New Ross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
New Ross
Ros Mhic Thriúin
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Town
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New Ross, 2011
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 New Ross
Location in Ireland
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| Country | Ireland | |
| Province | Leinster | |
| County | County Wexford | |
| Elevation | 30 m (100 ft) | |
| Population
(2022)
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| • Urban | 8,610 | |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (WET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (IST) | |
| Eircode routing key |
Y34
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| Telephone area code | +353(0)51 | |
| Irish Grid Reference | S715278 | |
New Ross (called Ros Mhic Thriúin in Irish) is a town in the southwest part of County Wexford, Ireland. It sits on the River Barrow, close to the border with County Kilkenny. New Ross is about 20 kilometers northeast of Waterford. In 2022, about 8,610 people lived there, making it the fourth-largest town in County Wexford.
Contents
History of New Ross
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The port town of New Ross has a very long history, going back before the Middle Ages. The first settlement here was in the 6th century. St. Abban of Magheranoidhe started a monastery in what is now called Irishtown. The town's original name, Ros, was a shorter version of Ros Mhic Treoin, which means 'the Wood of the Son of Treoin'.
New Ross became important when the Anglo-Normans took over the area. This happened in the early 13th century when the Norman knight William Marshall and his wife Isabella de Clare arrived. They built a type of fort made of earth, called a motte, at Old Ross to help control the new land. A medieval town quickly grew around it, settled by English and Welsh people. The story of Isabella and William's arrival is told in the Chronicles of Ross, which are kept in the British Museum. It says that in 1189, Isabella began "building a lovely city on the banks of the Barrow".
The town grew bigger around a bridge built by William Marshal. He was the son-in-law of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (also known as Strongbow), who was a leader of the Norman invasion of Ireland. The town of New Ross (meaning 'the town of the new bridge') was given a special Royal Charter around 1279. In the late 1200s, the town faced a difficult time after a disagreement where some monks died.
St Mary's Abbey (Church of Ireland) was built in 1210. There are also two Roman Catholic churches: the parish church of SS. Michael and Mary, finished in 1902, and the Augustinian church, opened in 1835.
New Ross was a place where many battles happened during the Irish Confederate Wars in the 1640s. In 1643, the town defended itself against an attack by James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde. He fought a battle near the town against an Irish army. Later, in 1649, Oliver Cromwell took over the town. He even fired cannons at the town gate, called the Aldgate. The New Ross Town Hall was finished around 1750.
The town was also the site of an important battle during the 1798 rebellion.
Education
St Augustine's and Good Counsel College, New Ross is a school just for boys. It has over 750 students, making it the biggest school in New Ross.
Sport
Some of the sports groups in New Ross include New Ross RFC (rugby), New Ross Celtic Soccer Club, and New Ross Golf Club.
Arts and Culture
The main arts center in New Ross is St Michael's Theatre. The building we see today was built in 1806. It was used as the local church until 1902, when the new church, St Mary's & Michael's, opened. St Michael's Theatre has a staff of 12 people. It has a theater with 300 seats, a smaller studio space with 50 seats, an art gallery, a cinema, a coffee shop, and a bar.
New Ross is also home to the Ros Tapestry Project. This is a community project where 150 volunteers from all over County Wexford have been making embroidered tapestries. The Ros Tapestries show important events, like the founding of New Ross by William Marshall. The first tapestry was finished in 2002. Almost all of the 15 tapestries are now complete. In 2009, the Ros Tapestry Exhibition opened at The Quay in New Ross.
Transport
Roads in New Ross
The N25 road crosses the River Barrow in New Ross. This road connects Cork, Waterford City (about 25 km away), and Rosslare Harbour (about 40 km away). The N30 links Enniscorthy and New Ross. Other roads like the R704 and R700 connect the town to places in County Kilkenny, such as Graiguenamanagh, Mullinavat, and Kilkenny.
Bus Services
New Ross has several bus routes, and the main bus stop is on the town's quay. There are buses to and from Waterford every day. Bus Éireann is a main company that offers services to Dublin and Dublin Airport. They also have buses to Rosslare Europort and Cork, as well as local services. Wexford Bus runs a service between Wexford and Waterford. Kilbride Coaches connect the town to Kilkenny. Wexford Local Link also has services to Enniscorthy.
Railways and Greenways
New Ross railway station (Rosbercon) opened in 1887. It stopped carrying passengers in 1964 and stopped carrying goods by 1995. It used to be an important link between different railway lines.
This old railway line is now being turned into a walking and cycling path called the Southeast Greenway. The first part of the greenway, connecting New Ross to Ballyverneen (near Glenmore, County Kilkenny), opened in June 2023. Eventually, the greenway will link Palace East to Waterford City, passing through New Ross.
Sea Port
New Ross is special because it's Ireland's only inland port. It's located 32 km from the sea on the River Barrow. There's also a small marina (a place for boats) just downstream from the town.
Economy and Attractions
The Ros Tapestry Exhibition Centre is on the Quay in New Ross. It shows 15 embroidered tapestry panels. These tapestries tell stories about Celtic Ireland, ancient rituals, women warriors, old Irish laws, early Christian Ireland, and the Vikings of Wexford. They also show how Diarmait MacMurchada lost his kingdom and how William Marshal, who married Isabel de Clare, came to Ireland.
New Ross is also home to the Dunbrody replica famine ship. This is a full-size copy of a real ship from the 1800s that carried people leaving Ireland during the Great Famine. It is docked on the Quay.
The town also has the Emigrant Flame. This is a flame that burns all the time to remember the people who left Ireland during the famine.
A statue of John F. Kennedy is located by the river. His sister, Jean Kennedy Smith, unveiled the statue in July 2008.
Did you know that the name of Liverpool F.C.'s football stadium, Anfield Road, came from an old area called Annefield in New Ross?
The Browne-Clayton Monument is about 12 km east of New Ross, on the road to Wexford (N25).
The Hook Lighthouse is a famous lighthouse located about 39 km south of New Ross.
The Kennedy family Homestead, which was the home of US President John F Kennedy's great-grandfather, is about 8 km south of New Ross. The JFK Arboretum, a large tree garden, is also located south of the town.
Famous People from New Ross
- Seán Connick, a politician who was a TD (member of parliament) from 2007 to 2011.
- James Cullen, a priest who started the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association. He was born in New Ross.
- Martin Doyle, who received the Victoria Cross, a very brave award.
- Patrick Kennedy, the great-grandfather of US President John F. Kennedy. He left Ireland from this area.
- Seán O'Kennedy, who was the captain of the Wexford Gaelic Football team that won the All-Ireland championships from 1915-1918.
- Gráinne Murphy, a swimmer who won silver and bronze medals in European championships in 2010.
- John Redmond, a politician who was a Member of Parliament for New Ross.
- Maverick Sabre, a singer.
Town Twinnings
New Ross has special agreements with other towns around the world. This is called town twinning. The towns are:
- Hartford, Connecticut, US
- Moncoutant, Poitou-Charentes, France
- Newcastle, County Down
See also
In Spanish: Nueva Ross para niños
