Enniscorthy

jpb1974 · 22-05-2020 12:17pm

arseagon wrote: »

https://www.southeastradio.ie/2020/05/enniscorthy-house-party-broken-up-by-gardai/

Anyone know who or where this was?

Travellers in Drumgoold on Wednesday night, I was told.

CoBo55 · 22-05-2020 12:47pm

jpb1974 wrote: »

Travellers in Drumgoold on Wednesday night, I was told.

First time for everything I suppose...

Del.Monte · 30-05-2020 10:13pm

Is the Strawberry Festival on? There's some horrible music/yowling coming from the Market Square direction all evening. Can't shut the windows to keep the noise out or I'd suffocate.

TitianGerm · 30-05-2020 10:21pm

Del.Monte wrote: »

Is the Strawberry Festival on? There's some horrible music/yowling coming from the Market Square direction all evening. Can't shut the windows to keep the noise out or I'd suffocate.

It's Tina Dunbarr singing I'd say and the wind is carrying the sound. She's been up the Shannon or out around Andy Doyle close every second weekend "singing" since lockdown started. Absolute pain in the whole.

byhookorbycrook · 30-05-2020 10:38pm

Are things so bad in Enniscorthy that someone had to drive all the way to Inch Beach in Kerry today ?

PhilOssophy · 31-05-2020 10:45am

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Are things so bad in Enniscorthy that someone had to drive all the way to Inch Beach in Kerry today ?

What's happening?

kneemos · 04-06-2020 6:41pm

Lidl will close on Sunday.

https://wexfordtoday.com/2020/06/04/major-development-of-lidl-store-in-enniscorthy/

Uncle Pierre · 04-06-2020 7:36pm

When they did the same thing in Gorey, they were able to move temporarily into the old Tesco premises on the Courtown Road.

If only there was a similar vacant supermarket-style premises in Enniscorthy......anybody ever mention Rafter Street around here?

PhilOssophy · 04-06-2020 10:14pm

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

When they did the same thing in Gorey, they were able to move temporarily into the old Tesco premises on the Courtown Road.

If only there was a similar vacant supermarket-style premises in Enniscorthy......anybody ever mention Rafter Street around here?

Who owns that unit......

Uncle Pierre · 04-06-2020 10:35pm

Oh, I know it's not realistic to suggest Dunnes Stores might allow Lidl the use of the place for a few months. Just putting it out there as another example of what a pity it is that Dunnes have chosen to play hardball with the place by holding onto it in order to keep competitors out, rather than letting a prime town centre spot be used the way it should be used.

EverythingGood · 04-06-2020 11:19pm

Grants own it now

Uncle Pierre · 05-06-2020 9:00pm

EverythingGood wrote: »

Grants own it now

I'd actually forgotten that. Thanks for pointing it out.

Probably shows how little I'm actually in the town these days! Where I live is slightly closer to Gorey, and I work in Wexford (when I'm able to go there instead of working from home), so I tend to do things in one of those towns rather than Enniscorthy.

And in turn, that might be some proof of what's been said or at least suggested here a few times, that Enniscorthy simply doesn't have enough to attract people for whom it's just as easy to go to a different town....

Cantona's Collars · 06-06-2020 7:31pm

No social distancing in the town the other night as members of the Roma population in the town had a knife fight down outside the Rivercourt Apartments.

Marhay70 · 06-06-2020 7:51pm

Gardaí should be in there cracking a few skulls but I suppose that would be racist.

CoBo55 · 07-06-2020 10:00am

Marhay70 wrote: »

Gardaí should be in there cracking a few skulls but I suppose that would be racist.

No no squeezing necks is all the rage now, cracking skulls is so 1970's.

EverythingGood · 07-06-2020 11:01am

Marhay70 wrote: »

Gardaí should be in there cracking a few skulls but I suppose that would be racist.

However would you think that police brutality might be racist.

Marhay70 · 07-06-2020 11:43am

EverythingGood wrote: »

However would you think that police brutality might be racist.

Just a rumour. I just know that when I was a young 'un, anyone found waving a knife around in a menacing way would have ended up on the floor of a cell with a sore everything, no matter what colour of the rainbow he was or ethnic minority he came from. Universal summary justice.

paulaa · 07-06-2020 12:43pm

EverythingGood wrote: »

Grants own it now

I thought Dunnes had a 99 year lease on the Rafter Street premises ?

