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| County Wexford |
Wexford is the first county I arrived in when I arrived to work in Ireland in December 2002. There was no welcome party at Rosslare (see Irish Ferries) but I was greeted by a big storm, which made my first driving experience on the left-hand side of the road really challenging! Some examples in images and in text. |
| 1. Visit Ferns Castle... [    ] Ferns Castle was built in the 13th century, possibly by William, Earl Marshall. Originally, the castle formed a square, with large corner towers. Only half of the castle now remains. The most complete tower contains a fine circular chapel, with carved ornament. Despite the fact that the visit is free of charge, the castle isn’t frequented by that many tourists. The castle is one of Ireland’s heritage sites and like me, you may have the opportunity to visit it with an experienced OPW guide just for yourself. |
| 2. Admire the view from Ferns... [ ] The inside of Ferns Castle can be visited and the guided tour ends up on top of one the towers. From there, you'll be able to enjoy a 360° panoramic view of the area. On a clear day, you'll even be able to see neighbouring counties (Carlow, Wicklow, Kilkenny) and you'll understand the strategic importance of its location. |
| 3. Contemplate the River Slaney and one of its old bridges... [ ] I passed by many beautiful spots in County Wexford, but unfortunately, most of the roads are narrow and it’s difficult to find a place to pull in and to take a break. Here, at the crossing between the N80 and the N11, I got a bit luckier and I could admire the River Slaney and a beautiful old bridge in the background. |
| 4. Visit the town of Enniscorthy... [ ] If you have 1 or 2 hours to spare in County Wexford, a visit in Enniscorthy would be recommended. The lovely bridge and castle will create a nice atmosphere for a picnic on the banks of the River Slaney. The town itself with its colourful shop fronts and its steep streets can be visited quickly. In the streets of Enniscorthy, you can see something ironic: there is presence of a diet centre located just beside a fast food restaurant . |
| 5. Walk inside the JFK Arboretum park... [  ] Dedicated to the memory of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the Arboretum is a plant collection of 4,500 types of trees and shrubs from all temperate regions of the world, planted in botanical sequence. The park covers 252 hectares. The entrance fee costs €3, which is not very expensive when you think of the amount of work done on this site. |
| 6. Climb on Sliabh Coillte... [ ] This hill of 271 m belongs to John Fitzgerald Kennedy Arboretum Park. The entrance is located just outside the park, across the road. To access to the summit of the hill, you can either take your car or time permitted, climb it on foot. From the top, you can enjoy panoramic views of the area. |
 Photo 6. Sliabh Coillte. |
7. Visit Ballyhack... [ ] Ballyhack Castle is located on a steep slope in a commanding position overlooking Waterford Harbour. The castle is a large tower house, which have been built c. 1450. From Ballyhack, you can take a ferry to go to County Waterford. The crossing is a bit expensive (around €8 single, €12 return) but can be worth the money if you just need to visit the East of County Waterford. |
| 8. Visit Duncannon... [ ] The village of Duncannon lies also by the Waterford estuary and owns a star-shaped fort. It was built in 1588 to prevent an attack from the Spanish armada. |
| 9. Take some fresh air in Hook Head... [ ] After lots of kilometres on tortuous roads, you'll arrive at Hook Head with its superb lighthouse, its dramatic coast and its unchained sea. Fascinating scenery... I could have stayed hours there. |
| 10. Pray in Dunbrody Abbey... [ ] Dunbrody Abbey is an old Cistercian abbey founded in 1170 and located on the road R733. The abbey can be visited at day time. It also has a small garden and a miniature golf course. |
| 11. Admire a sunset in Co. Wexford... [ ] As you'll be able to see on this website, I am a big fan of Irish sunsets. You can see an example of a photograph of one that I'm quite happy with. |
 Photo 11. Sunset in Co. Wexford. |
| 12. Visit New Ross... [ ] New Ross turned out to be a great base to visit both Counties Wexford and Waterford. The town is divided in two by the River Barrow. As in Enniscorthy, the town is pleasant to visit and can be seen quickly. It’s a great town to take a break. |
| 13. Sail away on the Dunbrody... [ ] One of New Ross attractions is the replica of the Dunbrody Emigrant Ship. This one has carried thousands of Irish emigrants to the United States and Canada between 1845 and 1870. One of those emigrants was President J.F. Kennedy great-grand-father. |
| County Wexford in pictures | ||
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 Photo 2. Panoramic view from Ferns. |
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 Photo 3. River Slaney. |
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 Photo 4. Enniscorthy. |
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 Photo 5. The little lake in JF Kennedy Park. |
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 Photo 7. Ballyhack from Dunmore East. |
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 Photo 8. Duncannon. |
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 Photo 9. Hook Head Lighthouse. |
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 Photo 10. Dunbrody Abbey with a backlight. |
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 Photo 12. New Ross. |
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 Photo 13. Dunbrody at sunset. |
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Legend:
Nice; Worth a visit; Well worth visiting
Please note that this grading system is only based on my interests and personal experience as a French expat in Ireland. Feel free to visit the same locations and share your experience .
Free or Not Applicable Entrance fee ≤€5 ; €5<Entrance fee≤€10 ; €10<Entrance fee≤€15 and so on...
These price ranges are indicative only to help you plan your holiday budget and are subject to change. Discounts generally apply for families, groups, children, students and seniors citizens.
While the admission to this site is free, a parking fee may apply.
Heritage Site managed by the Office of Public Works. Most OPW sites are free of charge on the first Wednesday of every month during 2011. A Good tip: the Heritage Card entitles you unlimited admission for one year to all OPW sites (around €21).