered to be intelligent creatures. The Eurasian magpie, for instance, is thought to rank among the world's most intelligent creatures, and is o ...

were recorded by Robert Leigh, of Rosegarland, County Wexford, as having appeared in the County of Wexford about 1676. Land mammals include

badger Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae (which also includes the otters, wolverines, martens, minks, polecats, weasels, and ferrets). Badgers are a polyphyletic rather than a natural taxonomic grouping, being united ...

rabbit Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit s ...

, otter,

hedgehog A hedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae. There are seventeen species of hedgehog in five genera found throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduct ...

, red fox,

mink Mink are dark-colored, semiaquatic, carnivorous mammals of the genera '' Neogale'' and '' Mustela'' and part of the family Mustelidae, which also includes weasels, otters, and ferrets. There are two extant species referred to as "mink": ...

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...

s, squirrels (

red Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a seconda ...

and

grey Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be compos ...

rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include '' Neotoma'' ( pack rats), '' Bandicota'' (bandico ...

s (

brown Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model use ...

and

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

- both

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived the ...

), and

mice A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...

( wood (or field) and

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air ...

). Two types of

hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The g ...

—the Irish (or mountain) hare and the less common brown (or European) hare—are found. Hare is not nearly as common as rabbit. The

stoat The stoat (''Mustela erminea''), also known as the Eurasian ermine, Beringian ermine and ermine, is a mustelid native to Eurasia and the northern portions of North America. Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least C ...

(''Mustela erminea hibernica'') is also reasonably common. Locally the stoat is just as often incorrectly called a

weasel Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets and European mink. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slender ...

. Only two types of

seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impr ...

are found on County Wexford's coast— Atlantic grey seals are very plentiful in coastal areas; the slightly smaller common (or harbour) seal is less common, yet plentiful. The ''

small tortoiseshell The small tortoiseshell (''Aglais urticae'') is a colourful Eurasian butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Adults feed on nectar and may hibernate over winter; in warmer climates they may have two broods in a season. While the dorsal surface of th ...

butterfly'' (reddish-orange colour, with black markings) is the most common species of

butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises ...

in the county. Various types of

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of ...

are also common. The

common frog The common frog or grass frog (''Rana temporaria''), also known as the European common frog, European common brown frog, European grass frog, European Holarctic true frog, European pond frog or European brown frog, is a semi-aquatic amphibian ...

- the only type of

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-frog" '' Triadobatrachus'' is ...

found - is plentiful.

Governance and politics

Local government

has thirty-four members. The council has three representatives on the

Southern Regional Assembly The Southern Region has been a region in Ireland since 1 January 2015. It is a NUTS Level II statistical region of Ireland (coded IE05). NUTS 2 Regions may be classified as ''less developed regions'', ''transition regions'', or ''more dev ...

, where it is part of the

South-East The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...

strategic planning area.

National politics

County Wexford is represented by the Dáil constituency of

(5 seats). The county is part of the

European Parliament constituency Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are elected by the population of the member states of the European Union (EU). The European Electoral Act 2002 allows member states the choice to allocate electoral subdivisions or constituencies (, ...

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

(5 seats).

Demographics

In 2016, the county had a total population of 149,722 people. Of these, 61.4% (91,969 people) lived in rural areas and 38.6% (57,753 people) lived in urban areas. 83.8% of the population stated their religion as Roman Catholic, 7.1% other religions, and 7.5% stated they had no religion. Between 2006 and 2011, the population increased by 10%, slowing to 3% between 2011 and 2016.

Urban areas and populations

Culture

Wexford Pikeman Statue by Oliver Sheppard 2010 09 29

Since 1951, an

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libre ...

festival,

Wexford Festival Opera Wexford Festival Opera () is an opera festival that takes place in the town of Wexford in south-eastern Ireland during the months of October and November. The festival began in 1951 under Tom Walsh and a group of opera lovers who quickly gene ...

, takes place every year in the Theatre Royal in Wexford town and runs for several weeks. In 2008, a new Opera House replaced the old one on the same site, once called the Wexford Opera House, but in 2014 being designated as Ireland's

National Opera House The National Opera House, formerly the Wexford Opera House, is a theatre in Wexford, Ireland. It was officially opened on 5 September 2008 in a ceremony with An Taoiseach Brian Cowen, followed by a live broadcast of RTÉ's ''The Late Late Sh ...

. It consists of two theatres, the O'Reilly Theatre and the Jerome Hynes Theatre. There is a renowned singing tradition in County Wexford. Having an abundance of traditional songs, many of which relate to the

rebellion of 1798 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 county has for many years had a strong presence in the Irish traditional singing scene. Noted singers include All-Ireland Fleadh Champions

Paddy Berry Paddy Berry (Patrick Joseph Berry), born 12 October 1937, is a traditional Irish singer from Wexford, Ireland. Born and raised in Scar, Duncormick, Paddy Berry now lives in Drinagh, on the outskirts of Wexford Town. Paddy is a well known perf ...

