Wexford Local Heroes on RTE 1. What a great fucking county.
Brilliant stuff. Some wonderful scenery and people.
Heartwarming scenes.
Oh my word. Look at that quayfront. Look at that harbour.
If Jimmyâs Rissoles donât go nationwide on the back of this then Sandymount Red should resign from the forum.
Joe Duffy: âThis proves once again that when Wexford put a team together they are almost unstoppable.â
[quote=âBandage, post: 775543, member: 9â]Joe Duffy: âThis proves once again that when Wexford put a team together they are almost unstoppable.â
[/quote]
Sure sure sure.
Canât wait to read Rocko review of his Wexford holiday tomorrow. I suspect thereâll be some constructive criticism but I anticipate a very positive report on the whole.
The residents of Rosslare, Enniscorthy, Wexford Town, Fethard on Sea, Kilmore Quay, New Ross and other unheralded areas like Wellington Bridge, Campile and a few others will have a sleepless night tonight. Some will love the praise, others will doubtless be stung by criticism. But all will be aimed at making Wexford a better place for Fingal tourists.
Rockoâs Review of Wexford, its sights and its peoples
Note, a bullet point synopsis review is available on request. To receive a laminated flashcard with these key points please send a stamped, addressed envelope to:
Rocko
TFK Towers
Peninsula
Fingal
General Points on the County as a Whole:
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[]Wexford is a lovely part of the world.
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Specific Regional Points
Rosslare:
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[]Clever idea to split the town into two parts: the industrial harbour and the resort area. Thatâs how I used to build my cities on Sim City back in the day - create a nice residential area by the coast and keep ports and industry a few miles away. Itâs similar to how Dublin is constructed with DĂșn Laoghaire and the industrial heartlands of Sandyford and Cherrywood at a nice remove from the plush resorts of North Dublin and Fingal. Dollymount, Portmarnock, Skerries etc all benefit from their distance from the industrial belt.
[*]Thereâs a strange house on the left hand side on the road to Rosslare Strand just after the road splits between the strand and the harbour. I think there should be a sign saying whether this is just a strange house or whether it has a backstory like a haunting or something.
[]Kellyâs Hotel is an expensive place but itâs perfect for families with children. They should come up with a mechanism to allow you to order room service without using the phone. A little touchscreen device in each room would work wonders.
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Wexford Town:
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[]An awful lot larger than I expected.
[*]The Bullring badly needs a pedestrian crossing for those walking from the Georgeâs Street Area to the Cistin Eile end of Main Street.
[*]Cistin Eile seems to be spelled as CistĂn Eile in places. This is surprising.
[*]The food in Cistin Eile is terrific. Excellent quality and great value. A mark docked for a lack of baby changing facilities but 9/10.
[*]I was disturbed to witness an incident of shoplifting in the Name It boutique on Main Street. This is a baby clothes store and a gang of young girls (perhaps 13/14) arrived in and ripped tags off some clothes and left with some, much to my bemusement. The poor shop assistant was unable to intervene due to the volume of scamps involved. I subsequently saw said girls outside the pub at the Bullring (the Undertaker or something like that?). This was a black mark against the town.
[*]There isnât much to the Opera House from the outside.
[*]There are plenty of anglicised street names and a COI church on Main Street. I did spot a few Celtic jerseys though but I feel a minor uprising is required to fully divest the town of historic British rule.
[*]The Pikeman is a wonderful statue.
[*]Itâs a long enough trek back from the Maxol on Trinity Street to the Tesco just to get an ATM. I couldnât even find the ATM at Tesco when we went back there. Naturally I didnât ask anyone and just went without.
[*]A helpful gentleman gave me his parking ticket with over an hour remaining on it as I was parking. This was just one example of a general courteous nature that was prevalent not just in the town, but in the county as a whole.
