History of County Wexford facts for kids

County Wexford (called Contae Loch Garman in Irish) is a county in the southeast of Ireland. It's part of the province of Leinster. The county gets its name from its main town, Wexford. The Vikings named the town 'Waesfjord', which means 'inlet of the mud-flats' in their old language. Before the Normans arrived, this area was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, with its capital at Ferns.

King John created County Wexford in 1210 during his visit to Ireland.

Ancient Times in County Wexford

Evidence shows that people lived in County Wexford a very long time ago.

Humans first came to Ireland after the last Ice Age, around 10,000 to 8,000 BC. It's thought that the first people arrived in County Wexford between 5,000 BC and 3,000 BC. This time is called the Mesolithic period in Ireland. Because County Wexford is close to Britain and Europe, it was likely one of the first places in Ireland where humans settled. We are still learning a lot about this period through archaeology.

Portal tombs (also known as Dolmens) can be found at Ballybrittas (on Bree Hill) and Newbawn. These tombs are from the Neolithic period, when people started farming.

There is much more evidence from the Bronze Age. For example, an early Bronze Age axehead was found at Bree, and a gold disc was found at Kilmuckridge. Cist burials (graves from the Bronze Age) have been found in many places, like The Deeps, Enniscorthy, and Misterin. The county also has many standing stones and one stone circle at Robinstown Great.

The remains of many raths (old circular forts) are spread across rural County Wexford. An ogham stone (a stone with ancient Irish writing) was found on the Hook Peninsula in the 1800s. Other ogham stones have been found elsewhere in the county. Before Christianity, people in Ireland worshipped different gods, including the sun. Druidism, an ancient religion, lasted longer in Ireland than in Britain because the Romans never conquered Ireland.

Early Irish Clans

The Uí Cheinnselaig clan is believed to have arrived in southern Leinster around the 400s AD. They came from the west, possibly through the Pass of Gowran, from Ossory. They first settled in County Carlow (their main base was at Rathvilly). Later, they gained control in County Wexford. Before they arrived, the Uí Bairrche were likely the main tribe in the area. By the mid-700s, the Uí Cheinnselaig had made Ferns their main base.

The name Uí Cheinnselaig comes from Énna Cennsalach, who was King of Leinster in the early 400s. The clan were his descendants. Énna Cennsalach claimed to be a descendant of Cathair Mór, who was said to be a High King of Ireland in the 100s AD. This seems quite likely.

A famous early King of Uí Cheinnselaig was Brandub mac Echach. He defeated the High King of Ireland at the Battle of Dún Bolg in 598 AD. This stopped the Uí Néill clan from expanding into Leinster.

Early Irish tribes that formed the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig included the Beanntraige, Uí Dego, Sil mBrain, Uí Bairrche, Fotharta Mara, and the Síl Maíluidir. This list is from around 900 AD. The Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig was a bit larger than modern County Wexford.

Common Irish surnames from the county include Kinsella, Cosgrave, Murphy, and Larkin.

Christianity Arrives

County Wexford was one of the first parts of Ireland to become Christian. This happened under Palladius in the early 400s AD. Palladius came before Saint Patrick. A writer named Prosper of Aquitaine said in his Chronicle that Palladius was sent to the Irish "believing in Christ" as their first bishop in 431 AD. This means some Christians were already in Ireland before Palladius arrived. Ibar and Kierán are often mentioned as possible earlier missionaries.

Early churches and monasteries were built at Begerin (which was an island in Wexford harbour), Taghmon, Adamstown, Camross, Ardlathran, Ferns, Templeshanbo, New Ross, Clonmore, Templeshannon, Donaghmore, St. Kearns, and on the Hook Peninsula. Important early missionaries included Ibar, Aidan (also called Maodhóg or Mogue), Fintan (or Munna), Senan, Abban, Evin, Kierán, and Dubhan.

Aidan (Maodhóg or Mogue) was the first Bishop of the Diocese of Ferns. The Diocese of Ferns was created in 598 AD, the same year Aidan became Bishop. He died in 632 AD.

