Wexford Town Tourism + more.

WexfordWarrior

Its imperative that funding is sought and found for 2 projects in Wexford town.

1. The John Barry Museum.

2. Selskar Abbey.

After touring most of Ireland, it reaffirms the fact that Wexford needs a proper tourist attraction within the town centre itself. We have prime examples in Selskar Abbey and the unbelievable historic link in the Father of the U.S. Navy John Barry.

With all the talk of the gathering, this year we potentially have missed out on hundreds of thousands of Euros. That's a lot of money for our local economy.

How is it after all these years that we have still not secured funding for selskar, johnstown castle or a museum to John Barry?Its not rocket science and obviously will help selling this town instead of potentially hemorrhaging tourism.

The county itself has countless attractions that are well publicised and Wexford has a lot of natural advantages i.e. great beaches, wildlife etc etc but more can be done as regards tourism for Wexford town itself.

I think having an actual attraction such as a museum in Selskar Abbey or more to the point a John Barry Museum would entice tourism here tenfold and obviously especially within the U.S. market. We are very very lucky to have this link and to see it not being properly utilised is a horrendous shame.

Yes museums cost money, but I have an opinion that a John Barry museum would be profitable overall. At the moment our actual tourism sites include a few statues and wall plaques.

We have other areas we can develop also, our Oscar Wilde Link, the Thomas Moore Link and dare I say it even our Zorro link! The Guinness book of records was incepted over the bridge, why not highlight these elements of our town, if not individually, then within ONE WEXFORD MUSEUM!

Kilkenny is buzzing with tourism and it seems every facet is exploited, from their castle, to their hurling, their beer, their brewery, the irish culture in music, song and dance, traditional shop frontage etc etc. Although I wouldnt like to see Wexford turn into a tourism cliché, I think Its incredible we have allowed ourselves to be passed over and sat back while jobs and funding have gone to "more worthy places".

It doesn't have to be the biggest or most expensive place, there are plenty of suitable available buildings at the moment.

Wexford retail isnt competing right now and we need an injection in this sector also. A small shopping centre is needed to compliment the town OR redevelopment of prime locations within the town centre needs to be explored. A prime space in my eyes would be Lowneys mall on the quay. This has great potential. Access from the quays and also from our very own main street. If this building was redeveloped and upon redevelopment designed to house your generic retail outlet, I have no doubt the likes of River Island etc etc would be more than happy to locate in Wexford. At the moment we do not have the correct premises or floor space for this type of retailer. Wexford current rate of retail leakage is 27%, that was the figure on my reading the County Councils retail strategy analysis and plan to 2015. Far too big a figure to sustain and I myself have travelled out of town to shop recently where I spent a lot of my money into the Kilkenny economy, Why? Because of better choice.

There is lots of money in this country for these types of projects once they are sustainable, I do not buy into ALL of the recessionary hype.

Of course any thoughts are welcomed.

I am going to lobby these points with my TD.

vicwatson

Great post WW, just one thing, the Oscar Wilde link ?. Tell us more pls

The John Barry connection is so undersold it's not funny

WexfordWarrior

Oscar Wildes mother Jane Elgee was born in Wexford and her house stood on the site in the Bull Ring right in the corner, the shop beside Fatface. His grandparents House is right beside greenacres also. His grandfather was an Archdeacon of Wexford also and his life was spared during the 1798 rebellion etc etc. Loads of history there.

Thats why whites had a bar on the main street called "La Speranza", she was a nationalist and wrote poetry to this effect under the pen name "Speranza".

Anyway, just another interesting facet of the town, we have Marconi and his transmissions and the Jameson family link, Devereux Whiskey story etc.

The ships graveyard, Yola, Wexford in WW2, Cromwell.

Popular culture, Film - Saving Private Ryan, Count of Monty Cristo, A love divided, Artemis Fowl?

Lots and lots of interesting stuff for a Wexford Museum.

Judgement Day

Good luck with your TD then. :rolleyes:

McLoughlin

Wexford TDs didnt give a **** about Lowneys mall and the retail sector when they allowed Tesco's to be built outside the town which actually cost Wexford Jobs and had a negatie effect on the town.

Selskar Abbey was funded though a little and the graveyard was cleaned up there but and the Walking tours group spent years of pen pushing and what not sorting out insurance issue just so they could have tours there.

