Wexford

Known as the "Model County," Wexford offers coastal villages, sunny seashores with numerous beaches, bird watch reserves, a Festival Opera and the Strawberry Fair; Johnstown Castle Gardens incorporating the Irish Agricultural Museum, the John F. Kennedy Park and Arboretum and it is the location of the Irish National Heritage Park.

Explore

Bunclody
Also known as Newtownbarry, this interesting settlement features an unusual stream with a series of small scale waterfalls in the main street. With many interesting buildings, it offers the flavour of a long established settlement in the tranquil Slaney River Valley

Duncannon
Featuring a delightful beach and many delightful vistas, the little seaside town is dominated by the large fortress which has played a significant part in Ireland's history. The little harbour area is a popular departure point for pleasure boats and is a source for fresh sea products.

Enniscorthy
Enniscorthy is picturesquely situated above the Slaney River where small shop fronts spill down to the river bank.

Ferns
Ferns Castle, ancient churches and holy wells all attest to the medieval and earlier importance of this well presented settlement. Open spaces add a special appeal to this town.

Fethard on Sea
Close to the historic Hook Head Lighthouse, Fethard on Sea is colourful and welcoming. It serves as the main centre to a growing number of visitors attracted to the Hook Peninsula.

Gorey
Gorey is a busy market town with a good selection of shops, restaurants, and pubs. There is also a Pugin Church, a famous 19th century architect.

Kilmore Quay
A small village noted for the range and quality of its thatched cottages, it is the port of departure for trips around nearby Saltee Isles, a major bird sanctuary. The small harbour now offers a well equipped marina and is home to Ireland's only floating maritime museum.

New Ross
This town was walled in the 13th century, and was one of the leading ports in the Middle Ages. The ruin of St Mary's Church now overlooks this bustling town.

Rosslare
Ireland's Europort and resort in the sunniest corner of the country. A truly magnificent beach and 27 hole golf links together with well equipped and varied accomodation options are just part of the many attractions offered in this well endowed seaside area.

Wexford Town
Designated a heritage town in recognition of its Viking town. The Westgate Heritage Centre is a 'must see'.

Attractions

Courtown Pirates Cove
Purpose built centre offering adventure golf, 10 pin bowling and many other family activities. Contact 055 25555

Dunbrody Abbey Visitor Centre
Campile A large Cistercian Abbey founded in 1210 AD. Visitor centre attractions include a small museum with a fine dolls house, castle ruins. Open seasonal, admission.

Hook Lighthouse
Built by Raymond le Gros in 1172 this massive 100ft structure predates by some 600 years the practice of building stone lighthouses. Locally, it is believed that the practice of a light burning on this promontory begun in the 5th century by the Welsh saint, Dubhand, whose fellow monks tended it and kept it alight for the next 1400 years.

Irish National Heritage Park
Ferrycarrig The Regions Showpiece exhibition, on a well developed 35 acre site overlooking the Slaney River. Depicts mans first settlement in Ireland 7,000 BC to the arrival of the Normans in the 12th century.

John F Kennedy Arboretum
A plant collection of international standing with 4500 types of trees and shrubs from all regions of the world. Covers 252 hectares. Open all year.

Johnstown Castle
The National Museum of Agriculture and Rural Life is located in the former estate farmyard within the grounds of Johnstown Castle. A permanent exhibition on the Great Famine recently opened. Museum visitors can view the gardens.

National 1798 Centre, Enniscorthy
Tells the historic tale of the United Irishmen and the 1798 rebellion which was centred in County Wexford. Tours available. 98com@iol.ie

SS Dunbrody, New Ross
Currently being built, the 176 feet long, three masted barque is scheduled to sail into Boston in 1999. Traditional methods of timber construction are being used and an elevated viewing platform enables the visitor to fully appreciate the work in progress. Admission, open seasonal, limited. Contact jfktrust@iol.ie

Yola Farmstead Folk Park
A 5 acre complex of thatched, vernacular farm buildings and cottages dating from the late 1700s. Traditional Yola banquets with music are also available for groups. Open Seasonal. Admission. Contact yolafst@iol.ie

Ballyhack Castle
Ballyhack Castle is situated on a steep slope in a commanding positon overlooking Waterford estuary. The castle, a large tower house, is thought to have been built c. 1450 by the Knights Hospitallers of St. John, one of the two great military orders founded in the twelfth century at the time of the Crusades.

Ballylane Visitor Farm
Ballylane is a 150 acre farm set in the heart of rolling green countryside. Among its enterprises are tillage, deer and pheasant production, sheep and forestry. It has well maintained paths through woods and fields and all types of farm animals are on view.

Berkeley Costume and Toy Museum
The Museum houses 18th and 19th Century toys, costumes, toy carriages, embroidered textiles and rare dolls, many of them from Irish families. A small pretty garden is included in the visit. Victorian goat carriage rides are available for children on occasion.

Duncannon Fort
Duncannon Fort is star shaped and built at a strategically important promontory in Waterford Harbour.

Dunmain House
This 17th century house and its history have been the subject of many novels and plays such as Guy Mannering by Sir Walter Scott. The entrance hall, dining and sitting rooms, both to wers, private oratory, jail cell and restored olde world servants kitchen form part of the guided tour.