The borders of the Diocese of Ferns were set at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1118. Its area was roughly the same as the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig at that time.

The Vikings in Wexford

Starting in 819 AD, the Vikings attacked many Christian sites in County Wexford. Wexford town then became a Viking settlement.

The first recorded Viking raid in County Wexford happened in 819. They plundered Begerin and Camhain's Oak Island (Dairinis Caemhain) in Wexford Harbour. In 835, Ferns was plundered, and in 839, it was burned by the Vikings.

By 888, the Vikings had set up a settlement in Wexford. They fought a battle that year, but they were defeated. In 917, Ferns and Taghmon were plundered. In 919, Ferns was burned again. The "foreigners of Loch Garman" (Vikings of Wexford) are mentioned again in 919 and 1088.

Before the Vikings, there was a settlement called Loch Garman at Wexford town. The Vikings' new settlement was separate at first. It started as a Longphort (a Viking ship camp) and later became permanent. They called it Waesfjord. Eventually, the two settlements joined. The name Waesfjord became Wexford, giving the town its name. There are many Norse (Viking) place names in the county, such as the Saltee islands and Selskar.

Normans Arrive in Ireland

Wexford was where the Normans invaded in 1169. They came at the request of Diarmuid Mac Murrough, who was King of Uí Cheinnselaig and King of Leinster. This invasion led to the Anglo-Normans taking control of Ireland.

In 1166, a writer named Áed Ua Crimthainn wrote in the Book of Leinster about Diarmuid's banishment:

O King of Heaven, dreadful is the deed that has been done in Ireland today, namely Diarmait son of Donnchad Mac Murchada, King of Leinster and the Foreigners [i.e. Dublin Vikings] has been banished over the sea by the men of Ireland. Alas, alas, O Lord what shall I do?

Diarmait sought help abroad, mainly from Wales. In 1169, a group of Normans led by Robert Fitz-Stephen landed near Bannow in three ships. Diarmait himself had returned to Ireland shortly before this, possibly in August 1167, with a small group of knights and archers. Another force, led by Raymond le Gros, landed at Baginbun in 1170.

Mac Murrough died in 1171 and was buried at Ferns. His kingdom, which he had regained, then passed to Strongbow (Richard de Clare). This was against Irish custom. Strongbow had married Aoife (or Eva), Diarmait's daughter, in 1170. After first submitting to the King, Strongbow divided these lands among his followers according to feudal law.

A list from 1247 shows the names of the new 'owners', many of which are still common in County Wexford today. These include Hayden, Howel, Browne, Cheevers, Keating, Whitty, Codd, Prendergast, and Roche. Later, in 1324, names like Devereux, Power, Synott, Hay, and FitzHenry were also listed. Furlong, Sutton, and Lambert were also important Norman names in County Wexford.

Wexford, especially the areas of Bargy and Forth, had a very high number of medieval English settlements. This area was once known as the 'Wexford Pale'. An old dialect of English, called Yola, was spoken only in Wexford until the 1800s. The north of the county remained Gaelic Irish, mostly controlled by the MacMurrough Kavanagh clan.

During the Norman period, important towns existed at Bannow and Clonmines. However, they became less important over time. The Norman town of Bannow was slowly abandoned because Bannow Bay became filled with silt. An early Norman Church can still be seen there today.

Knights Templar and the Black Death

In 1307, the Knights Templar were disbanded. In County Wexford, the Knights Templar had a base at Kilcloggan on the Hook Peninsula. Their lands, given to them during the reign of Henry II, were taken away. A few years later, in 1312, these lands were given to the Knights Hospitaller. The Knights Hospitaller already had a manor in the county, possibly at Ballyhoge. Strongbow had brought the Knights Hospitaller to the county around 1175.

The Black Death was a terrible plague that affected Ireland in 1348–49. A friar named John Clyn in Kilkenny wrote about it. He said that in September and October 1348, people from all over Ireland, including many from County Wexford, went to St. Mullins, County Carlow. They went there out of fear, seeking protection from the 'pestilence'. He noted that it was rare for only one person in a family to die; usually, the whole family was wiped out. John Clyn himself is believed to have died from the plague in 1349.