[*]A couple of the aforementioned lads in Celtic jerseys seemed to be having a grand time drinking cans and smoking against a wall near some houses on some obscure network of roads I found myself driving along. They were a group ranging in age from about 12 to about 40, all having a good laugh in the splendid weather. And why not.
[*]Mr Duffyâs Traditional Sweet Shop is a nice little distraction. Still working my way through a bag of Black Jacks and a pound of Rhubarb and Custard.
[]Johnstown Castle is terribly picturesque but not sure why you have to pay in. Thereâs no mention of the fact you canât actually go into the castle until youâve paid. I rather foolishly also paid into the Irish Agricultural Museum, just for a laugh. The famine exhibition there was reasonable but I felt it was overly sympathetic to the Brits. Mrs Rocko said I was just looking to be offended and it was perfectly balanced.
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New Ross and its Environs:
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[]I was warned not to go to New Ross but I wanted to see the Emigrant Ship and was pleased I overruled the advice proffered.
[*]My time there had an ugly beginning with a ridiculous wait in Super Valu while some lady in front of me in the queue at the express checkout spent over 10 minutes paying for about 25 items, paying for each individually. It was a bizarre series of transactions that didnât upset anyone else so Iâm sure it was a regular occurrence with some explanation. I thought at first she was buying on behalf of residents of an old folksâ home or something but she was using a central pool of cash and putting everything back into communal bags so it made no sense at all to me. She also didnât weigh anything that required weighing. My impatience was increased because I didnât want to buy anything. I entered the store hoping to purchase a Wexford People and to use an ATM but found the shop had neither. I picked up a bottle of sparkling water so I wouldnât have to walk past the closed registers which is something I hate doing and that took an age thanks to that lady.
[*]There is actually a decent selection of automatic ATM machines nearby with two through the back of the car park on Main Street, and of course the BOI only a 100m further along the quays, which machine I availed of.
[*]The famine/emigrant ship is a worthwhile tour. I recommend it to anyone in New Ross with an hour or two to spare.
[*]The coffee shop at the centre is surprisingly high quality and the staff there were most courteous and helpful.
Areas That I Am Including in New Ross, Though This Might Not Be to Everyoneâs Taste:
[*]Drove up to the JFK Homestead afterwards only to find it closed. Bit shit that itâs been shut for over a year (re-opening next month for the 50th anniversary of JFKâs visit home) but thereâs no mention of that on any of the signage.
[]As a result we went on to the JFK Arboretum. I was a little put out at being asked to pay âŹ3 each for entry to a park with trees but the weather was stunning and we had a very enjoyable stroll around the area before driving up to Sliabh Coillte to enjoy the breathtaking views. I saw one member of the Horsewood GAA team jogging around the area: I believe the rest of his team completed a run there last weekend but this tubby lad was lagging behind.
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Onwards to the Coast:
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[]A trip to Fethard on Sea was universally recommended by all on here and it was worth the drive.
[*]Arriving in the village, a small cluster of buildings appeared at first glance to be nothing special but once inside the Londis it became apparent that the original type of Milk Teeth (i.e. the powdery type, not the modern rubbery type) were on sale. I purchased 25 of those motherfuckers and enjoyed 23 of them - I felt obliged to pass 2 to Mrs Rocko.
[]We enjoyed a scenic drive out to Hook Head and the imposing, yet graceful lighthouse. Unfortunately the baby was fast asleep at this stage so we were not able to take the tour. I was recommended to visit Loftus Hall but I have little interest in old buildings, particularly when I suspect much of their history is just paying homage to some gentry.
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Kilmore Quay
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[]For every silver lining thereâs a cloud. For every Horsebox, thereâs a Carryharry. For every Runt, a Rintintin. This was certainly the lowlight of a very enjoyable sojourn in the Sunny South East.
[*]We arrived in the town nice and early at about 9am, looking forward to spending a day there as recommended by all and sundry. The thatched buildings on the route into the town promised much but the town was all window dressing and no substance. It reminded me an awful lot of Fran: very pretty to look at but fuck all going on.
