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OUR PEOPLE OUR PLACE OUR PASSION Our Wexford WexfordOUR Wexford County Council, Carricklawn, Wexford. Phone: 00353 (0)53 919 6000 @wexfordcoco www.Wexford.ie 2018 www.InvestWexford.ie BUSINESS HOSPITALITY WHAT’S ON FEATURE €7.95 Meet top Wexford-based Where to stay… Over 30 top New era for businesses » BNY Mellon Where to eat… festivals and Johnstown » ClearStream Where to events in Castle » Slaney Foods shop… Wexford See page 74 CONTENTS Wexford is not all about work; it has a great reputation as a place to live, ‘‘ wonderful landscape and WALKING WEXFORD coastline, vibrant arts scene A selection of beautiful walks A selection of 20 different walking the long stretch of golden coastline through varied countryside trails are on offer across Wexford, stretches to Raven Point south and hosts the renowned awaits you in Wexford Walking from easy grade to moderate to of Curracloe. Broken then by Trails – wooded walks, historic strenuous. More than half of Wexford Harbour, the southern international Wexford walks, coastal walks, and Wexford’s border is bounded by coast runs on towards Waterford mountain walks. You can choose the sea; starting at Kilmichael Harbour and is fringed with small Festival Opera a different walk each day and Point in the north of the county, inlets and rocks. savour the varied beauty of In the north of the county the ABOVE: Europe’s most western isle. You Enniscorthy Blackstairs form an integral part Billy Sweetman, can walk through bird-rich River Walk of Ireland’s heritage. The highest Partner, PwC polders beside Wexford town LEFT: peak is Mount Leinster (795m), or traverse the slopes of Mount Courtown dominating the surrounding Walking Trail Leinster and the Blackstairs skyline. The name ‘Leinster’ comes Mountains in the west. In from the Irish Laighin, the ancient between, you can choose from name of the province whose King ’’ a wide range of quality walks was buried beneath a cairn here through quiet rural landscapes before the time of Christ. of diverse character and all steeped in the history of the A Wexford Walking trail guide island long regarded as ‘the end which details the variety of walks of the known world’. in Wexford can be found at www.visitwexford.ie ACTIVITIES 105 Our Wexford WELCOME TO WEXFORD 6 Our People AMBASSADORS The world-famous faces who have 10 a major love for the ‘old sod’ OUR CRAFT Meet the crafty Wexford people who 22 bring design to a global audience OUR FOOD Meet the people behind the global 30 food brands produced in Wexford DOING BUSINESS IN WEXFORD The hugely successful businesses that have 38 chosen Wexford as their place to work HOSPITALITY Where to eat..where to stay..conferencing 62 Wexford offers a menu of choice Our Place JOHNSTOWN CASTLE A new era is on the horizon for this 74 expansive estate WELL-CONNECTED WEXFORD What is it that keeps Wexford moving? 78 PROPERTY SOLUTIONS Sites and turnkey property ready for new business 82 EDUCATION Cultivating the bright minds of the future 86 WHERE WE LIVE Wexford’s residential housing market 88 IRELAND’S ANCIENT EAST Explore the cornerstone of Ireland’s Ancient East 90 Our Passion CULTURE & ARTS Explore Wexford’s bustling arts scene 93 WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA Learn about this World Famous Festival, 96 hosted every year since 1951 ACTIVITY & ADVENTURE There’s an escapade at every turn 98 Published By Wexford County Council, Economic Development © 2017 / 2018 ISBN: 978-0-9933378-4-0 ISSN: 2009-9207 Magazine designed by TOTEM www.totem.ie 3 Welcome from the Chairman In this publication we introduce you to inspirational Wexford people who have developed hugely successful careers, but who have a very soft spot for their home place. We look at some of the transformational projects, which will see Wexford infrastructure develop to a whole new level over the next number of years, making it easier to live, work and invest in our county. We have discussed doing business in Wexford with some of the county’s biggest employers and delved into what they believe makes the county a great place to do business. We also explore the county’s rich heritage and cultural offering, and feature Ireland’s Ancient East along with a range of festivals and events, which ensure Wexford has a 360-degree offering for locals and visitors alike. From living in Wexford and studying here, to working and enjoying leisure time, we hope that ‘Our Wexford’ offers you some insights as to why some of the world’s biggest brands have chosen Wexford as their place to do business. Más fíor nach neart go cur le chéile, caithfidh Carmanaigh uilig cur le cheile ar mhaithe le Co Loch Garman. If it is true that there is no strength without unity then all Wexford people must unite for the betterment of Wexford. John Hegarty, Cathaoirleach, Wexford County Council. 