A man in his 50s has been charged in connection with a fatal crash resulting in the death of a Wexford nurse last week on the N25 in south Kilkenny appeared before a special sitting of Wexford District Court and was charged with dangerous driving causing death and driving while intoxicated on April 25 on the N25 near Glenmore Foulksmill died in a two vehicle crash on Friday April 25 on the main N25 road near Gaulstown The mother of two was a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit of University Hospital Waterford Mr Vochin will appear again before Waterford District Court on Tuesday OpinionSimon Bourke: It’s not Leitrim’s fault we all have notions about climbing Kilimanjaro and ziplining across the ZambeziIt’s always Leitrim McDonalds has been granted permission for a new restaurant in New Ross The fast food chain had applied for planning permission to erect a drive-through hot food restaurant in Portersland on the Ring Road in New Ross last November Permission has been granted by Wexford County Council Speaking to South East Radio News Wexford Labour TD George Lawlor welcomed the news 1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-1sgza6o:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-1sgza6o:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-1sgza6o.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 1) 0ms;color:#1976d2;padding:0px;min-width:0;}.css-w5p45x::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{pointer-events:none;cursor:default;}@media print{.css-w5p45x{-webkit-print-color-adjust:exact;color-adjust:exact;}}.css-w5p45x:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(25 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-w5p45x:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-w5p45x.Mui-disabled{color:rgba(0 0.26);}PrintShareSaveThe death has occurred of 27th April 2025 surrounded by her loving family and is now reunited with her parents Patrick and Mary Kate (Lennane) and her nephew Aaron (Lennane) Funeral prayers will take place at 7pm on Tuesday Ann's funeral mass can be viewed on Wednesday, April 30th at 10am on the following link Ann's funeral mass Family flowers only please, donations if desired to The Irish Cancer Society Donate here The family very much appreciates your support and kindness at this very sad time and would be grateful if you would express your messages of sympathy on the condolence link below Funeral Service.css-h76uj{display:inherit;margin-right:-4px;margin-left:8px;}Date Published: CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday, memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one. Rip.ie, The Irish Times Building, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2, Ireland A 34-year-old man appeared before a special sitting of Wexford District Court on Thursday charged with murder following a fatal assault in New Ross, Wexford. Wayne Roche, formerly of Dominic Place, Waterford, and currently of no fixed address came before Judge John O’Leary. He was charged under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act with the murder of John O’Connor in his home at Cluain Fada, New Ross on December 31st last. Det Garda Conor Walsh gave evidence of arresting the accused at 2pm on Thursday. He told the court that when he cautioned Mr Roche in relation to the charge, the accused replied: “I didn’t murder anyone.” He said the application was for a remand in custody to appear before the court on Monday via video link. Judge O’Leary said as he had no jurisdiction to grant bail given the seriousness of the charge. He granted the application for a remand in custody. Donna Kelly, defence barrister, said Mr Roche is unemployed and she was making an application for free legal aid. Judge O’Leary granted the application. Facebook pageTwitter feed© 2025 The Irish Times DAC On the streets around New Ross the news of the latest instalment in the Dáil row reverberated after several Opposition party leaders told Verona Murphy that her position as Ceann Comhairle was untenable Ms Murphy was first elected to the Dáil in the Wexford constituency in 2020 and topped the poll in last year's election Her constituency office is located in the middle of the town Locals were keen to have their say on the controversy and support for the Ceann Comhairle We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences "I think she's a fantastic woman for what she’s done I also believe that if a crowd of primary school children behaved like everyone in the Dáil then everyone of them would have been expelled." She does not think that Verona Murphy should step down from her role as Ceann Comhairle She had people roaring and shouting at her from every angle," Ms Kinsella says also says that Ms Murphy should stay in her position I don't think men like being controlled by a woman." Mark Comerford agrees and says Ms Murphy should stay on as Ceann Comhairle "I know her and she seems like a fairly balanced person But there is criticism of Verona Murphy as Ceann Comhairle in New Ross totally uncivilised," is Marian Donoghue's assessment "I always go back to our history and how hard we worked to become independent and that's how the people who govern us behave "I mean a young fella on the street would get jail time for that," she says "I don't think it should have ever got to that stage because I don't think it should have got to that stage." saying that the Ceann Comhairle has lost control She stood up and people were only laughing at her "I think she should step down without a doubt Close political colleagues say that they do not think Verona Murphy will step aside an independent councillor based in New Ross is part of the Wexford Independent Alliance which was set up by her "I think she's faced adversity all her life She's a seasoned campaigner even though she's not that long in politics She won't be bullied or frightened by anyone," he says she won't be considering anything like that Resignation won't be to the forefront of her mind," he says As well as giving opinions on whether Ms Murphy should step aside there is also a clear message from New Ross to the politicians in Leinster House they're like children playing instead of getting on with their work," says Mary O'Sullivan "There's more important things that giving them a few minutes speaking time "That's not really going to cripple anyone … They really need to just sit down act like adults and get on with managing the country," she says "I'm not sure what (the row) is really all about," says Sandra Vieira "I tune out because what’s the point of listening to them (They need to) stop their fighting over something that's probably nonsense and get on with fixing the things that are wrong "Nobody's interested in petty spats up there fix the housing and everything else," she says Crunch time for Murphy as opposition eyes confidence vote RTÉ.ie is the website of Raidió Teilifís Éireann RTÉ is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Verona Murphy\u0027s constituency office in New Ross \u003Cp\u003E\u0027I think she should stay on,\u0027 says Mark Comerford\u003C/p\u003E \u003Cp\u003EMarian Donoghue believes Verona Murphy should step down as Ceann Comhairle\u003C/p\u003E \u003Cp\u003EIndependent councillor Pat Barden\u003C/p\u003E Members of New Ross Swimming Club at their recent gala in the Apex Juliette Pac Kenn at the New Ross Swimming Club gala in the Apex Emersyn Scully at the New Ross Swimming Club gala in the Apex Luke Ryan from Slaney Sharks at the New Ross Swimming Club gala in the Apex Alva joakitt from Wexford in the 200 breaststroke at the New Ross Swimming Club gala in the Apex Sofia Mills from Wexford in the 200m Breaststroke at the New Ross Swimming Club gala in the Apex Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardSun 4 May 2025 at 07:00New Ross Swimming Club hosted a gala day recently filled with a vibrant and supportive atmosphere The event welcomed swimmers from 12 clubs across the Leinster region creating a wonderful buzz around the pool and some truly memorable races The club’s own swimmers performed exceptionally well It was a day to celebrate the depth of talent in New Ross Swimming club and