[*]We walked out the pier, always getting the feeling we were in the way of fishermen types, and then walked back again and that was it. Not really sure what else we were supposed to do. We could see the Saltees but theyâre no Lambay Island and Irelandâs Eye as viewed from the Velvet Strand.
[*]We were told to get fish and chips there but it was 10am by the time we were getting bored and the chipper doesnât open until 1, understandably. It felt like weâd been duped into spending a day in a town that was fit only for passing away an afternoon.
[]We left soon afterwards with the thought that the town should have warning signs on approach roads, advising tourists not to visit before 1pm and to only factor in perhaps 90 minutes or so for a visit. Itâs all very well attracting people to Wexford, but itâs important to persuade them to return.
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General Points Pertaining to Driving in Wexford
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[]Thereâs a lot more pulling in to the hard shoulder to allow cars to pass than Iâd have encountered in other parts of the country. This is probably a good thing but sometimes I felt it was overdone.
[*]Thereâs a very straight but hilly stretch of road between Fethard on Sea and Wellingtonbridge, just after you turn right onto the road to Wellingtonbridge. I think more could be made of this - invent some sort of race or road bowling variant and hold it here annually and pretend itâs been played there for centuries. At least put up some sort of sign saying âWelcome to a straight stretch of roadâ so the more passive motorist will notice it.
[*]The shortcut from Rosslare to Wellingtonbridge is signposted when leaving Rosslare but not the other way around. Likewise thereâs a sign from Kilmore Quay showing the more coastal route back to Rosslare but no sign in Rosslare advising of that route to Kilmore Quay. (Perhaps the sign in Rosslare only appears in afternoons which would be advisable and to be welcomed).
[*]There was one of those private speed camera vans doing the rounds in Wexford. It was just outside Enniscorthy on Sunday (canât remember which side). Then on Monday it was on the road into Wexford Town just past Celtic Linen, and on Tuesday it was on the road into New Ross from Wexford. Think I was ok each time but that was a lot of speed cameraderie.
[*]On the road from New Ross to Fethard on Sea, there must be at least 5 right turns that direct to Campile and show it as being 5km away. Iâd say thereâs 20km at least between the first of these and the last of these.
[*]It was lovely to see the strawberry sellers out and about.
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Overall Mark: 8.9/10
Ah thatâs a terrific report. A known poster could do worse than hand this over to his brother to get printed up in the local newspapers.
A comprehensive and interesting review, Rocko.
Iâd take issue with your point on Kilmore Quay as I think you misunderstood. You were advised to check out Kilmore Quay on âone of the daysâ as opposed to going to Kilmore Quay âfor the dayâ. Itâs a quaint fishing village where you can go for a stroll along the little beach and/or pier front and thereâs meant to be a couple of nice places to eat there (I havenât been there for a few years) but youâre certainly not going to find much to do there on a weekday morning at 9am once youâve had your walk and had a quick look around the village. That would be unless there was some kind of boat trip option, which I donât think gets going until later in the summer season.
Re Wexford town: The main street is split into South Main Street (from the far end down by Cistin Eile) up to the Bull Ring and North Main Street goes from the Bull Ring down to Redmond Square. As you mentioned, there is no ATM from the south end of the town as far up to the AIB just before the Bull Ring and this is a source of frustration for locals and visitors alike. I was in the wonderful The Sky & The Ground pub at the south end last Saturday night and an old neighbour of mine works there; he mentioned how the lack of a nearby ATM hurts their business and talked anecdotally about people who ask the barmen where the closest ATM is only to then head further on up the town when theyâre informed. Of course, it doesnât help that the pub doesnât do âcash backâ with laser cards but I didnât say this so as not to cause any offence.
I actually donât know where that clothes shop is and Iâm not familiar with the sweet shop either â that goes to show the sheer size of Wexford. The pub at the Bull Ring is called Mackenâs or The Undertaker and this is a grand pub too. I didnât see any mention of the strip so you must not have checked that out or indeed the Nickey Rackard statue â perhaps you didnât venture this far up the North Main Street?