, Seamus Brogan and Niall Wall. Paddy Berry has also collected and published a number of songs from Wexford. Beaches in

, County Wexford were used to film the opening scenes of the movie ''

Saving Private Ryan ''Saving Private Ryan'' is a 1998 American epic war film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. Set during the Battle of Normandy in World War II, the film is known for its graphic portrayal of war, especially its depictio ...

'', which depicted the D-day assault on

Omaha Beach Omaha Beach was one of five beach landing sectors designated for the amphibious assault component of operation Overlord during the Second World War. On June 6, 1944, the Allies invaded German-occupied France with the Normandy landings. "Omaha" ...

. ''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with '' The Three Musketeers''. L ...

'', directed by Kevin Reynolds, was partly filmed in the village of

in 2000 — Duncannon Fort being used for one of the main scenes. The movie

Brooklyn (film) ''Brooklyn'' is a 2015 romantic period drama film directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby, based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Colm Tóibín. A co-production between the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada, it stars Saoi ...

was partially filmed in

and featured some of the locals as extras.

Media

Two radio stations are based in the county:

South East Radio South East Radio is an Irish radio station based in County Wexford, broadcasting at 95.6; 96.2, and 96.4 MHz., The station also broadcasts on the same frequencies into adjoining counties - including Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford. Sout ...

and Beat FM. The county's main newspapers include ''

Wexford People The ''Wexford People'' is a local or regional newspaper published weekly every Tuesday in County Wexford, Ireland. The newspaper contains stories relating primarily to the town of Wexford and its surrounding area, as well as stories relating t ...

'', ''

New Ross Standard The ''New Ross Standard'' is a local newspaper published once per week (every Tuesday) in County Wexford, Ireland. It is published in colour. The newspaper was first published in the late-19th century (). In recent years, it has also been ma ...

'', ''

Gorey Guardian The ''Gorey Guardian'' is a local newspaper published once per week (every Tuesday) in County Wexford, Ireland. It is published in colour. Content The newspaper contains stories relating primarily to Gorey Gorey () is a market town in nort ...

'', and ''

Enniscorthy Echo The ''Enniscorthy Echo'' was a local newspaper published once per week (every Wednesday) in County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It was published in colour. History The newspaper was first published in 1902 from offices at Abbey Square ...

''.

Places of interest

The scenic Bannow Drive, popular amongst tourists, is a signposted route through four Wexford villages:

and

. Ballyteigue Burrow, located near

, is one of the finest protected sand

dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...

systems in Ireland. Rich in wildflowers, wildlife and butterflies, this 9 km (6 mile) coastal stretch is a protected nature reserve by the golden sands of Ballyteigue Bay, with spectacular scenery. The

Hook Peninsula The Hook Peninsula is a peninsula in County Wexford, Ireland. It has been a gateway to south-east Ireland for successive waves of newcomers, including the Vikings, Anglo-Normans and the English. The coastline has a number of beaches. The penins ...

is noted for its many beaches and spectacular scenery. It features the medieval

Hook Head Hook Head (), historically called Rindowan, is a headland in County Wexford, Ireland, on the east side of the estuary of The Three Sisters (Rivers Nore, Suir and Barrow). It is part of the Hook peninsula and is adjacent to the historic townl ...

lighthouse and the historic townland of

Loftus Hall Loftus Hall is a large country house on the Hook peninsula, County Wexford, Ireland. Built on the site of the original Redmond Hall, it is said to have been haunted by the devil and the ghost of a woman. Loftus Hall has a long history of own ...

. Popular beaches are located at

Carnsore Point Carnsore Point ( or ''Ceann an Chairn'') is a headland in the very South East corner of County Wexford, Ireland. This headland is Ireland's southern limit point of the Irish Sea, on the western side of St George's Channel. Ptolemy's ''Geograph ...

and

Rosslare Strand Rosslare Strand, or simply Rosslare ( or 'middle wood'), is a village and seaside resort in County Wexford, Ireland. The name Rosslare Strand is used to distinguish it from the nearby community of Rosslare Harbour, site of the Rosslare Europort. ...

. Other places of interest include: *

Castle and Abbey *

Castle and Museum *

Vinegar Hill Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to et ...

*National 1798 Visitor Centre *

*The

Browne-Clayton Monument The Browne-Clayton Monument is a column of the Corinthian order on a square pedestal base built in the 19th-century in Leinster, Ireland. It stands on Carrigadaggan Hill, at Carrigbyrne in County Wexford at , just off the N25 national route b ...