4 OUR WEXFORD Photo by Ivan Donoghue WELCOME TO WEXFORD 5 Welcome to Wexford The beautiful, historic and New Ross on the borders with every year, spending €190 million diverse county of Wexford is Waterford and Kilkenny, the in the local economy. located on the southeastern-most urban areas of Wexford all offer The urban centre is a popular corner of the island of Ireland. their own unique attractions. All shopping destination and the In recent years developments in remain within easy distance of town is home to a number of large infrastructure, education and Ireland’s major cities and airports, employers across the agri- food, the arts have led to it becoming as well as the busy Rosslare financial services and ICT sectors. one of the most innovative, Europort, which is just minutes bustling places in the country. away and is a key link to the This coastal town is also just United Kingdom and continental minutes from spectacular beaches As the heart of Ireland’s ‘Sunny Europe. such as Curracloe and Rosslare, Southeast’, it enjoys the most nature reserves, and national sunshine of any part of Ireland With a county population of heritage sites including 12 pillars every year. Wexford’s rolling 145,315, the key urban centre is of Ireland’s Ancient East. countryside and vibrant towns have Wexford town,which was founded many attractions for those who over 1,000 years ago and has Not to mention the multi-award- ABOVE: want to live and work in a place retained historic links with its winning Wexford Festival Opera, Wexford town which attracts tens of thousands quayside which has a young and enterprising Viking and Norman past. population, spectacular scenery, a into the town every autumn to It was those Viking ‘visitors’ rich heritage embodying Ireland’s enjoy many musical treats, in an who first laid out the narrow and Ancient East and an unparalleled awe-inspiring venue – Ireland’s picturesque streets and lanes, cultural life beloved by visitors and National Opera House. which today form a thriving locals alike. town centre in Wexford that has The designated heritage town From Wexford town in the become famous as one of the of Enniscorthy is located in the south of the county to Gorey most attractive urban districts heart of the county and today is and Bunclody in the north, in Ireland. County Wexford a busy shopping and visitor town Enniscorthy in the heart to welcomes over 850,000 visitors filled with interesting heritage 6 OUR WEXFORD sites and described in Ulysses as the gateway for that majestic At the northern end of County ‘the finest place in the world’. river’s exit into the sea off Ireland’s Wexford can be found the bustling Eniscorthy played a key role in southeastern coast. The ruins of St market town of Gorey. Its Market Ireland’s centuries-long struggle for Mary’s Church are worth seeing House and Square sets the tone independence, especially during while the Dunbrody Visitor Centre of a town just six minutes from the 1798 Rebellion but also during on the town’s quayside features a the blue flag Courtown and the 1916 Rising which eventually replica of the type of ships which Ballymoney and minutes from hill led to the War of Independence once brought thousands of people and woodland walks. It is a busy and the birth of the Irish Free who wanted to escape poverty to commercial spot featuring a long State. The town’s streets are different parts of the world. wide main street with a host of picture perfect, a feature which saw charming, indigenous shops and The quays in New Ross are also Enniscorthy used as the town for is a thriving hub for new business home to the Emigrant Flame, a all of the Irish street scenes in the start-ups and tech companies. monument to all those who left much acclaimed Brooklyn movie. this country – including JFK’s Not far from Gorey are a host of Not far away is New Ross, a ancestor Patrick Kennedy – in panoramic beaches laden with soft, vibrant market town on the banks search of betterment. golden sands. Some are hidden of the river Barrow and indeed away, found following drives or walks of discovery, while some like Courtown Harbour are busy resorts. ABOVE: Further north the likes of Wicklow The Dunbrody Famine ship at New and then Dublin are but a short Ross Quayside drive from here while, heading LEFT: south again, the coastal drive back Wells House and down to Wexford town is one of Terrace Garden the prettiest of its kind in this part of the world and a reminder of all that Wexford has to offer as a place to work, live, visit, and do business.