Overall, I think your tone/content underappreciates historic Wexford town, its cobbled streets, its modern strip, its wonderful harbour and completely over exaggerates how good a kip like New Ross is. Fuck you, pal.
a cracking review Rocko. You have some serious mental issues though, not wanting to walk out of the shop without buying something :lol:
I hope this only applies to Tesco stores
Some questions.
Was there any sign of people neglecting each other or leaving each other to die and rot in their homes?
Were the multigenerational knacker drinking gang playing any sort of skill based games while drinking?
Beautiful use of the phrase ATM machines.
Kilmore Quay for a day. Ah lovely. What an anti climax.
Heâs some simpleton in fairness.
[quote=âBandage, post: 776273, member: 9â][FONT=Calibri]A comprehensive and interesting review, Rocko.[/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri]Iâd take issue with your point on Kilmore Quay as I think you misunderstood. You were advised to check out Kilmore Quay on âone of the daysâ as opposed to going to Kilmore Quay âfor the dayâ. Itâs a quaint fishing village where you can go for a stroll along the little beach and/or pier front and thereâs meant to be a couple of nice places to eat there (I havenât been there for a few years) but youâre certainly not going to find much to do there on a weekday morning at 9am once youâve had your walk and had a quick look around the village. That would be unless there was some kind of boat trip option, which I donât think gets going until later in the summer season.[/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri]Re Wexford town: The main street is split into South Main Street (from the far end down by Cistin Eile) up to the Bull Ring and North Main Street goes from the Bull Ring down to Redmond Square. As you mentioned, there is no ATM from the south end of the town as far up to the AIB just before the Bull Ring and this is a source of frustration for locals and visitors alike. I was in the wonderful The Sky & The Ground pub at the south end last Saturday night and an old neighbour of mine works there; he mentioned how the lack of a nearby ATM hurts their business and talked anecdotally about people who ask the barmen where the closest ATM is only to then head further on up the town when theyâre informed. Of course, it doesnât help that the pub doesnât do âcash backâ with laser cards but I didnât say this so as not to cause any offence.[/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri]I actually donât know where that clothes shop is and Iâm not familiar with the sweet shop either â that goes to show the sheer size of Wexford. The pub at the Bull Ring is called Mackenâs or The Undertaker and this is a grand pub too. I didnât see any mention of the strip so you must not have checked that out or indeed the Nickey Rackard statue â perhaps you didnât venture this far up the North Main Street? [/FONT]
[FONT=Calibri]Overall, I think your tone/content underappreciates historic Wexford town, its cobbled streets, its modern strip, its wonderful harbour and completely over exaggerates how good a kip like New Ross is. Fuck you, pal.[/FONT][/quote]
I think youâve unfortunately focused on some of the more negative elements of my review. I awarded the county a very high mark, one that is indicative of a likelihood of a return visit.
I was perhaps ill-prepared for the scale of Wexford Town and walked from Georgeâs Street to Cistin Eile before realising that it may be a couple of hours before we were back to the car so I walked back to the car to top up the meter and then back to the restaurant and considered that journey to be the extent of the centre of the town as such.
Both Name It and Mr Duffyâs are located on the right hand side of the street as you walk from north to south and both are just the south side of the Bull Ring.
I encountered no âstripâ in my stay in the Town but did neglect to point out that we had a rather boring walk along the quayside. I feel more could be made of this amenity - many of the premises with frontage onto that street are sadly shut, including, poignantly, two neighbouring estate agents somewhere between Anne Street and the back of Shaws.
We made a hasty retreat in fairness, heading straight for Johnstown Castle. Unfortunately a hoped-for reunion with an old friend did not take place at said castle.
A bearded, leftie weirdo pushing a green buggy was reported. A co-indcidence?