John Barry museum can't see it working as for the Wexford Muesum that been talked and talked about for decades (the old gaol been the site) and for various reasons it never happened

If Wexford wants to bring people in use its culture we have a wealth of writers and musicians if this area was funded and promoted more we would get more people down into Wexford.

Oh and there is the James Joyce connection as well that you forgot to mention.

vicwatson

Lot of Negative Vibes lads and lassies

smellslikeshoes

McLoughlin wrote: »

Wexford TDs didnt give a **** about Lowneys mall and the retail sector when they allowed Tesco's to be built outside the town which actually cost Wexford Jobs and had a negatie effect on the town.

Not sure what you expect TDs to do, they have fcuk all to do with any of what you have mentioned. Infact they have no power over anything that's been mentioned in this thread so far.

oldyouth

While I applaud anyone trying to improve things in Wexford, I don't think promoting Oscar Wilde's granddad's house is going to open the floodgates. If you include shlte in your list of top attractions, you devalue the good stuff.

Let's face it, there is not a huge amount of historical heritage (to outsiders) in Wexford. We would be better off promoting modern day amenities and events

McLoughlin

oldyouth wrote: »

Let's face it, there is not a huge amount of historical heritage (to outsiders) in Wexford. We would be better off promoting modern day amenities and events

We have the Opera and fringe events end of October we need something big during summer months and other pionts of the years

oldyouth

McLoughlin wrote: »

We have the Opera and fringe events end of October we need something big during summer months and other pionts of the years

Totally agree, but lets not try and compete with other towns in the region by putting tat up as heritage.

The Quay is a great resource and things like Spiegeltent are the way forward. Also, make our town a preferred destination for groups and associations to have regular events here. Food fairs, angling events, music competitions, scouting events, triathlons, off roading facilities, wind surfing etc.

The future is not in the past

vicwatson

Open up that fine Opera house to more live music ffs, it sits empty the majority of time I hear

McLoughlin

vicwatson wrote: »

Open up that fine Opera house to more live music ffs, it sits empty the majority of time I hear

Costs a effing bomb to rent it out and so does the Dun Mhuire (which can house up to 600) I think its poor managment more than anything that these venues are lying empty most of the time

WexfordWarrior

oldyouth wrote: »

Totally agree, but lets not try and compete with other towns in the region by putting tat up as heritage.

The future is not in the past

Forgive me Oldyouth. I do not know what I was thinking Re: my post about a Wexford Museum. You are 100% correct.

Funny that there was a nationwide media campaign about an American President visiting New Ross 50 years ago which ended up in tv crews from Ireland and abroad turning up to cover that "Historic event".

The Dunbrody Famine ship and Centre, recognising an event nearly 200 years ago now, needs to be decomissioned and the 1798 centre and castle in Enniscorthy need to be shut down. The re-enactments on vinegar Hill and one which drew big crowds to Enniscorthy recently was all in my head.

The National history museum in Dublin is a farce and the book of Kells should be "jazzed up" and maybe cgi'd or made into a comic book instead. Newgrange will be boarded up and places like Skellig Michael, Glendalough and Kylemore forgotten about.

The 800 year old Lighthouse at Hook Head should be flattened and a new futuristic replacement installed to attract visitors. The historic value doesn't matter.

I understand your point Re: Events and festivals and Wexford has been absolutely brilliant for them this year, credit due to all involved, but how many other festivals and events are on all over the country and in our neighbouring counties? Do you think anything we've had here this year truly captivates an audience in an original manner that they cant see anywhere else? and have these one day and weekend "festivals" drawn crowds like Spraoi? Cat Laughs? Have they competed?

We have a great Opera Festival once a year that is elitist and the locals can barely get into and an Opera house thats underperforming for the rest of the year.

A Wexford museum is just that, bound by the unique facets of interesting historical value unique to this town, county, region. Nowhere else or anywhere else can replicate that or its content. I personally believe it is a worthwhile project that should be seriously looked into.

"The future" is about a two week funfair on the quay once a year according to you and the Historic Selskar Abbey and John Barry are tat.

OldYouth, are you old and not with it or young and green?