visiting clubs the club’s senior swimmers are preparing to compete in the upcoming Leinster Senior and Youth Championships at the National Aquatic Centre (NAC) as well as the Leinster Age Group Championships in Limerick the junior squads are gearing up for the Curragh Summer Fun Gala continuing their busy and exciting competition season This momentum follows an outstanding performance by New Ross athletes at the recent Irish Open Championships Emmet Cousins delivered a superb silver medal in the 200m backstroke and a bronze in the 400m individual medley earning silver in the junior 100m butterfly and bronze in the 200m butterfly at championship level Luca Power added to the medal tally with a silver in the junior 400m freestyle and Emersyn Scully all turned in strong performances throughout the competition showcasing the strength and depth of talent within the club A special mention by the club also goes to Evan Bayley formerly of New Ross Swimming Club and now swimming for NCL The gala was a clear reflection of the hard work put in by swimmers New Ross Swimming Club extends sincere thanks to all involved and looks forward to more success in the weeks and months ahead Motorists in county Wexford are being reminded to stay alert and take regular breaks to ensure safe journeys this May Bank Holiday weekend The advice comes following the switching on of a new static speed camera on the R772 in Gorey as Gardaí step up enforcement measures for the busy weekend the Wexford Roads Policing Unit detected a vehicle travelling on the New Ross bypass at 166km/hr in a 100 zone using new top of the range speed detection equipment The driver of the vehicle was subsequently arrested and charged following the detection John passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family Sadly missed by his loving daughters Caroline and Toni extended family and a large circle of friends arriving for his Funeral Mass at 10am followed by burial afterwards in St John's Mass can be viewed on on the following link https://newrossparish.ie/live-video/ The family would like to thank and acknowledge the wonderful care and attention given to John by the staff of the New Houghton Hospital, New Ross Day Care Centre and all the carers who took care of John over the years. The family very much appreciates your support and kindness at this very sad time and would be grateful if you would express your messages of sympathy on the condolence link below CondolencesDonate to CharityWould you like to mark a birthday memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one Andy Doyle and New Ross native Seona O'Connor in their Wexford Drama Group play Photo: Edyta and Lee Robinson at Wexford Photos Wexford Drama Group will stage a performance of its multi-award winning production of Skylight in St before making their trip to Athlone for the All Ireland Drama Festival with a talented New Ross actor making waves The members have had a successful run with the production in the ADCI Drama Festival circuit which has also qualified for the Open All Ireland Drama finals in Athlone Set over one single evening in 1995 it's the story of Kyra an idealistic young teacher who finds herself confronted by her former lover The couple search for common ground and perhaps a road back to each other The play is directed by multi-award winning director Conor Farrell and New Ross' own Seona O'Connor Mr Walsh said: “The first time I was part of the All-Ireland Drama Festival was 2007 and I couldn’t believe the level of margin in the air and it’s something I have felt on every visit since “Being part of the 2025 line-up is very special we are doing a play I adore with a fantastic cast and crew The line-up of plays is phenomenal and we are honoured to be part of it getting to perform in Athlone is the beautiful gift we get at the end of a ten month journey and I know we intend to enjoy every minute.” Mr Walsh said he’s “delighted” that Wexford Drama Group is in a position to bring Skylight to the people of New Ross at St Michael’s Theatre before their Athlone venture The production will take to the stage on Saturday and tickets can be purchased through the theatre on (051) 421 255 Jerry passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family. Predeceased by his loving daughter Lizzie and brothers and sisters. Sadly missed by his loving wife Mary, sons and daughters Allie, Dick, Mikie, Kate, Nan, Maggie and Bridgie, brother Paddy, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended family and friends. Reposing at his home on Wednesday, 16th April, door is open all day. Removal on Thursday, 17th April at 9.15am to St. Mary and Michael’s Parish Church, New Ross, arriving for his funeral prayers at 10am, followed by burial afterwards in St. Stephen’s Cemetery, New Ross. Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardMon 31 Mar 2025 at 08:00The only hotel located in New Ross town centre will be used as an IPAS centre if a planning application submitted to Wexford County Council in recent days gets the green light an application in the name of OLeary Hospitality Ltd was submitted to the council seeking declaration of exempted development for the former Kennedy Boutique Hotel at 19 Submitted by Elliot Designs on behalf of OLeary Hospitality the application sought a change of use from hotel use to the provision of accommodation for International Protection applicants as part of exempted development legislation The hotel had most recently been used to house Ukrainian refugees who were relocated in October 2024 and is believed to be currently vacant If Wexford County Council deem that the application is exempted development the hotel would be used as an IPAS centre Although the building has served as emergency accommodation for Ukrainians in recent years it hasn’t been used as a hotel once Covid restrictions were implemented on the hospitality sector during the pandemic No decision date on the application has been indicated by the council Site layout plans for McDonald's in New Ross Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardMon 31 Mar 2025 at 13:00Hopes that McDonald’s will open in New Ross moved a step closer last week after the company submitted additional documents to Wexford County Council In early January Wexford County Council requested further information from the global fast food franchise in respect of its initial application While the company had six months to fulfil this request it submitted the requested information on March 19 the planning department within the council will now liaise with the relevant officials such as those from the departments of roads and environment as the newly submitted information includes: a revised site layout showing the required sightlines; the proposed entrance with consideration of traffic volumes; surface water design; a nature-based surface water plan and a valid Irish Water Confirmation of Feasibility for the proposed mains water and wastewater connection the site for the family restaurant will be located at Portersland Ring Road roundabout on the outskirts of New Ross town The development plans include a single storey drive-thru restaurant with a car park to accommodate for accessible parking An outdoor seating area with parasols is also planned while the entry of the premises will see a dedicated right turn lane with footpath works and a pedestrian crossing accommodated for a final decision is likely to be made on the application by the Wexford County Council planning department in the coming weeks it’s understood that the application for the opening of the restaurant in New Ross is part of a wider plan to expand across the nation with restaurants also planned for Waterford two of the applications have been met with objections in Waterford and Westmeath and those applications are now with An Bord Pleanála The single objection submitted against the New Ross application by four local business owners still remains on file Pizza Palace and Il Primo Restaurant have the opportunity to appeal should the decision be in favour of granting the application it’s understood not all four of the businesses are in agreement around pursuing the objection