WEXFORD
COLOURFUL REFLECTIONS AT WEXFORD'S
QUAYS - 800 YEARS OF HISTORY.
Narrow
streets, quayside pubs and ancient walls make up this unusual port town.
Made famous from Viking times as an important and strategic trading
port, Wexford (Loch Garman) has since traded its maritime importance
for the cultural stage. Quite literally in fact as one of the town's
major annual highlights is the Wexford Opera Festival which takes
place each autumn. This is an international occasion established over
40 years, with many renowned composers works being performed as well
as other 'mini-fringe' attractions. The whole town enters into the spirit
(quite literally) of things, with the focus of things at the Georgian
styled Opera House. A small theatre, it capitalises on its size to highlight
the intimacy of the proceedings.
The Wexford Arts Centre and the Theatre Royal host much
of the festival programme and the former maintains an excellent all
year round programme of the arts. Tel: (053) 23764 for details.
The town was originally protected by walls, the Westgate (13th
c.) is still evident as it runs north-south, parallel to the sea. Two
gates of the original five are also evident, now forming part of streets,
Johns Gate by the Wexford Arts Centre and Kayser Gate
at Murray Street. Westgate is the location of Roberto and Celine Pons
La Dolce Vita restaurant with classical Italian cuisine served
in a comfortable and relaxed ambience.
Also here is the ruins of Selskar Abbey which, before its demise
at the hands of Oliver Cromwell, was the Priory of Canons Regular
of St Augustine. Cromwell visited his destruction on the area around
1641 and based himself at Kennys Hall in the Main Street, now a modern
store. Almost 500 years earlier Henry II came to the town (1172)
and for much of the time stayed at the Abbey.
