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COUNTY WEXFORD
'Ireland's Sunny South-East'
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County Wexford (Irish: Contae Loch Garman) is a maritime county in the south-east
of Ireland, in the province of Leinster. Area: 2,352 km˛ (908 mi˛). It takes its name from the principal town, Wexford, founded by Vikings and named by them 'Waesfjord', meaning 'inlet of the mud-flats' in the Old Norse language. It is known as 'Ireland's sunny south-east' for its high amount of sunshine.
Geographic Features
Largely low-lying fertile land is the characteristic landscape of the county. The highest point in
the county is Mt Leinster (795 m, 2610 ft) in the Blackstairs Mountains around the north-west boundary.
The economy is chiefly agricultural; however there is also much maritime activity.
Southeastern Wexford is an important site for wild birds - the north side of Wexford Harbour, the North Slob, is home to 10,000 Greenland White-Fronted Geese each winter (roughly one third of the entire world's population), while in the Summer Lady's Island Lake is an important breeding site for terns, especially the Roseate Tern.
Carnsore Point was placed on national headlines in the 1970s after a proposal to build a nuclear energy plant. A wind farm has now been built on the site, featuring 14 windmills generating electricity.
History
Wexford was the site of an invasion by Normans in 1169 at the behest of Diarmuid MacMurrough Kavanagh, King of Leinster, which led to the subsequent colonisation of the country by the English.
Wexford, particularly the baronies of Bargy and Forth, saw one of the most heavy concentrations of
medieval English settlements in Ireland. An old dialect of English, known as Yola, was spoken uniquely in Wexford up until the 19th century. The north of the county remained Gaelic Irish in character, predominantly under the control of the MacMurrough Kavanagh clan.
County Wexford produced strong support for Confederate Ireland during the 1640s. A fleet of Confederate privateers was based in Wexford town. As a result, the town was sacked by the English Parliamentarians during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.
County Wexford was one of the main areas in which the 1798 rebellion was fought. There were significant battles at Enniscorthy and New Ross, the famous ballad Boolavogue was written in remembrance of the Wexford rising.
Transport in Wexford
The Rosslare - Dublin railway line runs through the county, serving Rosslare Europort, Rosslare Strand,
Wexford, Enniscorthy and Gorey. Three trains run in each direction daily, with additional commuter services from Gorey. The
Rosslare - Limerick railway line runs through the southern part of the county, serving Bridgetown, Wellington Bridge, Ballycullane
and Campile.
Towns and villages in Wexford
Principal port:
In popular culture
Beaches in Curracloe, Co. Wexford were used to film the opening scenes of the movie Saving Private Ryan, which depicted the D-day assault on Omaha Beach .
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