Irish Clans Fight Back

The native Irish began to take back some of their lands in the 1300s. This happened especially in the north of the county. This was mainly due to Art MacMurrough Kavanagh, who became King of Leinster in 1377. King Richard II led two expeditions against him.

Art MacMurrough Kavanagh claimed to be a descendant of Diarmuid Mac Murrough (who died in 1171). He was said to be a descendant through an illegitimate son of Diarmuid's named Domhnall. Domhnall was said to have been a student at a monastery near Gorey. This is why the name Cavanagh or Kavanagh came to refer to Domhnall and his descendants. The main branch of the MacMurrough Kavanaghs later lived at Borris House, Borris, County Carlow.

Historians disagree on the exact date and way Art died. Most authors say he died in 1417 at New Ross. He was buried at St. Mullins, County Carlow.

Changes in the 1500s

Under King Henry VIII, many large religious houses were closed down between 1536 and 1541. All their lands and possessions were taken by the King, who then gave them to new owners. In County Wexford, some of the most important places that were closed included:

• Tintern Abbey: This was a Cistercian monastery. Its lands were given to Anthony Colclough in the mid-1500s.
• Dunbrody Abbey: Another Cistercian monastery. Its lands were given to Osborne Itchingham in 1545. Later, in the mid-1600s, it passed to Arthur Chichester through marriage.
• The Augustinian Priory of Clonmines. In 1546, the silver mines at Clonmines were reopened and worked for the state. The rest of the Priory's small lands were divided and passed through several owners.
• The Knights Hospitaller's manor of Kilcloggan: This became the property of Dudley Loftus near the end of the 1500s.
• Glascarrig Priory.
• Selskar Abbey.

A description of County Wexford from 1596 mentions that the area north of the River Slaney was mainly owned by the Irish clan, the Cavenaghes. It also had many English settlers. The description lists various English and Irish families and their lands.

Wars and Land Changes in the 1600s

English settlers were given land in County Wexford, east of the River Slaney, in 1612–13. Each person usually received about 1,000 acres. Some of those who received land included Francis Annesley, Francis Blundell, Richard Cooke, and Adam Loftus.

On October 23, 1641, a major Rebellion started in Ireland. In 1649, Oliver Cromwell and his English Parliamentarian Army arrived in County Wexford to deal with the rebels. Ferns and Enniscorthy were captured by them in late September 1649. Wexford town was attacked by Cromwell's Army on October 11, 1649. Hundreds of civilians were killed. Cromwell was blamed for this massacre by the people of County Wexford and Ireland.

New Ross, led by Lucas Taffe, surrendered to Cromwell on October 19, 1649. Taffe and most of his soldiers were allowed to leave. Taffe also asked Cromwell for "liberty of conscience" for those who stayed. Cromwell replied:

"For that which you mention concerning liberty of conscience, I meddle not with any man's conscience. But if by liberty of conscience you meane a liberty to exercise the masse, I judge it best to use plaine dealing, and to let you know where the Parliament of England hath power that will not be allowed of."

– Oliver Cromwell, October 19, 1649

This meant that while he wouldn't interfere with personal beliefs, public Catholic Mass would not be allowed.

With Ross captured, almost all of County Wexford was in Cromwell's hands, except for the Fort of Duncannon. This fort held out until August 1650 before surrendering.

Around 1655, the county was mapped as part of the Down Survey. The Civil Survey, done from 1654–56, recorded land ownership in 1640–41. These surveys helped with taking and redistributing lands. The lands of the Irish and Anglo-Normans were taken and given to Cromwell's soldiers as payment. Only landowners were ordered to move west of the Shannon River or go into exile. Ordinary people were allowed to stay as tenants for the new landlords. However, many soldiers sold their lands quickly.

When Cromwell died in 1658, some land grants were cancelled. A few old owners got their estates back under Charles II. Other lands went to Charles II's supporters. More lands were taken when James II was defeated near the end of the 1600s. James II left Ireland from Duncannon after his defeat at the Battle of the Boyne.

