Wexford Town
Wexford town is a small and lesser-known yet charming town in the “sunny southeast” (so-called because it gets less rainfall than other parts of Ireland, which isn’t a hard average to beat!).
The town was founded by the Vikings at the beginning of the 10th century, from whom it got the name Waesfjord, or “inlet of mud flats”. The Irish (Gaelic) name for the town is Loch Garman, meaning “the lake of Garman”. The Norse and Viking ancestry has been given testimony by numerous archeological studies, though from casual observation of the people in the area, any DNA study would likely provide further evidence of this heritage. The town’s geography and structure also retains remnants of this ancient past, with several small and winding streets in the centre left as a legacy to its Viking founders.
The town prospered for centuries, and the Scandinavian people became integrated with the locals.
In the spring of 1169, Wexford was again invaded, this time by Norman knights. They too developed the town over the following centuries by building a defensive wall around it and regulating its markets and trade. Wexford was a well-known town at this time, as evidenced by the visit of English King Henry II to the area, when reputedly observing penance at Selskar Abbey for the murder of Thomas Beckett.
In the 17th century, Wexford became the leading naval base for the Confederate Government in its war with the Parliament Forces and this led to a massacre in 1649, when Wexford fell to the army of Oliver Cromwell. Wexford’s prominent role in the failed Rebellion of 1798, also brought much suffering in its aftermath.
The following century saw another period of growth and development, and Wexford became an important trading port. Many of the town’s important buildings, such as St. Peter’s College and the Mechanics Institute, date from this era of relative importance and prosperity. Indeed, Wexford’s importance as a port was to continue beyond the 1800s and into the following century, as two world wars made its location strategic for both Britain (with whom Ireland was still officially allied during the first world war) and America.
By the mid-20th century, Wexford went into decline a little, as the industries associated with port towns did likewise.
Nevertheless, today Wexford has many charms and attractions, including a lively pub and restaurant scene. It is particularly famous for its Opera Festival, which takes place around the end of October every year. The festival is hugely popular with opera lovers, as many rare or neglected operas are performed in the town’s tiny Theatre Royal.
The town also boasts two fine beaches nearby – Curracloe, 8km away, which is a “blue-flag” (the EU mark of high quality) beach, and Ballinesker, which is famous for being featured in the gruesome opening scene of Saving Private Ryan.