Travel guide to Wexford
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Car Hire Wexford
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About Wexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, on the south-east corner of the Republic of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. It lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, which is the estuary of the River Slaney and was founded by the Vikings in around 800 AD. In the 1640s many of the town’s residents, as well as the town itself, was burned to the ground due the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. This was seen as retaliation for the sailors of Wexford raiding English Parliamentarians’ shipping earlier in the decade.
County Wexford was the centre of the 1798 rebellion against English rule, as Wexford itself was held by rebels throughout fierce fighting. This led to Wexford being the scene of a massacre of local fighters loyal to English rule, by the United Irishmen, who were fighting for home rule.
Until the middle of the 20th century Wexford was considered to be a major seaport in the region, however the port declined as a major player because of the constantly changing sands in Wexford Harbour. By the 1970s it had become unprofitable to keep the port open to large ships so the port was closed. It was replaced in the early 20th century by Rosslare Harbour, which is 12 miles to the south of Wexford.
Wexford is home to a few cultural venues of note, such as the Wexford Opera House, the Dun Mhuire Theatre and the Wexford Arts Centre. Wexford Opera House hosts the internationally recognised Wexford Opera Festival every October and has done since 1951. The Festival brings in a lot of tourism to the town every autumn and is key to the local economy.
Other areas of note in Wexford are Curracloe Beach, which was the location for the opening scenes of film Saving Private Ryan, as well as the Irish National Heritage Park, which recreates over 9000 years of Irish history, and is definitely worth a visit when visiting the town.
If you need a vehicle to travel around in during your time in Wexford then AnyCarHire.com makes car hire in Wexford a stress-free experience. We compare all the rental companies operating in Wexford (such as Avis, Europcar and National) and find you the best price on a wide range of vehicles that you might want.