Judgement Day

I've largely given up on on County Wexford at this stage but I would like to know why the old County Gaol cannot - without delay - be turned into a museum? Who is still occupying the premises now that there's a new County Hall?

oldyouth

^^^^^^^^^^^^ Wexford Warrior

You mis-read my post. By including the likes of Oscar Wilde's granny's house in amongst Wexford's attractions, you devalue the rest. The Thomas Moore link is so weak and I've never come across anyone with an interest in it. No-one with an interest in those areas would wet themselves at the prospect of visiting the area

Of course The Dunbrody, The John Barry, Selskar, JFK Homestead, etc should all be promoted. However, there are not enough historical attractions in the county to increase that type of tourism. There is nothing wrong with being very proud of your history, but the question is if it is enough to attract paying visitors to Wexford? Is it enough to compete with our neighbouring counties?

We need to add sustainable modern attractions which will give Wexford an all year round appeal to visitors. I don't mean 'funfairs' and you know that. We have the space, the mountains, the beaches, the facilities and hotels to make Wexford a preferred destination for specialised groups. Everyone else does golfing holidays and we do as well as the others in that sector. We need to look at the vast variety of different and obscure activities and provide them with what they require

vicwatson

McLoughlin wrote: »

Costs a effing bomb to rent it out and so does the Dun Mhuire (which can house up to 600) I think its poor managment more than anything that these venues are lying empty most of the time

Some money better than no money i guess. They need to change the tack big style.

Corvo

vicwatson wrote: »

Open up that fine Opera house to more live music ffs, it sits empty the majority of time I hear

Hear hear.

There have been some brilliant events in it over the past few years however, but they can be very badly advertised around town. I went to see Tommy Tiernan, Frankie Boyle and Keith Barry for grand total of €75.00, which you would spend out on a night on the town before you could blink. They have Jimmy Carr in December now also.

It doesn't mean all the above acts would be to everyone's tastes, but they are pretty big names and for €25.00 it's worth chancing it and seeing if you like them live.

You yourself didn't know that Bell X1 played in the Sky & The Ground, but wouldn't the Opera House have been a great venue to hear them? Fair play to the Speigeltent organisers, they have it pretty spot on too and will attract some big names to the town, but you would to see something like that more regularly (albeit on a small scale obviously).

oldyouth

Corvo wrote: »

Hear hear.

There have been some brilliant events in it over the past few years however, but they can be very badly advertised around town. I went to see Tommy Tiernan, Frankie Boyle and Keith Barry for grand total of €75.00, which you would spend out on a night on the town before you could blink. They have Jimmy Carr in December now also.

I just went on to their website to see what might be on offer and the Events Brochure is disgracefully out of date. What a shame. Might go to Jimmy Carr though

Corvo

oldyouth wrote: »

I just went on to their website to see what might be on offer and the Events Brochure is disgracefully out of date. What a shame. Might go to Jimmy Carr though

Not an Abba Forever fan no? :pac:

oldyouth

Corvo wrote: »

Not an Abba Forever fan no? :pac:

I don't have enough Money Money Money to go to both

vicwatson

Gimme gimme gimme a man (like Jimmy Carr) after midnight :pac:

vicwatson

oldyouth wrote: »

I just went on to their website to see what might be on offer and the Events Brochure is disgracefully out of date. What a shame. Might go to Jimmy Carr though

April brochure, ffs ! How hard can it be?

Judgement Day

Anybody local know what's going on at the old gaol and why it can't be used as a museum or am I on all of your ignore lists?

McLoughlin

Judgement Day wrote: »

Anybody local know what's going on at the old gaol and why it can't be used as a museum or am I on all of your ignore lists?

From what I can remember way back years ago their was a disagreement over what should be there the Sinn Fein crowd wanted it as part of the Republican Garden and have it as a Republican museum this started the early mid 80s and others wanted a more broad museum this lasted years.

The last time I heard it spoken about it was considered "not a good idea", "cost too much to maintain and run" and is used for storage.

Judgement Day

Marvellous, we have Johnstown Castle still occupied by clerks who nobody has the will to evict and now the historic gaol that is used for storage. Is it any wonder Ireland's tourist industry is such a joke. At the stroke of a pen both of the these places could be turned into worthwhile projects but no, it's obviously better that they are off limits to the public and allowed to fall apart.