EverythingGood · 07-06-2020 10:58pm

paulaa wrote: »

I thought Dunnes had a 99 year lease on the Rafter Street premises ?

Don't know about that but grants do own it now

Uncle Pierre · 08-06-2020 10:17am

Just speculating here, but just because they occupy the premises doesn't necessarily mean that they own it. Could it be the case that Dunnes are sub-letting it to them?

I've no knowledge about the place other than the widely-held belief that Dunnes held onto it so as to keep out anybody who might be construed as a competitor. But a pharmacy wouldn't really be a competitor, since Dunnes aren't in the pharmacy business themselves, the way that Tesco (for example) are. So maybe Dunnes are just leasing it to them?

Cantona's Collars · 08-06-2020 10:59am

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Just speculating here, but just because they occupy the premises doesn't necessarily mean that they own it. Could it be the case that Dunnes are sub-letting it to them?

I've no knowledge about the place other than the widely-held belief that Dunnes held onto it so as to keep out anybody who might be construed as a competitor. But a pharmacy wouldn't really be a competitor, since Dunnes aren't in the pharmacy business themselves, the way that Tesco (for example) are. So maybe Dunnes are just leasing it to them?

The building was bought by a developer. The plan is another retail unit at the back of it, rumours were that Eurospar were to open a store in it.
Lidl looked into moving there temporarily but it was deemed unfeasible.

Del.Monte · 08-06-2020 2:23pm

Cantona's Collars wrote: »

The building was bought by a developer. The plan is another retail unit at the back of it, rumours were that Eurospar were to open a store in it.
Lidl looked into moving there temporarily but it was deemed unfeasible.

And they plan to stuff the library into it as the Gardai need the library building - apparently.

paulaa · 08-06-2020 2:45pm

EverythingGood wrote: »

Don't know about that but grants do own it now

The reason that the building was unoccupied for so long was supposed to be the 99 year lease. I doubt very much that Dunnes have given up that . I reckon it has been leased.
However it's good to see it being used again

Del.Monte · 08-06-2020 10:27pm

Eric Barron's Menswear, Main Street - RETIREMENT SALE - now on.

Nokia6230i · 09-06-2020 2:25am

Cantona's Collars wrote: »

The building was bought by a developer. The plan is another retail unit at the back of it, rumours were that Eurospar were to open a store in it.
Lidl looked into moving there temporarily but it was deemed unfeasible.

Speaking of LIDL I presume their redevelopment is on hold?

Cantona's Collars · 09-06-2020 2:26am

paulaa wrote: »

The reason that the building was unoccupied for so long was supposed to be the 99 year lease. I doubt very much that Dunnes have given up that . I reckon it has been leased.
However it's good to see it being used again

That's gone, they were forced to give it up. Same happened in other towns as Dunnes were leaving vacant properties on main streets. The councils stepped in and basically voided the leases.

Cantona's Collars · 09-06-2020 12:12pm

The builders aren't hanging around at Lidl. The carpark is being torn up this morning.

Del.Monte · 09-06-2020 3:17pm

Burke O'Leary's - ceased trading i.e. not reopening.

kneemos · 09-06-2020 5:27pm

Bourke O'Leary's and Barron's are like Willy Wonkas Chocolate Factory.
Nobody ever goes in or comes out.

paulaa · 09-06-2020 5:39pm

It's sad to see small businesses closing in town, as if there wasn't enough empty shops already

PhilOssophy · 09-06-2020 6:50pm

One reason I hate shopping in Enniscorthy is I hate not buying something when I go in to these shops.
I hate that I might be one of the few customers that day. Warped logic maybe but sadly it is how I feel.
The town is so lacking life, it is very tough to see these shops closing.
I am amazed that Bourke O'Leary's lasted so long though.

Uncle Pierre · 09-06-2020 7:10pm

Bourke O'Leary's is certainly very old school. Honestly can't remember the last time I was in it. Definitely decades ago.

Know what you mean about Eric Barron's too. I remember it's the place we used to go after we grew up a bit (i.e. too old for children's clothes) and needed 'good' clothes for something rather than the likes of Dunnes Stores stuff. But unless it's changed a lot since then, it's certainly not somewhere I'd consider going now. Too small and poky and as you say, you'd be too conscious of how they're probably not getting much footfall and so feel under a sort of personal pressure to buy something, just so as to not disappoint them.