Also in this century, the first magpies in Ireland were seen in County Wexford around 1676. A writer named Robert Leigh noted in 1684 that magpies had arrived from Wales, likely due to storms.

Wolves were common in Ireland during Cromwell's time. However, government rewards for killing them made them very rare within 50 years. They became extinct in Ireland before the end of the 1700s. The last wolf in County Wexford likely died in the 1730s. The last wolf in Ireland was killed near Mount Leinster in County Carlow in 1786.

Laws Against Catholics and the 1700s

Many laws had been made against Catholics in Ireland before, but 1695 marked the real start of the Penal Laws. These laws mainly discriminated against Catholics. They only began to be relaxed at the end of the 1700s.

In late 1709, some Protestant families from the Palatinate region of Germany settled on the lands of Abel Ram of Gorey, a large landowner. They settled at Old Ross and Gorey. Some of their surnames included Fissel, Hornick, Jekyll, Poole, and Rhinehardt. They are known as 'Palatines'.

In 1752, Richard Pococke traveled through a large part of County Wexford and wrote about his journey.

In the early 1770s, a group called the Whiteboys were active in northwest County Wexford. They first appeared in 1774. Their main complaint was paying Tithes, which was a tax to support the Protestant Church. The Whiteboys were Catholic. They were soon stopped, and two leaders were executed in 1775.

In 1777, there were only three post offices in the county: Gorey, Enniscorthy, and Wexford. Mail from Dublin arrived only two days a week.

In 1778, the Colclough family formed the first Volunteer Company in Ireland at Enniscorthy.

Arthur Young traveled through Ireland during this time. His book, A Tour in Ireland, 1776–1779, includes many details about County Wexford.

In 1793, a serious event happened near Wexford town. A large group of people, who had joined a secret group called the Right Boys, approached the town. They wanted to free two prisoners. On July 11, 1793, they came armed with guns, pikes, and scythes. They had captured Lieutenant Buckby. The military, the 56th Regiment, met them near John Street. During a discussion, Major Vallotton struck their leader, John Moore, with his sword. Moore then wounded Vallotton with a scythe, and Vallotton died a few days later. The soldiers opened fire, and the group scattered. Eleven protestors were killed immediately, and many more died later from their wounds. Lieutenant Buckby escaped. Moore died that day. Many Right Boys were captured, and five were executed on July 26, 1793. This event is sometimes called the 'First Rebellion' in the county.

The Irish language was spoken in much of County Wexford until the late 1700s, when it began to decline. The Yola dialect, spoken in Forth and Bargy, also declined. By 1850, only 800 Irish speakers were left in the county, and Yola had died out completely. English became the main language.

The 1798 Rebellion

County Wexford saw the most intense fighting during the 1798 rebellion. Major battles took place at Enniscorthy and New Ross. Many memorials to 1798 are found across the county. The famous song Boolavogue was written about the Wexford Rising. The French Revolution greatly influenced many rebels, and many were also United Irishmen.

A common weapon for the Wexford rebels was the pike, made by local blacksmiths. It often had a hook to cut horse reins. Blacksmiths were targeted as suspected United Irishmen before the rebellion. A torture called pitchcapping was used by government forces in County Wexford to get information.

The rebellion in Wexford started on the evening of May 26, 1798. Fires were lit on hills like Carrigrew Hill to signal the start of the rebellion. Father John Murphy, a Catholic priest, became an important Rebel leader early on.

The Rebels won the Battle of Oulart Hill on May 27, 1798. They took Enniscorthy the next day and set up a main camp at Vinegar Hill, where thousands joined. On May 30, 1798, the rebels defeated a British force heading to Wexford town at the Battle of Three Rocks. Government soldiers in Wexford town panicked and fled. The Rebels entered the town in triumph, now controlling almost the entire county.

An attempt to spread the rebellion into Carlow led to a defeat on June 1, 1798, at Bunclody. But on June 4, 1798, a British counterattack was pushed back at Battle of Tubberneering, and Gorey was taken that same day.