McLoughlin

Judgement Day wrote: »

Marvellous, we have Johnstown Castle still occupied by clerks who nobody has the will to evict and now the historic gaol that is used for storage. Is it any wonder Ireland's tourist industry is such a joke. At the stroke of a pen both of the these places could be turned into worthwhile projects but no, it's obviously better that they are off limits to the public and allowed to fall apart.

This is what happened with the Workhouse/Old Hospital. Its in a complete state of ruin now.

WexfordWarrior

oldyouth wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^^^ Wexford Warrior

You mis-read my post. By including the likes of Oscar Wilde's granny's house in amongst Wexford's attractions, you devalue the rest. The Thomas Moore link is so weak and I've never come across anyone with an interest in it. No-one with an interest in those areas would wet themselves at the prospect of visiting the area

Of course The Dunbrody, The John Barry, Selskar, JFK Homestead, etc should all be promoted. However, there are not enough historical attractions in the county to increase that type of tourism. There is nothing wrong with being very proud of your history, but the question is if it is enough to attract paying visitors to Wexford? Is it enough to compete with our neighbouring counties?

We need to add sustainable modern attractions which will give Wexford an all year round appeal to visitors. I don't mean 'funfairs' and you know that. We have the space, the mountains, the beaches, the facilities and hotels to make Wexford a preferred destination for specialised groups. Everyone else does golfing holidays and we do as well as the others in that sector. We need to look at the vast variety of different and obscure activities and provide them with what they require

Oldyouth, you have completely and utterly misread and misinterpreted my post to suit your own agenda. Get real and cut out the bull.

Look at my initial post. It said 1. Selskar Abbey 2. John Barry.

Vicwatson was asking about the Oscar Wilde link and I mentioned about his mother and then followed on about his grandparents house. You have kept highlighting this fact like an oblivious imbecile and chose to forget about the main substance of my post like a childish prat.

I'm talking generally and collectively and specifically about the History of Wexford Town and the many facets of that, large, small and everything inbetween. I don't want a tit for tat argument with you. I accept constructive criticism but not blatant belittling through your own sense of self importance.

Did I spell it out enough for you?

Lets get back to constructive conversation, that's why I started this thread.

oldyouth

Wow, what a rant

When your blood pressure calms down a little, have a read of your original post when YOU brought up the subject of Oscar Wilde and Thomas Moore

My response was reasonable and merely stated that those 2 subjects were not going to improve our tourism figures and that, my friend IS actually constructive conversation unlike the personal abuse you have hurled at me

Geog1234

A blue plaque trail in Wexford Town (there's one in Waterford) may be a worthwhile project. It could highlight places like the building with the Oscar Wilde connection (plus numerous other places of interest).

Incidentally there's a ship sailing out of Rosslare bearing his name (Irish Ferries vessel that sails to Cherbourg and Roscoff). In fact I think (but can't remember for sure) that there's a trail around the vessel in his honour.

It wouldn't be totally out of the question to "join" the two and create a trail/promotion/mini (perhaps literary) event of sorts.

Just thought this small point was worth mentioning.

WexfordWarrior

oldyouth wrote: »

Wow, what a rant

When your blood pressure calms down a little, have a read of your original post when YOU brought up the subject of Oscar Wilde and Thomas Moore

My response was reasonable and merely stated that those 2 subjects were not going to improve our tourism figures and that, my friend IS actually constructive conversation unlike the personal abuse you have hurled at me

I don't have blood pressure problems and my original post made a passing point of that subject as something to note as a point of interest for a Wexford Museum. You kept reiterating the point that I presumably wanted tourists to "wet" themselves because Oscar Wilde's granny lived in a house but kept managing to disregard the MAIN points of Selskar Abbey or John Barry.

Now I'm off to go drum up some support for an angling competition in ferrybank while trying to book Mcfaddens for a permanent residency on the quayfront.

oldyouth

oldyouth wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^^^ Wexford Warrior

You mis-read my post. By including the likes of Oscar Wilde's granny's house in amongst Wexford's attractions, you devalue the rest.

Of course The Dunbrody, The John Barry, Selskar, JFK Homestead, etc should all be promoted.

How is that disregarding your main points regarding Selskar Abbey or John Barry?

You read selectively and throw your toys out of the pram if anyone disagrees with you, so I'm done here