I'll say again though that I don't think that the Council can be completely blamed for the demise of all such places. For whatever reason, there simply doesn't seem to be any great level of imagination or verve on the part of the traders themselves.

For instance, staying with the theme of clothes, and thinking of Gorey - there's a boutique down Esmonde Street (can't think of the name of it right now) which has carved out a niche for itself as THE place for mother of the bride outfits and the like, and I know women travel from all over to get there. There has to be a spin-off for some other businesses as a result (coffee shops, other clothes or shoe shops, etc.)

Similarly, Jack Dunnes on Main Street is fairly well renowned for suit hire for grooms and best men, etc., and again it attracts customers from a good distance away.

Both saw a market and both did a good job of capturing it. Honestly can't think of any similar examples in Enniscorthy. But would like if somebody here could prove me wrong!

PhilOssophy · 09-06-2020 7:25pm

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Bourke O'Leary's is certainly very old school. Honestly can't remember the last time I was in it. Definitely decades ago.

Know what you mean about Eric Barron's too. I remember it's the place we used to go after we grew up a bit (i.e. too old for children's clothes) and needed 'good' clothes for something rather than the likes of Dunnes Stores stuff. But unless it's changed a lot since then, it's certainly not somewhere I'd consider going now. Too small and poky and as you say, you'd be too conscious of how they're probably not getting much footfall and so feel under a sort of personal pressure to buy something, just so as to not disappoint them.

I'll say again though that I don't think that the Council can be completely blamed for the demise of all such places. For whatever reason, there simply doesn't seem to be any great level of imagination or verve on the part of the traders themselves.

For instance, staying with the theme of clothes, and thinking of Gorey - there's a boutique down Esmonde Street (can't think of the name of it right now) which has carved out a niche for itself as THE place for mother of the bride outfits and the like, and I know women travel from all over to get there. There has to be a spin-off for some other businesses as a result (coffee shops, other clothes or shoe shops, etc.)

Similarly, Jack Dunnes on Main Street is fairly well renowned for suit hire for grooms and best men, etc., and again it attracts customers from a good distance away.

Both saw a market and both did a good job of capturing it. Honestly can't think of any similar examples in Enniscorthy. But would like if somebody here could prove me wrong!

The last shop to do a decent job of capturing a market in Enniscorthy was probably Modern Fashions. I would also say that while I know nothing about him, I would imagine Murt Walsh does far better in Gorey than Enniscorthy, although he probably does well out of suit hire, etc.

It is back to the previous point though, getting people in to the town is the first battle to be won. I don't believe more pedestrianisation will help that but I would gladly be proven wrong if it resulted in a better town for us all.

paulaa · 10-06-2020 10:44am

I was talking to someone yesterday whose company had, a few years ago, been thinking of starting a business in Enniscorthy. He told me that when they had done their homework and taken everything into consideration, they decided it was a bad bet. Instead they went to one of the surrounding towns where the business is flourishing and employing nearly 200 people in their company at three locations

A couple of the reasons they didn't chose Enniscorthy .

1. Extortionate rents and rates on commercial properties

2. Lack of forward planning and foresight for the town's benefit by both existing business, the Chamber of Commerce, and the
council.

3. The disproportionate dependence on the history of the town to bring in tourists and business, which has been declining over
the last decade or more.

4. (This one surprised me) The "sue-happy" culture which led to at least one factory closing down because they couldn't sustain
the expense. Seemingly the town has a reputation for this and is one reason it has been so difficult to attract industry.

5. The pedestrianised layout of the town

It was interesting to get a view from outside and it raised a couple of points I had not considered before.

Cantona's Collars · 10-06-2020 2:54pm

Hard to argue with any of that. The shop that's closing down and having a retirement sale is case in point. The owner was part of the cartel who met every lunchtime and made sure to protect their own interests in the town, keeping out new businesses and eventually by such actions have nearly ruined the place. This cartel are all retired now with their money made so they don't care about any poor sap trying to get s startup going in the place.