further The U16 New Ross Sparks boys basketball team has lit up the court this season with a phenomenal performance finishing their Division 2 KKSE League campaign with a perfect ten wins from ten games The team’s success didn’t stop at their league win as the Sparks went on to conquer the Top Four Tournament in Kilkenny on April 5 beating a very strong Portlaoise squad 49-42 in the finals “The team combines talented players from New Ross with dedicated players travelling up from Wexford Town Their success this season is all the more impressive given the journey this team has taken,” explained one of the team’s coaches they suffered several defeats that could have crushed their confidence the players with the help of their coaching team regrouped and transformed themselves into a formidable force for the 2024/2025 season,” he added praised the players' commitment throughout the season with Mr Thiel commenting that the team has “worked hard on and off the court and to the town is something truly special,” Mr Thiel said who have supported the boys every step of the way The club also thanked sponsors such as South East Vegetables and Cairn Construction McDonald’s fast food chain has been granted planning permission by Wexford County Council to open a restaurant in New Ross The initial application had received one objection which had been submitted on behalf of four local businesses was granted on Friday after Wexford County Council had examined the further information it had requested from McDonald’s A woman (50s) has died in a road crash in south Kilkenny this morning The crash involved a truck and a car on the main N25 road near Gaulstown Her body was removed from the scene to the mortuary where a post mortem examination is due to take place The N25 road remains closed between the Slieverue Roundabout and the roundabout at the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge bypass and a technical examination is being conducted by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators at present Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the incident to please contact them Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling on the N25 New Ross to Waterford road near Gaulstown at around 10.30 a.m are asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí Gardaí can be contacted at Waterford Garda Station on 051 305300 the Garda Confidential line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station At the Easter Sunday Commemoration at Stephens Cemetery New Ross is Monsignor Joe McGrath during the Rosary At the Easter Sunday Commemoration at Stephens Cemetery New Ross is Pipe Major Paschal Bolger who read the 1916 Proclamation Pipe Major Paschal Bolger who read the 1916 Proclamation. George Delaney and Jane Connolly of the HFC Brass Band At the Easter Sunday Commemoration at Stephens Cemetery New Ross are John Bennett Pipe Major Paschal Bolger who read the 1916 Proclamation Larry Shannon who was MC for the Commemoration At the Easter Sunday Commemoration at Stephen's Cemetery New Ross The Easter Sunday Commemoration at Stephen's Cemetery New Ross Easter Sunday Commemoration at Stephen's Cemetery New Ross A selection of those present at the Easter Sunday Commemoration at Stephen's Cemetery New Ross Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardWed 30 Apr 2025 at 02:00ONE of the longest-standing traditions to commemorate the deceased members of the Defence Forces in the 1916 Rising was marked in New Ross on Easter Sunday There was a large crowd in attendance for the mass in St Mary and Michael’s Church and the parade thereafter which assembled in the Irishtown and both the mass and parade were in memory of the men and women of the old IRA When the parade arrived at St Stephen’s Cemetery MC Larry Shannon introduced the event and Monsignor Joe McGrath recited a decade of the rosary followed by a reading of the 1916 Proclamation by Pipe Major which was introduced for the centenary anniversary Jane Connolly and George Delany played The Last Post and Reveille on bugles followed by a heart-rending performance of the national anthem by the FCA Pipe Band John Bennett said he’s grateful to Derek Furness and District Manager “they have the place immaculate.” He thanked New Ross Municipal District and politicians for attending and Joanne Cooney for use of her PA system The planning application to determine if the premises intended to serve as an International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre in New Ross is exempt has been reviewed by Wexford County Council A decision has not yet been made by the Council’s planning department on what’s to come for the former Kennedy Boutique Hotel the department has since written to Mr John Kennedy at O’Leary Hospitality Ltd by registered post with a request for more information stated that for the application to be considered “it will be necessary for you to submit confirmation of the agreement to confirm that the applicant is contracted to provide accommodation on this site for projected persons.” It was also noted to the applicant that the request for further information “does not necessarily indicate that permission would be subsequently granted” The evidence of the contract must be submitted within six months 92year old Marie St Ledger and her daughter Martina Dunne from New Ross Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardWed 9 Apr 2025 at 02:00Approximately 70 people gathered outside the former Kennedy Boutique Hotel in New Ross on Saturday as part of a protest objecting to proposed plans to convert the building into an International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centre some brought Irish flags and draped them over their shoulders and any signs that were held were handmade and distributed by a local man local councillors Michael Sheehan and John Dwyer have previously said that they will not support the application submitted to Wexford County Council with lack of services in the town and the premises being the only hotel in the town centre the main concerns for both the application is for an exemption of planning and was submitted last week by local landlord and business owner If the application is not exempt from planning permission a planning application would have to be submitted by Mr O’Leary which involves a process where members of the public can make submissions on the application there were approximately 60 people in attendance and while there were no speeches and no individuals or groups identified as leading the protest the crowd chanted "New Ross says no” on the quayside One man who did speak to the media said he wished to remain anonymous as he stated he didn’t want “a target" on his back we don’t want an IPAS centre in New Ross,” he said The man was asked why he was against the IPAS centre potentially being approved and responded: "We could say but the bigger point is that the whole country is being flooded and being replaced The facilities were never 100 per cent in New Ross anyway for doctors It’s that you'll walk the street in New Ross someday and you won't see a native Irish face A woman agreeing with his statements said “it’s about the safety of the people” "There’s a massive increase in crime already they’ll never give the nationality," the man continued When asked how immigrants in New Ross may feel having to observe the protest he said: “I could not care less how they feel Across the road from the main group of protesters 92-year-old Marie St Ledger supported the protest from afar Marie said she “wouldn't agree with an IPAS centre at all” There’s a lot of homeless in New Ross that could be in [the hotel] instead of on the streets,” she added Ann St Ledger from New Ross also said she supported the protest “I think there are plenty [of immigrants] here at the moment and I don't think there's room for anymore We also don't have the facilities such as doctors or mental health services said she was attending the protest because of her two girls and I am worried about these men that are coming into the town,” she said “I'm actually afraid for the future of my girls New Ross used to be a town that you can walk around