On June 5, 1798, the Rebels fought for ten hours at the Battle of New Ross but failed to take the town. Many lives were lost. Later that day, about 120 loyalist prisoners were killed at Scullabogue, near the Rebel Camp on Carrigbyrne Hill.

On June 9, 1798, Wexford Rebels, joined by those from County Wicklow, were defeated at the Battle of Arklow, County Wicklow. On June 20, 1798, loyalists were killed on Wexford bridge. Also on June 20, 1798, the Rebels were defeated at the Battle of Foulksmills. At this point, government forces were closing in on the Rebels.

The United Irishmen were defeated at the Battle of Vinegar Hill on June 21, 1798. This was the last major battle in County Wexford. However, a group of government forces was ambushed and defeated at Ballyellis, near the County Wicklow border, on June 30, 1798. About 60 soldiers were killed, with no Rebel casualties. This was known as the Battle of Ballyellis.

On the morning of July 5, 1798, the Rebels fought the Army for two hours at the Battle of Ballygullen. Many Rebels were killed or wounded. This was the last big battle of the rebellion in Wexford. Remaining rebels tried to spread the rebellion to Ulster and Munster but were defeated by July 14. Some groups stayed in Wexford, fighting a guerrilla war. The last group, led by James Corcoran, lasted until February 1804. Others, like Miles Byrne, fought in different ways. After Emmet's failed Rebellion of 1803, Byrne escaped to France. He joined the French Army and fought the British many times.

The 1800s in Wexford

In 1803, Edward Hay published one of the first accounts of the 1798 Rebellion, along with a detailed map of the county.

In 1807, a famous duel happened at Ardcandrisk between John Colclough and William Alcock. It was mainly caused by an upcoming election where they were opposing candidates. Colclough was killed. A huge crowd attended his funeral at Tintern Abbey. This was because the Colcloughs were popular landlords, and Colclough was the people's choice.

Many areas of the county were involved in the Tithe War (1831–36). This was a protest against paying tithes (taxes) to the Established Church. County Wexford was not as badly affected as some other areas by the Great Famine in the 1840s, but it still had a major impact.

Nicholas Furlong explains the Famine's effects: "In 1841, County Wexford's population was 202,033. In 1851, it was 180,158, a drop of 21,875. The population continued to decline for the rest of the century."

Newspapers became common in this century. For example, the Wexford People started around 1853.

In 1859, the Pomona, a ship carrying emigrants, sank off the Wexford coast. All 400 people on board were killed.

In the mid-1800s, many towns in the county got gas lighting for the first time, like Enniscorthy around the 1850s-60s. The 1800s also saw the arrival of railways in the county.

The Bridge at New Ross, over the River Barrow, was swept away by a flood and ice in 1867.

Later in the 1800s, the Land War had a big impact on the county. Many tenants were famously evicted at Coolgreany in 1887.

Wexford in the 1900s and Today

The first complete Census of Population for County Wexford that still exists is from 1901.

In the early 1900s, many people from County Wexford moved to the United States. Most traveled from Cobh (then called Queenstown), County Cork, by ship to Ellis Island, New York. Some stayed in the US, but many returned home later.

County Wexford During the Wars (1914–1923)

In 1916, a small rebellion happened at Enniscorthy at the same time as the Easter Rising in Dublin. On April 27, 1916, about 600 armed rebels took over Enniscorthy town. The government sent over 1,000 men to take it back. On May 1, 1916, the Enniscorthy rebels surrendered. There were no deaths and little damage. Some leaders were sentenced to death, but their sentences were changed. About 270 people were arrested, and 150 were held at Frongoch internment camp in North Wales.

Michael O'Hanrahan from New Ross, who was important in the Easter Rising in Dublin, was executed on May 4, 1916.

During World War I, at least 504 men from County Wexford who joined the British Army died fighting. German U-boats were very active off Wexford's southern coast. Zeppelins (airships) were based at Johnstown Castle to deal with the U-boat threat. The first US Naval Aviation Forces arrived on February 25, 1918. The US Naval Air Station Wexford received seaplanes on September 18, 1918.

