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Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Organisers of Wexford Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann announce major change for this year's event
With the Fleadh set to depart for Belfast in 2026, the Wexford Fleadh Committee is keen to leave the best impression possible that will live long in the memories of those in attendance – hopefully a record-breaking 700,000 people this year. In the wake of last year's success, Chair of the Fleadh Executive Committee Eddie Taaffe vowed to carry out a thorough debrief and tweak anything that required it ahead of August 2025. One significant piece of feedback emerging from last year was around The Dome setup in Clonard Church car park, which hosted the Fleadh's showpiece event – the Senior All-Ireland Céilí Band Competition. Many Fleadh-goers felt that Clonard was just too far out from the main hub of activity, while others raised issues around the sound in the huge, purpose built temporary structure. At this week's meeting of the Wexford Borough District, Mr Taaffe confirmed that the committee would be addressing those concerns this year. "We won't be using the large marquee in Clonard this year,' he said. 'We've decided instead to relocate the Senior Céilí band competition to the tent which will host the Breakwater Festival at the far side of the bridge. "It will offer an increased capacity and it makes sense that we can use the venue of the Sunday. We're currently in discussions with the operator there as to how everything will work.' Sinn Féin councillor Tom Forde was curious as to the structure of the deal with Lantern Events, the company behind The Breakwater Festival. "Are we getting the use of the Breakwater marquee free of charge, or has a deal been struck?' he asked. "There are certain requirements,' Mr Taaffe replied. 'The Céilí band competition needs to be fully seated and there are also audio-visual requirements as it has to be streamed online. There will be additional costs arising from this. Seating costs will be significant. It's still more cost effective than another venue though. We'll be looking to share those costs with the operator.' Independent councillor Leonard Kelly followed up by asking if Lantern Events pay to use the council-owned land at the far side of the bridge for The Breakwater Festival. "We charge a nominal fee only," Mr Taaffe replied. 'We're keen to get business into the town. We don't charge for activities on the quay either. Events like this are a huge economic driver into the town and when we don't incur any costs, I don't see why we would charge the operators. "There is a small charge on the quay for vendors during the Fleadh, for example, because we provide them with power etc.' As well as the relocation of the Senior Céilí Band Competition, Mr Taaffe also revealed that there will be a new stage set up to the rear of St Iberius Church at Church Lane Car Park, which will see acts performing most likely from Thursday to Sunday. "There was a huge demand for slots to perform on the main gig rig stage,' he said. 'We wanted to create a bit more opportunity for local groups and smaller acts to perform. "We have roughly 110 slots for performers on the main gig rig on the quay. We had over 400 applications, so there were lots of people disappointed. Hopefully, we'll be able to give a lot of acts another shot at it by performing on this additional stage.' Mr Taaffe also confirmed changes to parking arrangements this year. Last year, the old Timber Provider's yard at Redmond Road had been set aside for parking for those working in town for the duration of the Fleadh. This year, he revealed that this site will be set aside entirely for accessible parking. For workers, park n' ride facilities will be available from car parks at the outskirts of town from 7.30 a.m. and passes will be available for purchase by employers in the coming weeks.
Irish Independent
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Wexford family with ‘profound medical needs' removed from choice-based letting system as council accused of lacking ‘humanity'
Explaining that the family in question had registered for WCC's choice-based letting (CBL) system which allows social-housing applicants to 'bid' on available properties, Cllr Dwyer said they had recently received an offer of housing from the council. 'There are three adults currently living in one house, two of them with profound medical needs,' began the New Ross councillor. 'They were offered a two-bedroom house via CBL, which was totally unsuitable given the medical needs of one of the adults; they didn't even bid on this house. But because they didn't accept the offer they've now been removed from CBL. This is shameful. 'They have medical reports which specify the need for a three-bed house and yet they've been arbitrarily moved and now can't bid on anything.' The independent councillor then went on to highlight two further cases which he felt had been handled poorly by the council's housing department. 'There's a person with a 10 per cent ownership of a derelict house, he's one of ten siblings. He has been refused access to WCC's housing list, instead he's been given access to Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) – offering that to a single person is nonsensical. The availability of HAP properties in Co Wexford is non-existent. That person should be allowed to go on the housing list.' The last case Cllr Dwyer wished to bring attention to involved WCC's policies regarding providing social houses for those with criminal convictions. 'We have a five-year disbarment policy for a criminal conviction,' he said. 'Now I'm someone who has argued that criminals should not be given council houses, however, there's an unforeseen but well-known fall-out from this. The children and partners of those who have been convicted of relatively minor offences are suffering; families are still barred from getting a council house because of €20 drug fines from 2019. 'Somebody needs to inject a little passion and humanity into housing. Ticking boxes is well and good but there are implications to these actions, there are hundreds and hundreds of children who are being punished for the sins of their father. And we call ourselves a Christian country.' Having listened to Cllr Dwyer's impassioned speech, chief executive Eddie Taaffe appeared a little nonplussed. 'I'm not sure there was a question there,' he remarked. 