safely all hours of the day “I've already had a couple of incidents with men shouting out the window hollering at my girls as they were walking the dog across from our home I have a fear of these men coming into our town and settling in the town An Post have confirmed to staff at the Charles Street Post Office premises that they will be moving premises to SuperValu From the June Bank Holiday the building in Charles Street will no longer be the post office and the service will re-open the following weekend in the Supervalu Two rallys have taken place in the town by locals objecting to the move Local Councillors say they will be writing to the CEO of An Post to express their concerns and anger over the move that they say were broken promises The reconstruction of Aughnaglaur Bridge is now complete The bridge in Little Cullenstown was washed away Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardThu 1 May 2025 at 10:00Works on Aughnaglaur Bridge and Little Cullenstown Bridge are now completed and both bridges which were washed away just over three years ago have been reopened by the New Ross District Council Temporary fixtures were in place since December 2021 when an unexpected spell of drastic weather majorly impacted rural roads across the entire county Triúr Construction carried out the works on both structures which were delayed initially in August 2024 at the request of the farming community to allow for the harvest period to be completed and furthermore due to other commitments of the construction company The works were rescheduled and began in January 2025 Aughnaglaur bridge was completed on Friday while the Little Cullenstown bridge was completed on Friday There are ongoing outages with broadband across the New Ross District Residents in these areas have reportedly been without internet or phone services for over 10 days Cllr Michael Sheehan has said the situation is unacceptable Speaking to South East Radio news he said he had contacted ComReg to raise concerns and push for an investigation Residents of New Ross and County Wexford are invited to attend the Age Well Expo happening today Aging Smart Expo is designed to promote aging well in County Wexford and will take place from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM at the New Ross Youth Centre Wexford Sergeant Aisling Ferriter recently shared what attendees can look forward to at the event a lot of information talks and information stands There’ll be talks on crime prevention lots of information there on grants and such that are available for energy saving and I know there’s stands there from the credit union lots of advice there on how you can keep stuff safe online the event is free and refreshments will be served” The future of the old courthouse in New Ross finally looks bright after years of vacancy The derelict building which has been idle for over 20 years was bought by Wexford County Council three years ago under the Building Acquisition Measure (BAM) funded under the Department of Rural and Community Development DRDC The Council now say they are looking at a number of potential uses for the premises including offices affordable housing and possibly turning it back into a courthouse Speaking to South East Radio News this afternoon local Councillor Michael Sheehan who raised the issue at the most recent Council meeting says he expects to see a plan in place by the end of this year St Patrick's day parade Grand Marshal Linda Kelly receiving her sash from the committee in the Brandon House Hotel the New Ross parade committee is busy putting the finishing touches to this year’s event as they ensure it’s an event not to be missed which is why the group is very proud that highly decorated athlete Paralympic gold medallist Linda Kelly is the parade Grand Marshal it’s expected the streets of New Ross will be filled with excitement as the parade makes its way through a sea of green with bellows of music and dances from the very talented local groups The cheers of support and joy from the crowd will echo all the way down past the Dunbrody Visitor Centre where the parade will conclude There will be a quiet area again this year at the Youth Centre where all music and noise will be restricted from the roundabout at the top of Mary Street at the Mount Carmel Convent gates until the parade passes Árd na Gréine going towards the Three Bullet Gate Committee member Ollie Somers explained that Linda is the perfect representative for this year’s theme saying “Linda sums up what it is to be a hero.” she makes time for everyone she encounters in her day-to-day,” he added With the St Patrick’s Day celebrations being one of the biggest family-friendly events on a global scale the organising committee understands the importance of having a representative as the Grand Marshal who is in tune with their annual theme and who is also relatable to all age groups Ollie said: “There are children in our town and adults alike who are in awe of all that Linda has achieved in such a short period of time We are delighted to have Linda leading our parade in 2025 and we would like to take this opportunity to wish her the best of luck in the upcoming competitions that she will be participating in over the coming months.” Linda started cycling in 2021 and prior to this she partook competitively in triathlons between 2017 and 2020 She has been a stage winner of Rás Na mBan in 2021 and 2023 Linda started competing on the tandem in 2022 after been approached by Cycling Ireland Linda has accomplished the European Time Trial Championships in Austria 2022 with Katie-George Dunlevy while she also took home the bronze medal at the World Championships with Josephine Healion in Canada that same year Katie-George and Linda were Double World Champions in 2023 and 2024 Katie-George and Linda overcame as string of difficult injuries to become Paralympic Champions in the Time Trial event and they gained a silver medal on the road also in Paris during the Paralympic Games all walking groups are asked to assemble at the Good Counsel College from 12.45 p.m No vehicles will be able to access the Good Counsel College grounds after 12.30 p.m and any props should be delivered there before this time The only drop-off point for walking groups is in The Apex car park All vehicles and floats taking part are asked to assemble in the Irishtown from the traffic lights back to St There will be stewards directing traffic on the day as there will be a one-way system in place from the traffic lights to Kelly’s Garage via the Bawnmore to facilitate the arranging of vehicles in the parade All groups participating are being asked to complete application forms as soon as possible Application forms can be got in the Tholsel office or by emailing stpatricksdayparadenewross@gmail.com The committee would like to thank the business owners and organisations who have made financial donations towards the event If any individual or group is in a position to help with stewarding on the day or is able to make a contribution of any kind please contact Ollie Somers on 0872571841 or via the above email address The Irish Blood Transfusion Service will visit The Brandon House Hotel New Ross this week commencing today (Monday 28th April) upto Thursday (1st May) from 15.50pm to 8pm daily The decision by Wexford County Council on whether McDonald’s will open in New Ross, Co. Wexford could be delayed by up to six months. The planning department has requested further information in relation to the planning application submitted by the fast food chain on November 1, 2024, in which the company now has six months to submit all relevant information to the local authority. On January 3, correspondence was issued to McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland Limited, where the additional information was requested involving a revised site layout showing the required sightlines; the proposed entrance with consideration of traffic volumes; surface water design; a nature-based surface water plan, and a valid Irish Water Confirmation of Feasibility for the proposed mains water and wastewater connection. The initial application was met with some controversy when four other food outlets made a collective submission as an objection against McDonald’s opening in the area. Some of the restaurants have since taken to their social media business accounts and apologised for their part in the objection. They also told their customers that while they can’t withdraw the submission, they verbally promised not to pursue their objection with An Bord Pleanála, should the application proceed to that stage. As it stands, McDonald’s has six months to submit the requested information for the Portersland site meaning it could be mid-summer at least before a decision is made and while there has been correspondence from the council, the local authority stated that “this request for further information does not necessarily indicate that permission would be subsequently granted.” OpinionSimon Bourke: It’s not Leitrim’s fault we all have notions about climbing Kilimanjaro and ziplining across the ZambeziIt’s always Leitrim. It used to be Longford too, but they have Centre Parcs now. But Leitrim has nothing. Or so they'd have you believe. Wayne Roche appeared via video link before Judge John Cheatle at Wexford District Court on Monday, April 7, from Cloverhill Prison.  