Wexford

County of the Republic of Ireland, in the province of Leinster; county town Wexford; area 2,350 sq km/907 sq mi; population (2002) 116,600. Wexford is one of the most intensively cultivated areas in Ireland. The main crops are wheat, barley, beet, and potatoes. Fishing is important, the main fishing port being Kilmore Quay in the south; sheep and cattle rearing are also significant, as is dairy farming. Industries include agricultural machinery and food processing. Wexford was the first part of Ireland to be colonized from England; Normans arrived in 1169. The John F Kennedy Arboretum is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the county.

Physical The surface is hilly in the north and west, with a fertile, low-lying central plain, the highest peak being Mount Leinster (796 m/2,612 ft) in the Blackstairs Mountains. The principal rivers are the Barrow, the Nore, and the Suir (the ‘three sisters’), and the Slaney, and the principal towns Enniscorthy, Gorey, and New Ross. The county has long sandy beaches with a number of holiday resorts, including Ballymoney and Courtown, and the only inlet of importance is Wexford Harbour. Off the coast to the southeast is Tuskar Rock with a lighthouse (erected in 1815), and farther south are the Saltee Islands, the largest bird sanctuary in Ireland, beyond which there is a lightship (now a maritime museum). Waterford Harbour divides County Wexford from County Waterford.

Historical remains There are a number of ancient monuments in the county, including Dunbrody Abbey (12th century), Ferns Abbey (12th century), and the castles at Ferns (13th century) and Enniscorthy (1586); the latter has now been established as a county museum. County Wexford was an important centre of conflict during the Rebellion of 1798, and has a number of memorials to this rebellion; Vinegar Hill, near Enniscorthy, is the site of the final battle between the Wexford pikemen, or insurgents, and British troops.

Wexford

Seaport and county town of Wexford, Republic of Ireland, on the estuary of the River Slaney; population (2002) 17,200. Industries include food processing and the manufacture of textiles, cheese, agricultural machinery, furniture, and motor vehicles. There is an annual international opera festival in October. Wexford was founded in the 9th century by Danes; it was taken by the Anglo-Normans in 1169, and besieged and devastated by Oliver Cromwell in 1649. In the Rebellion of 1798 Wexford was briefly held by Irish insurgents.

The harbour Wexford's initial importance was mainly due to its harbour, which is formed by a bar across the mouth of the river's estuary. Since large vessels were unable to enter the harbour at low tide, Rosslare Harbour was built some 13 km/8 mi down the coast. Rosslare Harbour is connected by rail with Wexford. The Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on the northern side of the harbour is an important bird sanctuary.

History The Danes built a wall around Wexford and remained until 1169, after which the town was settled by Normans; the 13th-century west gate tower forms part of the Norman walls, and is now a heritage centre. Wexford town received its first charter in 1318. William III garrisoned the town in 1690, and it was captured and held for a month by Irish pikemen during the rebellion of 1798. Some fragments of the old town walls survive. There are also the ruins of St Selskar's Abbey, dedicated to St Sepulchre, which are incorporated into the Protestant church of St Selskar. The first Anglo-Irish treaty was signed in St Selskar's Abbey in 1169; it was later destroyed by Cromwellian troops in 1649. Henry II is reputed to have spent the whole of Lent here in 1172 in penitence for the murder of Thomas à Becket.