One famous U-boat, U-20, sank two ships off the south Wexford coast on May 6, 1915. The next day, this same U-boat sank RMS Lusitania, a large passenger ship, off County Cork. The main shipping route between Britain and America passed through Wexford's waters. Many ships were sunk off Wexford's coasts. The sea around Tuskar Rock became known as "The Graveyard" for Allied ships. Some German U-boats were also sunk there. UC-44 was sunk off the Hook Peninsula on August 4, 1917, by a mine. Only the commander survived; 28 crew members died.

John Redmond, leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, died on March 6, 1918. He was buried in Wexford. In the 1918 General Election, County Wexford elected two Sinn Féin candidates, James Ryan and Roger Sweetman. Sinn Féin refused to take their seats in the British Parliament. Instead, they set up their own parliament, Dáil Éireann, in Dublin on January 21, 1919. Only Sinn Féin members attended. The Dáil created a Department of Defence, represented by the Irish Republican Army (I.R.A.). Michael Collins and Cathal Brugha were key I.R.A. leaders. World War I ended on November 11, 1918. However, troubled times began for County Wexford and Ireland. On the same day the First Dáil met, the Irish War of Independence began.

The Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) was a guerrilla war fought by the I.R.A. to end British rule and create an independent Irish state. In County Wexford, there were many attacks on Royal Irish Constabulary (R.I.C.) Barracks. Some were abandoned by the R.I.C. Post Offices and railways were also attacked. The British sent a force called the Black and Tans to Ireland and County Wexford. The Black and Tans became very unpopular due to their harsh treatment of people. Many people were imprisoned. The most notable death in County Wexford during the war was Percival Lea-Wilson, an R.I.C. Inspector, who was shot dead by the I.R.A. outside his Gorey home on June 15, 1920. The most deaths in the county happened on October 12, 1920, when 5 men were killed and 9 injured. This happened when explosives being prepared by the I.R.A. accidentally blew up in an old house at St. Kearns, Saltmills. On January 4, 1921, County Wexford was placed under Martial law. The Irish War of Independence ended on July 11, 1921, when both sides agreed to a truce.

Michael Collins visited Wexford town on April 8–9, 1922. In a speech, Collins said:

It is the departure of British troops that matters. It is this departure that makes us free from their interference, this departure is the one indispensable factor in our freedom. No good can come of a division among ourselves, from civil war, from mutiny ...

On June 28, 1922, the Irish Civil War (1922–1923) began. County Wexford's Civil War was much more violent than its War of Independence, with more deaths on both sides. It was also a guerrilla war. After the Treaty was signed, the I.R.A. in County Wexford was divided. The North Wexford and South Wicklow Brigade of the I.R.A. supported the Treaty, but the South Wexford Brigade opposed it. Anti-Treaty I.R.A. units in the county formed Flying Columns of about 12–20 men each. Attacks on the county's railways by anti-Treaty I.R.A. units were common.

A cycle of revenge killings soon followed. For example, on July 24, 1922, an anti-Treaty I.R.A. unit ambushed a train near Killurin Railway Station, killing 3 Free State soldiers. On October 10, 1922, a Free State army officer, Commandant Peter Doyle, was shot dead by anti-Treaty I.R.A. in Enniscorthy. On March 13, 1923, the Free State side executed 3 anti-Treaty I.R.A. prisoners in Wexford Jail. In revenge, on March 23, 1923, anti-Treaty I.R.A. took 3 Free State soldiers from a pub in Ballagh and shot them dead the next morning in Adamstown. Many other killings also happened. Some large houses were burned down by anti-Treaty I.R.A. units, including Castleboro House (February 1923), Wilton (March 1923), and Ballynastragh (March 1923). The Free State side also imprisoned many suspects.

The anti-Treaty side declared a nationwide ceasefire on April 30, 1923. On May 24, 1923, the war ended as anti-Treaty I.R.A. units were ordered to give up their weapons, which most did. The Free State side had won. Normal political activity then began in Ireland. Political parties like Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Labour Party became important in Irish politics.