Roche, with a previous address of 84 Dominick's Place, Waterford, and most recently of no fixed abode, is charged with the murder of John (King) O'Connor (58) in his home at Cluain Fada, New Ross, on Tuesday, December 31. Prosecuting Sergeant Victor Isdell informed the court that the Book of Evidence was not yet available.  He requested a further adjournment to allow time for completion of the book. Defence Solicitor Lana Doherty said there was no objection to the application.  However, Ms Doherty said the accused had previously been 'sick tested' and unable to appear via video link.  He is before the court today via video link. Ms Doherty re-iterated a previous application that Mr. Roche receive all necessary medical attention.  Judge Cheatle said there was a recommendation as such already in place. Judge Cheatle said he would further remand the accused to appear via video link at Wexford District Court on April 28. Waterford news delivered directly to your inbox The winners and organising committee of New Ross Drama Festival 2025 New Ross Drama Festival organising committee Maria (Trish Boyce) challenges a suspected dangerous intruder watched by Bellhop (Fr Pat Mernagh) Julia (Catherine Murphy) during Ballycogley Players presentation of Ken Ludwig's 'Lend Me A Tenor' in the National Opera House on Thursday evening Tito Merelli (Edward Hayden) with his beautiful wife Maria (Trish Boyce) in Ballycogley Players presentation of Ken Ludwig's 'Lend Me A Tenor' in the National Opera House on Thursday evening Wexford Drama Group's production of Skylight runs nightly at Wexford Arts Centre from February 19 to 23 Ed (Will Griffith) and Chris (Cillian Tobin) in action during dress rehearsals for Bridge Drama's production of 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime' in the National Opera House This year’s New Ross Drama Festival attracted numerous full audiences to St Michael’s Theatre across eight stunning performances made up of drama groups from across the south of the country Tipperary and six local Wexford groups performed over a schedule of a week-and-a-half The festival served up live drama on stage with Kilmuckridge DG performing Juno and the Paycock by Sean O' Casey; Wayside Players performed Amongst Men by Eoin Rua Flynn; Cork group Kilmeen DG performed The Wasp Enniscorthy TC performed Conor Mcphersons' The Seafarer Week two was kicked off by Bunclody/Kilmyshall DG performing The Beacon by Nancy Harris; Ballycogley Players performed the hilarious Thurles DG returned to New Ross with their production of Rathmines Road and Bridge Drama closed the festival on the final night with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime After a breath-taking performance by Bridge Drama on the final night of the festival complimenting what it has to offer and the kindness of the people working and living in the area Ms Rooney thanked the audience in St Michael’s Theatre for the “incredible support throughout” it's amazing to see such a full house every night for such a consecutive amount of time.” "It’s been such a pleasure spending time here in New Ross and I’m ashamed to say I had never visited before but I think I've absolutely indulged myself in everything New Ross has to offer I will be an ambassador for New Ross tours,” Ms Rooney said gratefully She went on to thank the staff and volunteers of the theatre who she said were all a “joy to work with from start to finish.” Ms Rooney said that “the arts is so badly funded that to have a house like this and it doesn't work without the people whose passion makes it work.” Concluding her sentiments before the prize announcements "I had the most wonderful time here at the theatre every night; and we’re living in a very strange world where you're looking for the things that make life worth living all the time and the people that I've met in the audience and especially the people who are putting up sets it's like something out of a David Attenborough show “It's like ants and bees with how everything moves and there are so many people involved we are seeing the wonderful performances on stage when you see such community spirit and such passion and such joy and such good will and they are the things that we need to remember in this crazy that there are good people doing good things Commenting on the contribution of the festival adjudicator festival director Paul Crowdle said: “We've all learned a lot over the course of the two weeks from you and I'd like to thank you for that.” “Some of the feedback around the festival has been based on your positive contribution with some saying you’re ‘like a breath of fresh air’ and others say you’re ‘a ray of sunshine,” said Mr Crowdle adding that Ms Rooney might like to be invited back to New Ross sometime in the future Mr Crowdle said that the most important factor in the festival’s success is “you and the patrons.” “I just can’t thank you enough for all the support and the patronage here over the two weeks and I’m hoping that you enjoy what you saw here Mr Crowdle also thanked the sponsors who “continue to come up with the goods in these testing times” along with the committee members of the New Ross Drama Festival He said the committee fully dedicated themselves to the preparations since last October ‘we aim to please’ and we were overwhelmed with the responses we’ve had with artists and reactions,” Mr Crowdle continued ‘this has been the best festival we have ever had I do sincerely think that this year is the best one yet,” he concluded The winners of this year’s New Ross Drama Festival were: Most efficient stage crew – Ballycogley Players Mary Henley Memorial award for Best Costume – Ballycogley Players In the Wexford category the winners included: Seamus Furlong Memorial award for Best Producer – Susan Somers The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime Tony Stacey award for Best Newcomer – Sinead Rafter (Siobhan) Moment of the Festival – Train station ensemble Best Play Third Place – Thurles Drama Group Educate Together best walking group winner Larry Wickham from Glynn at the New Ross St Patricks day parade Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardTue 18 Mar 2025 at 14:00The New Ross St Patrick’s Day parade began at 2 p.m in the Irishtown and took its traditional route through the town before ending beyond the viewing platform on the Quay The theme of this year’s parade was Heroes and very fittingly with this theme the Grand Marshal was Paralympic gold medallist Featuring floats from community groups and GAA clubs the town was a sea of green as local businesses contributed to the atmosphere by taking part in the shop window competition and speaking to the New Ross Standard about the celebration Ollie Somers said people flocked to line the streets in their droves while 1st Wexford Sea Scouts were runners up Best Float went to Catherine Power Dance School and the runner up award of that category was New Ross Boat Club There was a massive