Galley Cruising Restaurant
From April to October the Galley Cruising Restaurants travel the smooth rivers of the South East. Meals are served in the heated saloons aboard, prepared from fresh local produce by the Galley's own chefs. Fully licensed, this is an ecological treat.

Irish Agricultural Museum and Famine Exhibition
The Museum is located in the old farmyard buildings of Johnstown Castle which were built about 1810. These have been restored and converted to provide facilities for Irelands largest Agricultural Museum.

National 1798 Visitor Centre
The National 1798 Visitor Centre is family friendly, and tells the epic and heroic tale of the 1798 Rebellion and its aftermath using the latest multi-media and interactive computers. After a tour, relax in the bright, airy tea room or browse around the well-stocked craft shop. It is one of the finest visitor centres of its type in Europe.

Kilmore Quay Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum is housed on board the lightship Guillemot. There are two museums in one, since the lightship is the last Irish Lights vessel which is complete with all its cabins containing the original furniture, generators and fittings.

Tintern Abbey
A Cistercian abbey, founded circa 1200 by William the Earl Marshal, and named arter Tintern in Wales. The remains consist of the nave, chancel, tower, chapel and cloister.

Wexford Wildfowl Reserve
The Wexford Slobs are famous for the wild geese which spend the winter months there. Nowadays some ten thousand Greenland White-fronted Geese, over one third of the world population, spend the winter on the Wexford Slobs. The Visitor Centre has many interesting exhibitions and an audio-visual show titled "Greenland Goose, Winter Visitor".

Activities

GOLF - GENERAL INFORMATION
The Tourist Office has published a booklet on the 'Sunshine Circuit'.

Courtown Golf Club
This interesting layout although situated near the sea is not a links. A well designed pattern of planted trees makes this course a fine test of golf.

Enniscorthy Golf Club
This parkland course with its gentle undulating fairways affords magnificent views of Wexford's rolling countryside and the Blackstairs mountains.

Rosslare Golf Club
Rosslare provides an excellent test of golf on a championship links beside the Irish sea. Fairways, tees and greens are watered, giving an enjoyable playing surface in both summer and winter.

St. Helen's Bay Golf & Country Club
Philip Walton took on the challenge of foregoing a stern golfing test from the mixture of parkland and link.

Wexford Golf Club
This parkland course, located in the beautiful countryside of County Wexford, has the Blackstairs Mountains as a spectacular backdrop.

New Ross Golf Club
This pleasant well kept 18 hole course requires straight hitting and careful hitting of shots as fairways are tight and allow little room for error.

EQUESTRIAN - GENERAL INFORMATION

Ballingale Farm Equestrian Centre
Ballingale farm riding centre is situated in the beautiful, tranquil and unspoilt countryside of county Wexford.

Ballycanew Riding Centre
This compact equestrian centre offers the ideal conditions and encouragement to get started in the exciting world of ponies and horses.

Curracloe House Equestrian Centre
The Curracloe House Equestrian Centre near Enniscorthy has a 30 fence cross country course, vast trekking area and also provides tuition for a wide variety of riding exams.

Horetown Equestrian Centre
Accommodation in 18th Century Manor House with Egon Ronay recommended Cellar Restaurant and approved Equestrian Centre.

Wexford Racecourse
Wexford Racecourses first meeting was in 1950 and the course now hosts a number of major races throughout the year with both National Hunt and Flat race meetings taking place.

ANGLING - GENERAL INFORMATION

Game Angling - Trout
The following run-down on the aquatic and terrestrial insects which dictate the Irish brown trout angler's season may prove helpful.

Game Angling - Salmon

Coarse Fishing
Fishery societies throughout the country raise funds for the development of coarse and trout fishing. Members decide by ballot whether or not a share certificate is required in order to fish in their area.

Fishing on River Slaney
The River Slaney is seventy three miles long rising in the Wicklow Mountains and it is one of the few Irish rivers with a run of spring salmon, some in excess of twenty pounds.

WALKING - GENERAL INFORMATION

Walkers will enjoy the magnificent coast, the award winning beaches and of course the scenic mountains.

CYCLING - GENERAL INFORMATION
Cycle tours with guide are available. There are many places to rent bikes throughout the county.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Arts and Crafts
A craft trail booklet is available from the Tourist Office. Craft centres can be found in Wexford Town, Crossberg, Gorey and New Ross, to name a few.

Bird Watching
Wexford is widely acknowledged as being the best county in Ireland for birdwatching. Among the county's many sites is the Wexford Wildfond Reserve, the Sloblands.

Guided Tours
Enniscorthy departs from opposite the Castle seasonal. Admission. Contact Maura 054 36800
New Ross Historic Town Walking Tours departs from the Tourist Office by arrangement. Contact Marion 051 25028 Wexford Town.
Walking Tours in Wexford. Sammy Coe operates walking tours in Wexford. Please telephone for details. Sammy Coe, 053 41081, Co. Wexford.

Watersport
Take part in scuba diving, windsurfing or canoeing in Europe's cleanest waters.