* Oulart Hill *

Castleboro House Castleboro House is a former stately home in Clonroche, County Wexford, Ireland. It was built in 1770 by Robert Shapland Carew, father of Robert Carew, 1st Baron Carew, who was an Irish Whig Party politician and landowner. The mansion has ...

*The Seven 'Castles' of Clonmines *

Johnstown Castle Johnstown Castle is a Gothic Revival castle located in County Wexford, Ireland. Location Johnstown Castle is located on the Johnstown Castle Estate, a estate, located off the road between Murntown and Rathaspeck, southwest of Wexford tow ...

*Dollar Bay *

- Abandoned Haunted House (the first Hall was built on this site in 1350) www.loftushall.ie *Ballyteigue Castle *

Church (dates from the 13th century) *

Selskar Abbey Selskar Abbey () is a ruined Augustinian abbey in Wexford, Ireland. Founded in the twelfth-century, the abbey's full name was the Priory of St Peter and St Paul. The name is derived from Old Norse ''selr-skar'', " seal skerry." History It ...

town *Irish National Heritage Park (Ferrycarrig) * Tacumshin windmill (southeast County Wexford) *

St. Mary's Church, New Ross St. Mary's Church is a medieval church and National Monument in New Ross, Ireland. Location St. Mary's Church is located on Mary Street, New Ross, on the east bank of the River Barrow. History Abbán built a monastery in the New Ross area in ...

Slade Castle Slade Castle is a tower house and National Monument in County Wexford, Ireland. It is located in the village of Slade on the Hook Peninsula and primarily dates to the late 15th or early 16th century. Location Slade Castle is located in the vil ...

* Ballyhack Castle *J.F. Kennedy homestead and park *Slieve Coilte * Wells House and Gardens *

Fort *

Saltee Islands The Saltee Islands ( Irish: ''Oileán an tSalainn''; Old Norse: ''Salt ey'' ) are a pair of small islands lying 5 kilometres off the southern coast of County Wexford in Ireland. The two islands are Great Saltee (89 hectares) and Little Saltee (3 ...

Economy

Agriculture

The economy is chiefly agricultural.

Cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...

sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus ''Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticated sh ...

pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus ''Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...

rearing and some

horse breeding Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics i ...

are the main types of

husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...

practised.

Poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quail ...

rearing, once popular, has very much declined.

Wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeolog ...

barley Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley ...

rapeseed Rapeseed (''Brassica napus ''subsp.'' napus''), also known as rape, or oilseed rape, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family), cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturally contains a ...

, and

oat The oat (''Avena sativa''), sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other cereals and pseudocereals). While oats are suitable for human co ...

s are grown, as are

potato The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern Un ...

es.

Sugar beet A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and which is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet ('' Beta vulgaris''). Together ...

is no longer grown due to the withdrawal of EU

subsidies A subsidy or government incentive is a form of financial aid or support extended to an economic sector (business, or individual) generally with the aim of promoting economic and social policy. Although commonly extended from the government, the ter ...

. The numbers involved in farming have been declining for many years and many of the seasonal workers are now eastern Europeans.

Mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...

s are also grown indoors.

Tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word , ...

es are grown under glass, for example at

. Wexford

strawberries The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown Hybrid (biology), hybrid species of the genus ''Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The f ...

are famous and can be bought in shops and wayside stalls throughout the summer. Every year, near the end of June, a 'Strawberry Fair' Festival takes place in the town of

, and a ''Strawberry Queen'' is crowned.

Dairy farming Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history th ...

forms an important part of the agricultural industry. Locally produced

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulati ...

is on sale in many supermarkets. Wexford Irish

Cheddar Cheddar most often refers to either: *Cheddar cheese *Cheddar, Somerset, the village after which Cheddar cheese is named Cheddar may also refer to: Places * Cheddar, Ontario, Canada * Cheddar Yeo, a river which flows through Cheddar Gorge and ...

is a brand, and Carrigbyrne, a full-flavoured soft

cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During product ...

, is produced near New Ross.

Forestry

Evergreen tree species are extensively cultivated, especially in more recent years—

Norway spruce ''Picea abies'', the Norway spruce or European spruce, is a species of spruce native to Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It has branchlets that typically hang downwards, and the largest cones of any spruce, 9–17 cm long. It is very clo ...

and

Sitka spruce ''Picea sitchensis'', the Sitka spruce, is a large, coniferous, evergreen tree growing to almost tall, with a trunk diameter at breast height that can exceed 5 m (16 ft). It is by far the largest species of spruce and the fifth-larg ...

are the most common varieties planted. These are generally sown on poorer quality soils (mainly in bogs and on hills or mountainsides). A small amount of

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, a ...

trees are also planted, though these require better soils.