Marhay70 · 10-06-2020 5:22pm

Let's face it, Enniscorthy is not the most attractive of locations for the casual shopper or visitor. The fact that the N11 runs around the perimiter of the town and there is no obvious commercial centre visible to the through traveller means that you either have to know where you are going or you are intent on stopping off, then, if you do venture off the main road and stumble upon the commercial centre you can't find parking.
It was different thirty and more years ago when you could drive up any street and park and the town was full of diverse traders not pound shops and charity shops. My wife's late mother, when she visited us from Dublin, loved nothing more than a shopping trip to Enniscorthy, I doubt she'd be bothered going today.

kneemos · 10-06-2020 8:58pm

Latest plan is to pedestrianise the town centre at night apparently.

https://wexfordtoday.com/2020/06/10/enniscorthy-pedestrian-plan-right-location/

Del.Monte · 10-06-2020 9:11pm

Where will the boy racers go if their playground is denied them?

Uncle Pierre · 10-06-2020 9:52pm

Anybody know if the Peter Mernagh whose name appears on that piece (and several other pieces on the Wexford Today website/FB page) is the Peter Mernagh who ran in last year's local elections?

jpb1974 · 11-06-2020 12:16am

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Anybody know if the Peter Mernagh whose name appears on that piece (and several other pieces on the Wexford Today website/FB page) is the Peter Mernagh who ran in last year's local elections?

Yep, same bloke.

Cantona's Collars · 11-06-2020 1:59am

Del.Monte wrote: »

Where will the boy racers go if their playground is denied them?

The N30 section of the bypass is very popular with them now and the car park at the front of Centra on the Milehouse.

McLoughlin · 11-06-2020 8:31am

Let's be honest the amount of car usage 30 years ago was allot less and traffic was more manageable now pedestrianised towns are a common feature and they work. Enniscorthy problem is some people are stuck in an old fashion of how retail works and tourism works and unfortunately some of those people are in positions that make decisions in the town.

paulaa · 11-06-2020 10:35am

McLoughlin wrote: »

Let's be honest the amount of car usage 30 years ago was allot less and traffic was more manageable now pedestrianised towns are a common feature and they work. Enniscorthy problem is some people are stuck in an old fashion of how retail works and tourism works and unfortunately some of those people are in positions that make decisions in the town.

While I agree with most of your post I think that for a small town like Enniscorthy and with the layout of the town it has been a disaster. Besides driving shoppers away, the modern square does not fit in with ethos of a historic market town. They could have modernised that area with a bit of thought for the buildings surrounding it. It was nothing more than a vanity project for the TDs and council of the time.

PhilOssophy · 11-06-2020 11:19am

So at 1 meeting they can pedestrianise half the town, but for a few years they have ignored the number 1 issue with going out in Enniscorthy - the fact that there is no proper taxi service in the town to get people out of the town quicker, which leads to all the problems associated with hundreds of people loitering around Treacy's at 3am.

PhilOssophy · 11-06-2020 11:25am

paulaa wrote: »

While I agree with most of your post I think that for a small town like Enniscorthy and with the layout of the town it has been a disaster. Besides driving shoppers away, the modern square does not fit in with ethos of a historic market town. They could have modernised that area with a bit of thought for the buildings surrounding it. It was nothing more than a vanity project for the TDs and council of the time.

Agree fully. Like somebody said, if the Market Square had been thought out properly then the farmers market could be held there on a Saturday morning, rather than in the middle of nowhere. This would bring people in to the centre of the town and hopefully a few spin offs would develop.

The Market Square is a disaster, Rafter Street is about as ugly a pedestrianisation attempt as there is, the town needs to be both attractive and accessible, neither of which the town is.

We talk about history, where and what do I go to find out? Is there a guided leaflet for the town to say "Go to this, that and the other"?

Uncle Pierre · 11-06-2020 1:15pm

Here's one for you. I've an aunt, now aged in her 80s, who grew up in the home place just a few miles from Enniscorthy but who emigrated to the UK in late 50s/early 60s and who has lived in South Wales for just about all the years since then.

She was always a regular visitor home, but she and her husband were always great ones too for other travel - package holidays to the sun, trips to the States, Egypt to see the pyramids, Kenya for a safari holiday, etc.

For the last ten years or more, because of their age, they've been confined to the sort of coach holiday that it's mainly older people do - Cornwall, Lake District, places like that.

I remember her saying a few years ago that the brochures they get often have Enniscorthy included as a stop on any Irish trip they do (presumably because of proximity to Rosslare), and that they and other tourist information stuff they get always go a good job of making the town seem very attractive.