increase in numbers compared to last year’s parade and Mr Somers said that while there was a committee of himself there wouldn’t be a parade without the community involvement Anne Marie Cooney Dance Group took the top spot for the Best Dance Group award and the Best Topical Costume was awarded to the Dunbrody Archers A 1993 Morris Minor owned by Michael Anthony crossed the finish line for the Best Vintage award and the Adjudicator’s Award went to New Ross Rugby Club the newly opened Cumas Design located on the Quay took first place for this year’s Best Shop Window and Bridget Sweet Boutique came in as runner up Mr Somers acknowledged the 50 years since the establishment of the New Ross and District Pipe Band in which a special presentation was made to them on Monday as a tribute to their success and contribution to the community for the past five decades “It was a fantastic day and a brilliant turnout We couldn’t be happier with how things went and our Grand Marshal “Linda is such a nice person and it was great to have her leading the way and for the young people to get to meet her The participation from everyone was just brilliant and those who weren’t in the parade on the day contributed in so many other ways from local businesses in the window competition to people coming out to support “We had huge numbers in our walking groups we also had performances from the four bands who were part of the parade and people on bikes with the Barrow Wheelers but to see the children as young as four or five years of age dressed up and full of energy was really what made it "It's great to have everybody going together and there is a little bit of organisation involved but without everyone turning up Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardThu 24 Apr 2025 at 08:00The decision by An Post to sell the post office building on Charles Street New Ross and relocate its service to Supervalu has been met with backlash from a local councillor who is calling on the organisation to pause “their shambolic move” Independent Councillor Michael Sheehan is calling on An Post “to pause their attempts to close the New Ross Post Office” He said: “It is becoming clear that the people of New Ross were lied to; An Post and Minister James Browne assured us all last year that the post office in Charles Street would remain a post office and nothing would change Someone is clearly not being on the level with us “Two public protests brought their moves to heel but now An Post are going full speed on the removal and sale of our cherished post office and staff,” he said “Over the next few days I will be outlining our campaign to stop them,” he continued An Post needs to stop the whole charade and Minister James Browne needs to honour his words that he gave to journalists heralding the great news that New Ross would keep its post office The people of New Ross feel they have been let down and lied to; it will not be forgotten,” he said It was previously reported in February 2024 that the postmaster will be based at Charles Street initially but may decide to move in the future At that time Minister Browne said: “the post office services are going to stay in the current building which won’t be closing” and Minister of State at the Department of Transport and at the Department of Environment Angus Laverty said: “An Post is committed to providing the people of New Ross with a purpose provided modern post office The new office will provide the full range of post office services in a handy and accessible setting "The move is scheduled to take place over the June Bank Holiday weekend and we welcome to opportunity to partner with a successful local business to provide New Ros with its new post office,” he said Minister Browne was contacted to comment on the matter A father of one bravely jumped into the River Barrow in New Ross on Tuesday Noticing a commotion at O’Hanrahan Bridge from the balcony of a nearby apartment where he was visiting his 18-month-old son Charlie Costello (25) went out to investigate before jumping into the river heroically saving the man’s life The 2024 winners of New Ross Drama Festival in St Michael's Theatre New Ross Drama Festival kicks off next month with eight nights of live drama at your doorstep in New Ross town in St Paul Crowdle guarantees this year’s selection of groups and plays will enthral audiences with a varied selection of emotional thought provoking and soul searching themes with the array of plays on offer Tipperary and six local Wexford groups will perform over the eight nights scheduled across the dates of March 11 14 and consecutively from March 18 until March 21 The festival will be serving up live drama on stage with Kilmuckridge DG performing Juno and the Paycock by Sean O' Casey; Wayside Players perform Amongst Men by Eoin Rua Flynn; Cork group Kilmeen DG perform The Wasp Enniscorthy TC perform Conor Mcphersons' The Seafarer Week two will commence with Bunclody/Kilmyshall DG performing The Beacon by Nancy Harris; Ballycogley Players perform the hilarious Lend Me a Tenor Tipperary group Thurles DG return to New Ross with their production of Rathmines Road Bridge Drama will perform on the final night with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime Mr Crowdle said the excitement is building among the groups and the organising committee with the selection of plays on offer whilst exclaiming “this year’s New Ross Drama Festival will be one to remember.” Tickets go on sale February 17 for patrons costing €60 for the eight nights; students patron €30; nightly tickets go on sale March 3 Tickets can be bought through the box office in St Michaels Theatre which can be contacted on 051 421255 Pictured at the new E-Kiost which opened in the Irishtown, New Ross. Photograph: Patrick Browne Pictured at the new E-Kiosk which opened in the Irishtown, New Ross with owners, Sandra and Tomás Young. Photograph: Patrick Browne Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardWed 29 Jan 2025 at 06:00A new business venture in the Irishtown, New Ross, has attracted attention from across the nation as the country’s first-ever fully fitted kiosk-based shop opens to customers. The kiosks are stocked with a wide range of items, including fresh milk, however, the technology in itself is to be admired as Tomás Young’s engineering background was filled with curiosity while seeing a similar idea in the south of France, approximately six years ago and the opening of the novel store has been in the works since. Speaking about the reaction the team has received upon opening the shop, Tomás said he’s very proud to have been able to open in New Ross where he and his wife Sandra grew up, along with their business partners, Jordan Casey and Emils Kiukucans and provide jobs for people in the town that can offer “a massive flexibility to the employees,” and it’s not just the automated kiosks, as there’s far more involved than meets the eye of the customer. “While the shop itself is obviously kiosk based, and you may not see staff members around, there’s a lot of talented people behind the scenes making this run. "The amount of people up there building involved in building it, and even now in the back office, with procurement, with product selection, with literally stocking the shelves, merchandising, and then, from a tech point of view, there's a whole stack of people in the background. And obviously it's the first of its kind, so there’s the accounts side of things … There's a mountain of a team behind it and we're very proud of that, and, all those people are local people,” Tomás explained. Tomás also appreciated the area of the town where they decided to open the shop as “a quieter part of town” but that adds to the convenience of it all for people. Additionally, he also remembers the new location in its other lives as a shop and then a nursery store, while it also lay idle for quite some time too. “It’s great to be able to bring that life back to it again,” he said. Today's News in 90 seconds - 29th January 2025 "The wider company, Proserve is in business nearly 20 years now, and we’re delighted to be able to expand with a brand new adventure that also incorporates