Mining

Silver Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...

was once mined at Clonmines—primarily in Tudor times.

Lead Lead is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metals, heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale of mineral hardness#Intermediate ...

was mined at Caim, 1818 - c. 1850—this mine also contains

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic t ...

; the two are usually found together. Copper ore (

malachite Malachite is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral, with the formula Cu2CO3(OH)2. This opaque, green-banded mineral crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system, and most often forms botryoidal, fibrous, or stalagmitic masses, in fracture ...

) is found at Kerloge, just south of the town of

Iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in ...

is found in small quantities at Courtown Harbour. The county is not noted for mineral reserves. No significant mining activity is currently practised, with the exception of quarrying for stone. In 2007, a significant oil find was made off Hook Head in County Wexford.

Energy

made the national headlines in the late 1970s after a proposal was made to build a

nuclear energy Nuclear energy may refer to: *Nuclear power, the use of sustained nuclear fission or nuclear fusion to generate heat and electricity *Nuclear binding energy Nuclear binding energy in experimental physics is the minimum energy that is required t ...

plant there; the plans were abandoned after extensive protests from the public, due to environmental and health concerns. Great Island Power Station opened in 1967 and was operated by the

Electricity Supply Board The Electricity Supply Board (ESB; ga, Bord Soláthair an Leictreachais) is a state owned (95%; the rest are owned by employees) electricity company operating in the Republic of Ireland. While historically a monopoly, the ESB now operates as a ...

(ESB) until it was sold to

Endesa Endesa, S.A. (, originally an initialism for ''Empresa Nacional de Electricidad, S.A''.) is a Spanish multinational electric utility company, the largest in the country. The firm, a majority-owned subsidiary of the Italian utility company Enel, ...

in January 2009. It is an electricity-generating station fueled by

heavy fuel oil Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) is a category of fuel oils of a tar-like consistency. Also known as bunker fuel, or residual fuel oil, HFO is the result or remnant from the distillation and cracking process of petroleum. For this reason, HFO is contaminate ...

and rated at 240 MW. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Barrow and

Suir The River Suir ( ; ga, an tSiúr or ''Abhainn na Siúire'' ) is a river in Ireland that flows into the Atlantic Ocean through Waterford after a distance of . The catchment area of the Suir is 3,610 km2.

, near

. Before its sale, the station was scheduled to close by 2010. Endesa propose building a 430 MW

combined cycle gas turbine A combined cycle power plant is an assembly of heat engines that work in tandem from the same source of heat, converting it into mechanical energy. On land, when used to make electricity the most common type is called a combined cycle gas turb ...

(CCGT)

gas Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and plasma). A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon), elemental molecules made from one type of atom (e.g. oxygen), or ...

fired plant on the site. The project would need a new gas pipeline from the existing transmission network at Baunlusk, south of Kilkenny City. A

wind farm A wind farm or wind park, also called a wind power station or wind power plant, is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity. Wind farms vary in size from a small number of turbines to several hundred wind tur ...

has now been built on the site, featuring 14 wind turbines generating electricity. It was completed in November 2002 and was the first wind farm on the east coast of Ireland. Wind farms now exist at a few other locations in the county, such as

Ballywater Wind Farm The Ballywater Wind Farm is located between the villages of Kilmuckridge and Ballygarrett, and beside Ballinoulart in County Wexford, Ireland. The onshore wind farm, which commenced operation in 2005, has a capacity of 42 MW. It consists of 21 w ...

, at Cahore (near

), on the county's east coast, and Richfield wind farm, located in the southeast of the county.

Transport

* Bus: Wexford and Dublin are linked by

Bus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Ireland, with the exception of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subs ...

route 2, while route 5 operates Waterford-New Ross-Enniscorthy-Dublin. There are numerous local bus routes radiating from Wexford town to places such as

, Lady's Island,

. * Rail: The Rosslare–Dublin railway line runs through the county, serving Rosslare Europort, Rosslare Strand, Wexford, Enniscorthy and Gorey. Four trains run in each direction daily (three at weekends), with additional commuter services from Gorey. The Rosslare–Limerick railway line which traverses the southern part of the county is now mothballed but being maintained (it served stations at

Wellington Bridge Wellingtonbridge (), also spelled Wellington Bridge, is a village in south County Wexford, Ireland. It lies some 24 km west of Wexford and 28 km east of Waterford, at the intersection of the R733 and R736 regional roads. It was his ...

and

). * Ferry:

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 Conti ...

, located at

, operates a busy ferry service. There are regular sailings to

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

( Pembroke and

Fishguard Fishguard ( cy, Abergwaun, meaning "Mouth of the River Gwaun") is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, with a population of 3,419 in 2011; the community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5,407. Modern Fishguard consists of two ...

