Top ten facts about Wexford - ‘Through water and fire’ – PHOTOS

Some interesting tit-bits about the Viking town in the sunny south east

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Wexford Town at twilight

Photo by Google Images

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PHOTOS - a slideshow of photos from County Wexford

1.The name ‘Wexford’ evolved from the Scandanavian name “Waesfjord” which means an “inlet of flat mud lands”.

In Irish the town is called “Loch Garman”. Legend has it this name came from the tale of a local man called Garman Garbh who was drowned on the mud flats of the River Slaney. The man was drowned by flood waters that were released by an enchantress. Therefore the resulting lake was named Lake of Garman.

2.The town was founded by the Vikings in 800 AD and besieged by the Normans in 1169. It was a predominantly English settlement during the Middle Ages.

PHOTOS - a slideshow of photos from County Wexford

3. A language known as ‘Yola’ was spoken in Wexford until it became extinct in the 19th century. To learn more about this language you can visit Yola Farmstead Folk Park.

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Visit County Wexfords information page for more details

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4. Patrick Kennedy, John F. Kennedy’s grandfather, was born in New Ross, in County Wexford. You can visit the Kennedy Homestead in New Ross, a museum and farm run by JFK’s descendants. You can also visit the Irish American Hall of Fame and the JFK arboretum.

5. At Hook Head you will see one of the world’s oldest, and still operating lighthouses. The lighthouse was set up in the 5th century when a fire would be set to warn incoming mariners. It’s listed as one of the top 14 attractions in Ireland by the Lonely Planet.

6. The D-day sequence in Steven Spielberg's 1998 Oscar winning film “Saving Private Ryan” were filmed on Ballinesker Beach,  on Curracloe Stand. The beach was chosen due to its similarity to Omaha Beach in Normandy. Filming lasted for two months, from June 27 in 2997.

PHOTOS - a slideshow of photos from County Wexford

7. Wexford is home to Europe’s most successful opera festivals - “The Wexford Opera Festival”. The festival was established in 1951 and has been running ever since.

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