all that dedication into the new business too,” Tomás added. When Tomás was asked if an element of anti-social behaviour can be expected due to the nature of the shop’s 24/7 opening hours, he said, “while we can’t predict the future, this is very different to launderettes or 24h gyms, and we’re fully trusting the public with this. Most people are decent people.” Local businesses such as Trudy’s Kitchen and Peas and Love are also providing the store with daily fresh produce such as sandwiches, wraps, overnight oats and protein balls, to name but a few items. While the overall range of what the quirky store provides is almost limitless, there is also a machine filled with a variety of Japanese drinks and then another area stocked with ramen noodles, chocolates, crisps and many other products. While the wider company employs up to an estimated 70-80 people, Tomás said he’s always looking at local job creation where they can, from within the company, and on the external side of business too. "There's probably been up to 20 of them massively involved in this,” he said. "Absolutely, we're trying to make it look as professional and as slick as we can to offer something different and unique, but we're very conscious of supporting local jobs, because I've grown up in New Ross and while it’s not the most privileged of towns, it's fantastic place to live and work,” Tómás concluded. Gardaí investigating the death of a man in Co Wexford have upgraded the case to a murder inquiry after a postmortem revealed the victim died after being assaulted. The deceased, named locally as John O’Connor, was 58-years-old and from the New Ross area, where he sustained his fatal injuries on New Year’s Eve. Two men have been arrested on suspicion of assaulting the victim, with one released without charge on Wednesday afternoon. However, the other man, who is in his 30s and known to gardaí, remains in custody. The alarm was raised shortly after 11am on New Year’s Eve when the emergency services were called to a house on the Cluain Fada estate in New Ross in response to reports that a man had been injured. When gardaí and paramedics arrived they found Mr O’Connor in an unresponsive state. He was pronounced dead a short time later at the scene. Gardaí immediately sealed off the property on arrival there on Tuesday morning and a criminal investigation commenced, with all of the resources of a homicide inquiry committed to the case. Garda headquarters on Wednesday said a postmortem on the remains of Mr O’Connor had resulted in the case being upgraded to a murder inquiry. Before the results of the postmortem, carried out by State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan, were received, gardaí had not ruled out the possibility Mr O’Connor died from an underlying health issue after being assaulted. The first man arrested, and who remained in Garda custody on Wednesday evening, was detained in the vicinity of the crime scene early on Tuesday. The second man arrested was taken into custody later in the evening but has since been released without charge. The suspect who remains in custody, who is understood to be from Co Wexford, has a history of violent offending and dozens of previous criminal convictions, including for assault. He was recently released from prison. He knew the deceased as both had connections to the New Ross area. The investigating team has appealed to witnesses to come forward in an attempt to establish Mr O’Connor’s last movements and whether he was in the company of others in the period leading up to his death. Gardaí are keen to hear from anyone who may have been recording video footage around the Cluain Fada estate in the period just before 11am on Tuesday, including motorists using dashcams. A senior investigating officer is leading the inquiry from an incident room established at New Ross Garda station. A family liaison officer has also been assigned to support the victim’s family and keep them informed of progress in the case. Conor Lally is Security and Crime Editor of The Irish Times Ger and Jenna Martin from the Golden Grill Ger and Jenna Martin from The Golden Grill Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardTue 1 Apr 2025 at 17:39The Golden Grill closed its doors to customers for the last time on Tuesday April 1 as Ger and Brigid Martin bid farewell to their customers in the Irishtown The couple said they’ve been inundated with well wishes as word of the closure spread among their customers and they’re grateful for all the cards flowers and support they have received over the past few days Having stuck it out through trying times such as the recession and the Covid-19 pandemic Ger said “we got through them because of our loyal customers and hard-working staff.” The Rosslare native said he moved to New Ross when his father retired as a Garda Sergeant in Rosslare and bought a pub on the Quay and ended up putting 11 years in behind the counter as Tony Coppola showed him “the ropes.” Ger and Brigid then took a year-long trip to Australia and following the cafe they owned briefly on South Street the couple then took up the opportunity to rent the Golden Grill premises from the late Josephine (Josie) Kehoe and after a few years the couple bought the take-away Ger distinctly remembers Josie wishing him well when he first bought the chipper and giving him a present of eight chickens Ger said there was one quirky moment that always stood out which was one night when he was just about to close up “this fella is going to want to come in here now and order something as I’m closing the door.” said I.” Ger laughed and recalled the man’s response: “That’s what you get for making too many,” as he swiftly ran past him like a breeze “We couldn’t have asked for better customers and Brigid and I are very grateful to have had so many wonderful years here,” said Ger “Even our two daughters have made a massive contribution and they were straight into work behind the counters when they arrived home from college every Friday without fail Laura is studying engineering and Jemma is studying primary teaching,” said Ger “We would also like to thank Ciara and all the staff who have stuck with us through thick and thin and a special thanks to Liz for all her help.” explaining that himself and Brigid have taken on a house renovation and that will be there primary focus He said he’d like The Golden Grill to continue as a local chipper and that many people have already travelled from far and near to express an interest in reopening in the same capacity Passed away peacefully on Saturday 12th April after a short illness bravely borne followed by a cremation committal ceremony at Cooney's Funeral Home Brendan’s Funeral Mass can be viewed on Tuesday, 15th April at 10m on the following link: Funeral mass Family flowers only please, donations if desired to the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) IMNDA donate here and/or The Oak Ward Palliative Care Unit, Waterford. Waterford hospice donate here New Ross rugby club presidents and captains reunion Declan Madden IRFU president ceremonially turns the sod on the new dressing rooms Declan Madden IRFU president makes the draw for the 300 club Darren Molloy chairperson and Brendan Roche president Emma Flood captain makes a presentation on the clubs development plans Declan Madden IRFU president and Cllr Brdn Murphy and daughter Ava Rory Browne captain makes a presentation on the clubs development plans Declan Madden IRFU president and MArtin Kehoe Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardSun 27 Apr 2025 at 11:00New Ross Rugby Football Club held an anniversary celebration for its 55th year and the 150th year of the IRFU which also saw the President of the IRFU breaking ground to mark the initiation of the club’s development The event was attended by a large number of present club members including past presidents and captains of the club and their family members and friends opened the event by welcoming all attendees and thanking Declan and Geraldine for their visit gave a brief presentation about the development plans for the club and the motivation behind those plans The development includes