) and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

(

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 ...

and in the summer months to

Roscoff Roscoff (; br, Rosko) is a commune in the Finistère département of Brittany in northwestern France. Roscoff is renowned for its picturesque architecture, labelled (small town of character) since 2009. Roscoff is also a traditional departure ...

) for passengers and vehicles. There is also ferry service in operation between Ballyhack and

Passage East Passage East () is a fishing village in County Waterford, Ireland, situated on the west bank of Waterford Harbour. It is 12 km from Waterford city 10 km from Dunmore East and 21 km from Tramore. History On 23 August 1170, Strong ...

(County Waterford), crossing the Barrow estuary.

Sport and events

Gaelic games

In recent years the county Football team has been making rapid advances.

Camogie Camogie ( ; ga, camógaíocht ) is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and worldwide, largely among Irish communities. A variant of the game of hurling (which is played by men only ...

, a women's version of

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 pla ...

, is also played, and Wexford won the All Ireland in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Wexford Park Chadwicks Wexford Park is a GAA stadium in Wexford, County Wexford, Republic of Ireland. It is the home of Wexford GAA's Gaelic football and hurling teams. After a recent development the ground has a capacity of about 18,000. It is located in ...

is the county's main GAA pitch, holding 25,000 supporters. Also, handball is played on a limited basis; there are a number of handball alleys located throughout the county. As a county, Wexford are most noted for

have won the

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship The Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship, known simply as the Leinster Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Leinster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county hu ...

s a total of 21 times, first in 1890 and most recently in 2019. In the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championships, Wexford have won 6 times, first in 1910 and most recently in 1996, beating Limerick in the final.

Football

Wexford Youths F.C. Wexford Football Club is an Irish association football club based in Crossabeg, County Wexford. They compete in the League of Ireland First Division. The club joined the league after being awarded a First Division licence for the 2007 League ...

, formed 2007, renamed as Wexford FC in 2017, is the major football club in the county, currently playing in the

League of Ireland First Division The League of Ireland First Division ( ga, Céad Roinn Sraith na hÉireann), also known as the SSE Airtricity League First Division, is the second level division in both the League of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland football league system. ...

Golf

There are numerous golf clubs in the county - including Rosslare (a

Links course A links is the oldest style of golf course, first developed in Scotland. Links courses are generally built on sandy coastland that offers a firmer playing surface than parkland and heathland courses. The word "links" comes via the Scots langu ...

), and Enniscorthy. Two more are located near Gorey - Ballymoney Golf Club and Courtown Golf Club - are 18 hole golf courses. Bunclody Golf and Fishing Club, boasting Europe's only golf lift, is situated just inside

County Carlow County Carlow ( ; ga, Contae Cheatharlach) is a Counties of Ireland, county located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region of Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Carlow is the List of Irish counties by ...

. There are also a few others.

New Ross Golf Club New Ross Golf Club is an Irish golf club founded in 1905 and based in Tinneranny, New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland. The club's slogan is "A Pleasure to Play". History The land for a nine-hole golf course was acquired on Mockler's estate at Cas ...

, however, is actually located in

County Kilkenny County Kilkenny ( gle, Contae Chill Chainnigh) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the South-East Region. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. Kilkenny County Council is the local authority for the ...

- about 1 km (1,000 yards) from New Ross town. There are also many par-3 courses in the county, such as Scarke Golf Course & Driving Range, located about east of New Ross, the 'Abbey Par 3' course, at Winningtown, Fethard-on-Sea, Blackwater Par 3 Golf Course, Kilnew, Blackwater, located a few kilometres northeast of Wexford town, Garrylough Golf Course and Driving Range, Screen, and Rathaspeck Manor Golf Course, Rathaspeck, near Rosslare (there are also few Par-4 holes on this course). There are also a number of other Par-3 courses in the county. KilmoreMarina

Fishing

Maritime activity takes at various locations in County Wexford, including at

and Slade Harbour. Common fish species include

herring Herring are forage fish, mostly belonging to the family of Clupeidae. Herring often move in large schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and North Atlantic Ocea ...

mackerel Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment. ...

cod Cod is the common name for the demersal fish genus '' Gadus'', belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gadus'' is commonly not c ...

monkfish Members of the genus ''Lophius'', also sometimes called monkfish, fishing-frogs, frog-fish, and sea-devils, are various species of lophiid anglerfishes found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. ''Lophius'' is known as the "monk" or "monkfish" ...

, whiting,

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gu ...

perch Perch is a common name for fish of the genus ''Perca'', freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which three species occur in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Per ...

gurnard Gurnard may refer to: Fish *Sea robin Prionotinae is a subfamily of demersal, marine ray-finned fishes, part of the family Triglidae. The fishes in this subfamily are called sea robins and are found in the Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific O ...

haddock The haddock (''Melanogrammus aeglefinus'') is a saltwater ray-finned fish from the family Gadidae, the true cods. It is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Melanogrammus''. It is found in the North Atlantic Ocean and associated seas w ...

