Wexford in 2010

Judgement Day

Took the lunchtime train to Wexford last Thursday on a mission and then had a couple of hours to kill before the afternoon train home so I took myself off to the Main Street. I was struck how much it was like a larger version of Enniscorthy - empty shop after empty shop and a general air of decay. Closed up business premises - some of whose owners should surely be prosecuted for letting their buildings become eyesores. A former family drapers on North Main Street being a good case in point! I know that latterly, even when open, it appeared derelict but what an eyesore today.

The pikeman in the Bull Ring still minus his pike is a sign of who really runs Wexford when the sun goes down - is this what 1798 was all about?

Two shops directly across from the entrance to Whites Hotel had broken windows and one of them was splattered in blood ffs!! Down on the quayside the badly sited tourist office stood empty apart from one bored looking employee. Further along the quays and an enterprising company were providing boat services taking visitors out into the harbour and beyond - there was a small queue at their office. I have often thought that we should have something similar in Enniscorthy.

Amongst the remains of the towns' commercial life only the pubs seem to be thriving (despite a few prominent closures) with the Crown Bar and Maggie May's in Monck Street looking particularly well. I decided on a visit to the ever popular Cententary Stores for a sandwich and I wasn't disappointed. Fast friendly service and the coffee was excellent and presented with small shortbread biscuits. If I have a complaint it was the flat screen TV at one end with CNN (?) blaring away to nobody in particular plus some pop music channel on the radio pa system - when will publicans learn that this drives many of us out of the pub? Anyway 8/10 to the Centenary Stores for service.

Back on the afternoon train with my only purchases some videos from a couple of the charity shops.


Local enterprise.

Maggie May's - a shining example of a well presented business premises.

Great customer service but lose the TV and pop music - please!

'scorthy

Good review there Judgement Day and a good point re: using our natural resource to provide employment and entertainment i.e. River Slaney. Albeit; drove through the Town yesterday morning - beautiful sunshine and the flowers along the new bridge and abbey were impressive. Full marks there!

jpb1974

beautiful sunshine and the flowers along the new bridge and abbey were impressive

To be honest if they doubled or even tripled the amount of flowers around the new bridge, old bridge, quay, abbey square etc the place really does have the potential to look well.

Along with this - If they could make the Island Road look even half way decent anyone driving through could potentially be well impressed.

Cantona's Collars

Congrats to the team that pick up the litter on the approaches to Wexford town-they always seem to be on the go,cleaning up and cutting the grass.It gives a good impression before anyone even gets into the town.
The flower displays in the Abbey Square area are a great touch and should be extended around the town but it also masks the many other problems around the place-a bit of the "mutton dressed as lamb" about it