County Wexford During World War II

Ireland officially remained neutral during World War II. However, on August 26, 1940, the German Luftwaffe bombed Campile. Three women were killed. On October 11, 1941, a German Luftwaffe Bomber (Heinkel He 111H-6) crashed into the Blackstairs mountains near Kiltealy, killing all four crew members. Other German and Allied planes also crashed in County Wexford and its coastal waters during the war, often with deaths. German U-boats were again active in Wexford's coastal waters. On November 11, 1940, SS Ardmore hit a mine near the Saltee Islands, and all 24 crew members died.

In Ireland, this wartime period is called The Emergency. Goods were scarce because trade between Britain and Ireland was badly affected. Most of Ireland's imports then came from Britain.

Wexford from 1950 to Today

A big change came in the 1950s when most rural areas of the county got electricity for the first time.

In 1963, John F. Kennedy, then President of the United States, visited the county and his family's ancestral home at Dunganstown, near New Ross. His great-grandfather left County Wexford in 1848 and settled in Boston, United States.

Some of the county's railway lines were closed in the 1960s. Ballywilliam Station, for example, closed in 1963.

On March 24, 1968, an Air Lingus aircraft (called Saint Phelim) crashed into the sea near Tuskar Rock. It was flying from Cork to London. All 61 people on board (57 passengers and 4 crew) were killed. The crash is often called the Tuskar Rock Air Disaster.

Ireland joined the European Economic Community (E.E.C.), now known as the European Union (E.U.), in 1973.

In the late 1970s, plans to build a nuclear power station at Carnsore were stopped. This was after many public protests due to environmental and health worries.

Many people left Ireland in the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s, mainly because of unemployment. The number of people working in agriculture steadily decreased from that time onwards.

In March 1993, Jim Bolger, then Prime Minister of New Zealand, visited his parents' homes at Ballyconran and Knockbrandon, County Wexford.

In 1998, the 200th anniversary of the 1798 Rebellion was celebrated by Wexford people in many ways throughout the year.

The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, visited New Ross in January 2007.

The last 10–15 years have seen more wealth in the county. Roads have improved a lot. There has also been a huge increase in immigrants, which was almost unheard of before. Many 'holiday homes' have been built in coastal areas. Another change is that organized religion is less emphasized now.

Several wind farms have been built in the county and are now producing electricity.

Images for kids

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  County Wexford highlighted in green

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  Bree Portal tomb.

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  A cinerary urn from the Late Bronze Age, found near Gorey.

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  Dermot MacMurrough – last true King of Uí Cheinnselaig and last Irish King of Leinster.

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  A Celtic Cross slab at Ferns.

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  A model of a typical Viking longship.

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  Enniscorthy Castle, County Wexford.

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  Art MacMurrough Kavanagh and the Earl of Gloucester in 1399.

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  Dunbrody Abbey, County Wexford – A print from an engraved steel plate, dated 1832.

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  Tintern Abbey, County Wexford.

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  Ruins of Selskar Abbey, Wexford.

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  Oliver Cromwell.

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  Profile of a pike

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  Wexford – circa 1800.

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  Vinegar Hill – view from Enniscorthy
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  Ballynastragh House, County Wexford – From a drawing published 1826. Home of the Esmonde family.

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  New Ross, County Wexford – A print from an engraved steel plate, dated 1832.

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  Michael O'Hanrahan.

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  John Redmond.

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  In the trenches: Royal Irish Rifles in a communications trench on the first day on the Somme, 1 July 1916. Many men from County Wexford belonged to this Regiment.

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  German bombers (Heinkel He 111) over Britain during WW2 – similar to the type that bombed Campile and that crashed near Kiltealy.

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  John F. Kennedy visiting the John Barry Memorial at Crescent Quay, Wexford town, Ireland – 27 June 1963.

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  Gorey Bypass – A new road opened September 2007.

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  Wind Farm near Kilmuckridge.