, mullet,

pollock Pollock or pollack (pronounced ) is the common name used for either of the two species of North Atlantic marine fish in the genus ''Pollachius''. '' Pollachius pollachius'' is referred to as pollock in North America, Ireland and the United Ki ...

John Dory John Dory, St Pierre or Peter's fish, refers to fish of the genus ''Zeus'', especially ''Zeus faber'', of widespread distribution. It is an edible demersal coastal marine fish with a laterally compressed olive-yellow body which has a large dark ...

, sole,

conger eel ''Conger'' ( ) is a genus of marine congrid eels. It includes some of the largest types of eels, ranging up to 2 m (6 ft) or more in length, in the case of the European conger. Large congers have often been observed by divers during ...

shad The Alosinae, or the shads,Alosinae
salmon Salmon () is the common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of ...

trout Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', '' Salmo'' and '' Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-sa ...

pike Pike, Pikes or The Pike may refer to: Fish * Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct color morph of the yellow walleye ''Sander vitreus'' * Ctenoluciidae, the "pike characins", some species of which are commonly known as pikes * ''Esox'', genus o ...

carp Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...

, and

tench The tench or doctor fish (''Tinca tinca'') is a fresh- and brackish-water fish of the order Cypriniformes found throughout Eurasia from Western Europe including the British Isles east into Asia as far as the Ob and Yenisei Rivers. It is als ...

. Shellfish include

mussel Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, whic ...

s, cockles, periwinkles,

clam Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve molluscs. The word is often applied only to those that are edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the seafloor or riverbeds. Clams have two sh ...

s, and

oyster Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not a ...

Racing

Wexford Racecourse ( horse racing) is located at

Wexford town Wexford () is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the island of Ireland. The town is linked to Dublin by the M11/N11 ...

and there is a Greyhound Racing track at

People

Bunny Ahearne John Francis "Bunny" Ahearne (19 November 1900 – 11 April 1985) was a British ice hockey administrator and businessman. He served rotating terms as president and vice-president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) from 1951 to 197 ...

- president of the

International Ice Hockey Federation The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF; french: Fédération internationale de hockey sur glace; german: Internationale Eishockey-Föderation) is a worldwide governing body for ice hockey. It is based in Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland, and ...

Michael Balfe Michael William Balfe (15 May 1808 – 20 October 1870) was an Irish composer, best remembered for his operas, especially '' The Bohemian Girl''. After a short career as a violinist, Balfe pursued an operatic singing career, while he began to c ...

- 19th-century composer, grew up in Wexford *

John Banville William John Banville (born 8 December 1945) is an Irish novelist, short story writer, adapter of dramas and screenwriter. Though he has been described as "the heir to Proust, via Nabokov", Banville himself maintains that W. B. Yeats and Henry ...

- novelist (2005

Booker Prize The Booker Prize, formerly known as the Booker Prize for Fiction (1969–2001) and the Man Booker Prize (2002–2019), is a literary prize awarded each year for the best novel written in English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. ...

and 2013

Austrian State Prize for European Literature The Austrian State Prize for European Literature (german: Österreichischer Staatspreis für Europäische Literatur), also known in Austria as the European Literary Award (''Europäischer Literaturpreis''), is an Austria Austria, , bar, Ö ...

) *Major G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton - zoologist, grew up in Kilmanock * John Barry - Commander

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or witho ...

, song collector and folklorist *

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'' in 2014 and ''Home'' in 2016. Career Bird performed at the Eurosonic Festival in 201 ...

- musician *

Des Bishop Desmond Bishop (born 12 November 1975) is an American-Irish comedian. He was brought up in New York and moved to Ireland at the age of 14. He primarily resides there. Approach to comedy Bishop's comedy has covered social issues, such as poverty ...

- New York-born comedian, went to school in County Wexford *

Jim Bolger James Brendan Bolger ( ; born 31 May 1935) is a New Zealand retired politician of the National Party who was the 35th prime minister of New Zealand, serving from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was born to an Irish immigrant family in Ōpunake, Tara ...

ONZ - former Prime Minister of New Zealand. *

Jim Bolger (racehorse trainer) James S. Bolger (born 25 December 1941) is a thoroughbred racehorse trainer and breeder based in Coolcullen in County Kilkenny. For many years, he has been recognised as one of the racing greats in Ireland. Aidan O'Brien, Tony McCoy and Paul Carb ...

- horse trainer. *

Myles Byrne Myles (or Miles) Byrne (20 March 1780 – 24 January 1862) was an insurgent leader in Wexford in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and a fighter in the continued guerrilla struggle against British Crown forces in the Wicklow Hills until 1802. In ...