Last year, they actually booked themselves onto one of these trips, as a means of combining a visit home with a trip around some of the rest of the country. It involved either two or three nights in the Riverside, but they'd literally just eat and sleep there - they'd visit my parents or other relations for the day instead of going to do the group trips/activities with the rest of the coach tour crowd.

I remember her saying that the talk with those other people over breakfast/dinner then was generally along the lines of how the hotel was nice, but they were disappointed with the rest of the town, particularly after it had been made sound so nice in the brochures.

I know it's just a snapshot of probably around 40 elderly Welsh people, but seems somewhat relevant all the same.

kneemos · 11-06-2020 1:28pm

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

Here's one for you. I've an aunt, now aged in her 80s, who grew up in the home place just a few miles from Enniscorthy but who emigrated to the UK in late 50s/early 60s and who has lived in South Wales for just about all the years since then.

She was always a regular visitor home, but she and her husband were always great ones too for other travel - package holidays to the sun, trips to the States, Egypt to see the pyramids, Kenya for a safari holiday, etc.

For the last ten years or more, because of their age, they've been confined to the sort of coach holiday that it's mainly older people do - Cornwall, Lake District, places like that.

I remember her saying a few years ago that the brochures they get often have Enniscorthy included as a stop on any Irish trip they do (presumably because of proximity to Rosslare), and that they and other tourist information stuff they get always go a good job of making the town seem very attractive.

Last year, they actually booked themselves onto one of these trips, as a means of combining a visit home with a trip around some of the rest of the country. It involved either two or three nights in the Riverside, but they'd literally just eat and sleep there - they'd visit my parents or other relations for the day instead of going to do the group trips/activities with the rest of the coach tour crowd.

I remember her saying that the talk with those other people over breakfast/dinner then was generally along the lines of how the hotel was nice, but they were disappointed with the rest of the town, particularly after it had been made sound so nice in the brochures.

I know it's just a snapshot of probably around 40 elderly Welsh people, but seems somewhat relevant all the same.

Well what is there. They gutted the Castle,the one notable attraction we had for such tourists. Go for a walk down the Prom?

the kelt · 11-06-2020 2:09pm

At the end of the day lads you have to look at the actual situation.

I can be in Wexford town in around 20 mins or Enniscorthy in 12 to 15 mins.

How many people choose to go to Wexford over Enniscorthy because Rafter Street is pedestranised? because i certainly dont considering Wexford is the same anyway.

So why? Personally speaking easier to get around Wexford in regards to parking and more shops likely to have what i want.

Likewise if your a tourist coming to town lets be honest what greets you?

Say your down from Dublin and arriving by bus or train and staying in the riverside, is the vew that greets you as you try to walk up the shannon from the bookies to Keoghs!! going to be one that entices you to come back?

Ye might get past Keoghs unscathed and then be subject to boy racer drag race down along the prom!!

EverythingGood · 11-06-2020 2:41pm

PhilOssophy wrote: »

Agree fully. Like somebody said, if the Market Square had been thought out properly then the farmers market could be held there on a Saturday morning, rather than in the middle of nowhere. This would bring people in to the centre of the town and hopefully a few spin offs would develop.

The Market Square is a disaster, Rafter Street is about as ugly a pedestrianisation attempt as there is, the town needs to be both attractive and accessible, neither of which the town is.

We talk about history, where and what do I go to find out? Is there a guided leaflet for the town to say "Go to this, that and the other"?

the Abbey Sq is hardly the middle of nowhere, its a 3 minute walk down Castle Hill

Uncle Pierre · 11-06-2020 3:02pm

EverythingGood wrote: »

the Abbey Sq is hardly the middle of nowhere, its a 3 minute walk down Castle Hill

There's the thing. Seems nobody is prepared to walk even a few minutes around Enniscorthy. If they were, there wouldn't the ongoing thing about the demise of Rafter Street "because" it was pedestrianised and you can't park outside the shops there any more.

So, it could be the case that if the Farmers Market was actually in Market Square, nobody would go because there wouldn't be enough parking there and so they'd have to walk a few minutes from somewhere else.

And where would the traders themselves be able to park vans or other vehicles/trailers that they keep stock in and/or operate from?

Enniscorthy

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