'There most certainly was,' replied the councillor. In response, Mr Taaffe advised Cllr Dwyer that there was a time and place to discuss sensitive cases. 'I'm not going to get into a debate here, and neither are the officials, on individual housing cases, that's now what this meeting is about,' he said. 'You're perfectly entitled to make an appointment with the housing team and come into us where we can go through the details of these cases privately. The council chamber is not the place for this. We're not going to get into the intricacies of individual cases here.' 'I'm asking you to clarify WCC policy and answer why a family of three with profound medical needs would be offered a two-bedroom house they didn't apply for?' asked Cllr Dwyer., 'That is not policy, it's an individual case. We're happy to discuss it in private,' continued Mr Taaffe. Growing increasingly frustrated, Cllr Dwyer reminded the chief executive that he had been through the rigours of a local election to gain a seat in the council chamber. 'I don't appreciate being lectured and being told what questions I can and can't ask, you do not go for election, I do.' With Cllr Dwyer accusing Mr Taaffe of silencing his own staff, director of housing Carolyne Godkin interjected on her own behalf. 'I'm not familiar with the case but I'm happy to look at it,' she said of the case involving the family with medical needs. 'With convictions, they may not have been actually convicted until two years later, our policy is where someone is convicted of a crime, and a crime which does impact the community, that does impact whether they get a house or not. 'If somebody is convicted of a drug offence they can't apply for a house until at least five years after their conviction, and in my view that's the right policy. During Covid-19 there was a pause on convictions and we were taking it on a case-by-case basis for individuals who would have been substantially penalised, there was a delay in court cases so we had to take that into account. But this is not appropriate to discuss in the public forum, this is someone's life we're talking about.'
Irish Independent
13-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
New Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2025 app will provide real-time information throughout festival
Local family-run business WexApp has partnered with the Wexford Fleadh Executive Committee to provide the official app which also aims to promote local businesses, with information on the best places to eat, drink and sleep while in Wexford, along with detailed maps and directions showing how to get around. Essentially, the app aims to provide a 'one stop shop' to find out all that is happening during the week of the Fleadh and local businesses are encouraged to register their listing on the app at no cost. For more details, visit 'Our challenge was to build a comprehensive digital solution that would enhance the festival experience for attendees while providing powerful management tools for organisers,' Gareth Williams of WexApp explained. 'We're really proud to be the official app provider for Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2025.' Chair of the Wexford Fleadh Executive Committee Eddie Taaffe is delighted with the finished product. 'Wexapp has created a digital experience that perfectly complements the traditional nature of our festival, making it accessible whether or not you are a tech-savvy attendee,' he said. 'The app will make life much easier for all Fleadh visitors.' 'We encourage people to download the App before they arrive to the Fleadh so that they can get an idea of what is happening and where things are located.' For more information, visit and
Irish Independent
13-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Fears that buyers from ‘surrounding counties' will come to Wexford for new affordable housing scheme
Located in Ard Uisce in Wexford town and the Old Forge Road in Enniscorthy, the homes start from €250,000 for three-bed semi-detached houses and €270,00 for four-bed semi-detached houses, with buyers able to get support through the Government's Help to Buy Scheme. However, at the June meeting of WCC Sinn Féin councillor Tom Forde raised concerns about outside buyers coming to Wexford to purchase these properties. 'People who are newly resident in Wexford are entitled to apply for those and I'm wondering if we can set some form of limit on it, whether it be two years or three years, to prevent people coming in from surrounding counties,' he said. 'It would be great if we could prioritise those who are living long-term in the county. Is there a minimum time period where someone has to be resident in Wexford?' After chief executive Eddie Taaffe advised that the properties would be sold on a 'first come, first served' basis, director of services Carolyne Godkin said such a system would prevent people originally from the county from returning home, adding that the biggest challenge for buyers was 'being mortgage ready' prior to purchase.
Irish Independent
11-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
New app for Wexford's Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2025 will provide real-time information throughout festival
Local family-run business WexApp has partnered with the Wexford Fleadh Executive Committee to provide the official app which also aims to promote local businesses, with information on the best places to eat, drink and sleep while in Wexford, along with detailed maps and directions showing how to get around. Essentially, the app aims to provide a 'one stop shop' to find out all that is happening during the week of the Fleadh and local businesses are encouraged to register their listing on the app at no cost. For more details, visit 'Our challenge was to build a comprehensive digital solution that would enhance the festival experience for attendees while providing powerful management tools for organisers,' Gareth Williams of WexApp explained. 'We're really proud to be the official app provider for Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2025.' Chair of the Wexford Fleadh Executive Committee Eddie Taaffe is delighted with the finished product. 'Wexapp has created a digital experience that perfectly complements the traditional nature of our festival, making it accessible whether or not you are a tech-savvy attendee,' he said. 'The app will make life much easier for all Fleadh visitors.' 'We encourage people to download the App before they arrive to the Fleadh so that they can get an idea of what is happening and where things are located.'