- participant in the

Thomas Cloney Thomas Cloney (1773 – 20 February 1850) was a United Irishman, and leader of the rebellion in County Wexford in 1798, and with Robert Emmet a co-conspirator in the attempt to renew the republican insurrection in 1803. Rebel Thomas Cloney wa ...

- participant in the

John Henry Colclough John Henry Colclough (c. 1769 – 28 June 1798) was United Irishman executed in Wexford following the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Life He was born circa 1769 into an old landowning Wexford family, the son of Thomas Francis Colclough and lived at Ball ...

– participant in the

Eoin Colfer Eoin Colfer (; born 14 May 1965) is an Irish author of children's books. He worked as a primary school teacher before he became a full-time writer. He is best known for being the author of the ''Artemis Fowl'' series. In September 2008, Colf ...

- best-selling writer of

children's literature Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader. Children's ...

Brendan Corish Brendan Corish (19 November 1918 – 17 February 1990) was an Irish Labour Party politician who served as Tánaiste and Minister for Health from 1973 to 1977, Leader of the Labour Party, Minister for Social Welfare from 1954 to 1957 and from ...

Irish Labour Party The Labour Party ( ga, Páirtí an Lucht Oibre, literally "Party of the Working People") is a centre-left and social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. Founded on 28 May 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connoll ...

leader and

Tánaiste The Tánaiste ( , ) is the deputy head of the government of Ireland and thus holder of its second-most senior office. The Tánaiste is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Taoiseach. The current office holder is former Ta ...

Richard Corish Richard Corish (17 September 1886 – 19 July 1945) was an Irish politician and trade unionist. Early and personal life Born in Wexford in 1886, Corish was the eldest child of carpenter Peter Corish and Mary Murphy. He was educated by the Chr ...

- Trade Unionist *

Gordon D'Arcy Gordon William D'Arcy (born 10 February 1980, in Ferns, County Wexford) is a retired Irish rugby player who played most of his career at inside centre. He played for Irish provincial side Leinster for his entire professional career and is seco ...

- Rugby player,

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- Rugby player,

Francis Danby Francis Danby (16 November 1793 – 9 February 1861) was an Irish painter of the Romantic era. His imaginative, dramatic landscapes were comparable to those of John Martin. Danby initially developed his imaginative style while he was the central ...

- 19th-century painter * Chris de Burgh - Argentinian-born singer-songwriter, based in County Wexford *

Pádraic Delaney Pádraic Delaney (born 6 November 1977) is an Irish actor known for playing Teddy O'Donovan in the Ken Loach film '' The Wind That Shakes the Barley'', for which he earned an IFTA nomination as well as being named Irish Shooting Star for the 2 ...

- actor *

John Doran (British Army officer) General Sir John Doran (2 October 1824 – 25 September 1903) was a British Army officer from an established Irish family with links to Irish nobility. He saw extensive service in India and the North West Frontier. He had originally taken a co ...

Anne Doyle Anne Catherine Doyle (born 30 January 1952) is an Irish journalist, presenter and former newsreader. She is best known as a long-serving newsreader for RTÉ, who anchored the broadcaster's main evening television news programmes, during her 33 ...

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newsreader *

Kevin Doyle Kevin Edward Doyle (born 18 September 1983) is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a forward. He played for Wexford F.C. (formerly Wexford Youths), St Patrick's Athletic, and Cork City in his homeland before he moved to En ...

- football player *

Mary Fitzgerald (trade unionist) Mary Fitzgerald (also known as Pickhandle Mary; 4 August 1883 – 26 September 1960) was an Irish-born South African political activist and was considered to have been the first female trade unionist in the country. She was South Africa’s fir ...

*John French - maternal grandfather of George Harrison *

Nicholas French Nicholas French (1604 – 23 August 1678), Roman Catholic Bishop of Ferns, was an Irish political activist and pamphleteer, who was born at Wexford. Background He was educated at St Anthony's College, Leuven, and returning to Ireland became a ...

- former RC Bishop of Ferns *

Nicholas Furlong Nicholas (Nicky)Furlong (born 1929 died 21 March 2022)Furlong, ''Fr John Murphy of Boolavogue 1753–1798'', p. vii. was an Irish farmer, journalist, author and historian from County Wexford. Personal life Nicholas Furlong was born in Wexford i ...

- writer, journalist and historian *

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 ...

- 20th-century Irish furniture designer and architect and a pioneer of the Modern Movement in architecture, raised in

Anna Maria Hall Anna Maria Hall (6 January 1800 – 30 January 1881) was an Irish novelist who often published as "Mrs. S. C. Hall". She married Samuel Carter Hall, a writer on art, who described her in ''Retrospect of a Long Life, from 1815 to 1883''. She was ...

