Wexford

Wexford is a compact harbour town on the south-east coast of Ireland, set where the River Slaney spills into a wide, shallow estuary. Founded as Veisafjǫrðr by the Vikings in the 9th century and later fortified by Anglo-Norman settlers, it retains an unmistakably medieval street pattern, with narrow lanes climbing from the quay to the parallel Main Street that runs the full length of the old town.

Visitors can walk along the Crescent Quay, dominated by a bronze statue of Commodore John Barry, the Wexford-born father of the United States Navy, before exploring landmarks such as the Westgate Tower, the only surviving gate of the medieval town walls, and the ruined Selskar Abbey. The Twin Churches, designed by Robert Pierce in the 1850s, mirror each other across the rooftops and dominate the skyline.

Wexford is also a cultural hub, best known for the annual Wexford Festival Opera held each autumn at the National Opera House. The wider area offers the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on the North Slob, the Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig, and easy access to the long sandy beaches of Curracloe and Rosslare.