(Mrs. S.C. Hall) - 19th-century novelist, raised in

John Harrison John Harrison ( – 24 March 1776) was a self-educated English carpenter and clockmaker who invented the marine chronometer, a long-sought-after device for solving the problem of calculating longitude while at sea. Harrison's solution revo ...

- recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

Beauchamp Bagenal Harvey Beauchamp Bagenal Harvey (died 28 June 1798) was a barrister and a commander of the United Irishmen in the Battle of New Ross during the 1798 Rebellion. He was the eldest son of Francis Harvey of Bargy Castle, Wexford, who was one of the six C ...

- participant in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 * Edward Hay - writer of a history of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 * Herbert Hore - historian *

William Kehoe William Kehoe (September 12, 1876 – September 17, 1932) was an American lawyer and politician. Biography William Kehoe was born in Greenwood (now Elk), California on September 12, 1876. He earned a degree at the University of Michigan and w ...

- iron founder *Patrick Kennedy - great-grandfather of

(former

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). *

Father John Murphy John Murphy (c. 1753 – c. 2 July 1798) was an Irish Catholic Church, Roman Catholic priesthood (Catholic Church), priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns, who is mainly remembered for his central role in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 in ...

- participant in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. *Col Joshua Nunn - veterinarian and barrister *

Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien (born 16 October 1969 in County Wexford, Ireland) Aidan O'Brien bio NTRA ...

- horse trainer *

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- son of Aidan O'Brien and horse trainer, formerly jockey *

Thomas O'Connor (rancher) Thomas O'Connor (1819 – October 16, 1887) was an Irish rancher and landowner from County Wexford, Ireland whose estate was reportedly the largest individual land and cattle holding in Texas at the time of his death. Life O'Connor was born in ...

- Irish rancher and landowner *

Michael O'Hanrahan Michael O'Hanrahan ( ga, Mícheál Ó hAnnracháin; 16 January 1877 – 4 May 1916) was an Irish rebel who was executed for his active role in the 1916 Easter Rising. Background He was born as Michael Hanrahan in New Ross, County Wexford, Irela ...

- Irish rebel executed for fighting in the 1916 Easter Rising. * Chris O'Neill - animator/musician and online entertainer *

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- hurling player *

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- 19th- 20th-century nationalist politician *

Billy Roche Billy Roche (born 11 January 1949) is an Irish playwright and actor. He was born and still lives in Wexford and most of his writings are based there. Originally a singer with The Roach Band, he turned to writing in the 1980s. He has written a n ...

- playwright *

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- politician * Patrick Roche - politician * James Ryan - politician and Irish Revolutionary *

Martin Storey Martin Storey (born 28 September 1964) is an Irish former hurler who played as a centre-forward at senior level for the Wexford county team. Regarded as one of the greatest Wexford players of all-time, Storey made his first appearance for t ...

- hurling player *

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 shortlis ...

- novelist (2006

International Dublin Literary Award The International Dublin Literary Award ( ga, Duais Liteartha Idirnáisiúnta Bhaile Átha Chliath), established as the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 1996, is presented each year for a novel written or translated into English. ...

) *

Maverick Sabre Michael Stafford (born 12 July 1990), better known as Maverick Sabre, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and rapper. Early life Sabre was born in Hackney, London. At age four, he moved with his family to New Ross, County Wexford, where he grew up ...

- singer/songwriter

References

Bibliography

*Byrne, Francis J. ''Irish Kings and High Kings''. Dublin, 1973–2001 *Carlyle, Thomas. ''"Oliver Cromwell's Letters and Speeches"''. Vol. 1. New York: Wiley & Putnam, 1845 * Cambrensis, Giraldus. ''Expugnatio Hibernica - The Conquest of Ireland''. Dublin: R.I.A., 1978 *Colfer, Billy. ''The County of Wexford''. County Wexford: Foillsitheoirí Cois Sláine, n.d. - 1980 or 1981. * Furlong, Nicholas. ''A History of County Wexford''. Dublin: Gill & MacMillan, 2003. * Furlong, Nicholas and John Hayes. ''County Wexford in the Rare Oul' Times'' Vol. IV. 1910–1924. Wexford: Old Distillery Press, 2005. *Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi). ''Discovery Series 77 - Co Wexford (part).'' Scale 1: 50,000. Dublin: OSI, Phoenix Park, 1997. *''The Times Atlas of the World – Reference Edition''. London: Times Books, 1995–2002. *Whelan, K.(ed) & W. Nolan (assoc. ed.). ''Wexford: History and Society''. Dublin: Geography Publications, 1987

External links

County Council website

Late 19th-century map of County Wexford

History Articles