building new dressing rooms to support the growing numbers of female rugby players and teams in the club and a new gym that will be fully accessible to all members A second phase of the project will deliver a 3G all-weather pitch at the grounds at Southknock within the urban community of New Ross Town and the surrounding rural area to have over 500 playing members across 20 teams The demand on training and playing facilities is significantly higher than what was required before and therefore development is now progressing in earnest to address these needs the club held the second of its 300 Development Club quarterly draws The 300 Development Club has been set up to allow members (individuals organisations and companies) to support development through either lump sum payments or monthly payments of €30 a month for three years Quarterly draws are held with prizes of €1000 This was followed by a sod turning ceremony in which Declan broke the ground to mark the start of development for the club Declan spoke at length about the importance of smaller clubs to the development and sustainment of rugby across the country he highlighted the contributions of all clubs to 150 years of the IRFU and to the huge success of Irish rugby over the recent years He also regaled the attendees with stories about Dr Mick Lucey who was one of the founders of the club in the early 1970s The day was a huge success for the club and the gathering exhibited the community spirit built around the club and the encouragement continues among all teams The senior men’s and women’s teams showcase their own success in performing well in the Leinster league this season while there were great seasons for all the minis and youth teams also and in the Bank of Ireland NeverStopCompeting challenge Individual accomplishments through their work in the local club were also acknowledged recently with the awarding of 2024 County Wexford Volunteer in Sport award to Nicky Haberlin and the awarding of the IRFU Service to Rugby medal to Seamus Doyle The celebration was an opportunity for past and present members to reflect on the club’s success over the years and while there was an element of nostalgia for some The future of New Ross and its economic landscape hinges on the success of a long-discussed project: the creation of an advanced factory that promises high-value jobs for the area is now in jeopardy due to a series of setbacks and lack of commitment from key stakeholders which was part of a broader county-wide investment strategy approved by the Wexford County Council aimed to bring four major developments to the county: Trinity Wharf in Wexford Town and a purpose-built advanced factory in New Ross recent developments have cast doubt on the future of the New Ross factory it was revealed that the developer initially slated to work on the New Ross project has pulled out This news has been met with anger and frustration from Councillor Michael Sheehan who expressed his disbelief at the decision The local authority claims that the economics and logistics of the project no longer work citing factors such as rising building costs and labour shortages Councillor Sheehan is adamant that these issues are not insurmountable Local construction companies are ready and willing to take on the project and with the significant budget allocated to the county council is the lack of action and commitment from the agencies involved which is already backing a competing project in Enniscorthy Councillor Sheehan is calling for a special meeting of the IDA and the municipal council to urgently discuss how to revive the New Ross factory project His message is simple: New Ross must not be left behind and for a strategic push to bring the advanced factory project back to life “It’s time to focus on what’s best for the local community and ensure that the promises made in 2017 are fulfilled The people of New Ross are ready for the jobs and economic growth that this factory could bring – now it’s up to the agencies and decision-makers to deliver on their commitments.” New Ross town centre during the walkability study Changes are set to be implemented in New Ross town to help make access for people with disabilities easier Following a walkability audit which took place on March 10 and carried out by people of various ages and abilities including disability and older peoples organisations the report was issued at the latest district council meeting in April Joan Purcell at her surprise 80th birthday party in the Horse and Hound with her husband Padge. Photo: Mary Browne Joan Purcell with her husband Padge and their children Edel, Lisa, Ann, Patrick, Linda, Tomas and Cathriona. Photo: Mary Browne Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardTue 11 Mar 2025 at 14:00Arriving at the Horse and Hound last week for what she thought was a casual Sunday dinner, Joan Purcell was surprised to have her family and friends around her to mark her 80th birthday. Although Joan’s birthday is in December, her celebrations had to be rescheduled on two occasions prior to this, which made this particular third-time lucky gathering even more special as she was grateful to have her husband, two sisters (who travelled from Chapel Lane and Adamstown), seven children, 18 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren in the same place, at the same time. The Carrigbyrne native is known for her creativity in knitting Aran jumpers and other crafts such as making up beautiful flower arrangements, but mostly she enjoys spoiling the younger generations of her family, whom she adores. And it was at the delight of her family to be able to return the favour, and despite the obstacles, they ensured Joan’s milestone birthday was not going to be missed. Michael Sheehan strongly opposes this potential move, fearing that it could lead to the eventual closure of the Charles Street post office. He has vowed to continue his campaign to keep the post office in its current location, stating, “We will not allow An Post to close our post office or relocate it without a fight. We must ensure that our post office remains in Charles Street, where it belongs, for the people of New Ross.” Mr Sheehan believes that these price increases are an easy way for An Post to cover costs rather than exploring other options, such as increasing efficiency. In New Ross, in particular, they are still experiencing strong postal demand, with long queues at the post office every Thursday and Friday. In his view, raising prices could discourage people from using the service rather than encourage them. The councillor has raised these concerns with the new Minister of State with responsibility for An Post, Charlie McConalogue, urging the government to intervene. “The government has a significant role in how An Post operates. If they want to raise prices, they need to ensure that they don’t close down post offices like New Ross in the process,” Sheehan stated. An eight-year-old girl from Co Wexford suffered fatal knife injuries during a late-night violent incident at her home that also resulted in both her parents suffering wounds. The victim was named locally last night as Malika Al Katib, who died at University Hospital Waterford in the early hours of yesterday morning. The Irish Times understands the alarm was raised via an emergency services call, at about 11.45pm on Sunday, from inside the New Ross property where the family live. Because the caller reported several people had suffered knife wounds, the Garda’s Armed Support Unit (ASU) was dispatched to the scene on William Street. When the ASU members arrived they administered emergency treatment to the girl before she was taken to hospital by paramedics. The girl’s mother and father were also treated at the scene for their wounds. However, while the man (34) and woman (31) were then taken to University Hospital Waterford for further medical attention, their condition was not life threatening and gardaí believe both will make a full recovery. The resources of a murder inquiry have been assigned to the case. The girl’s mother is believed to be from Wexford while her husband moved to Ireland from abroad some years ago. The deceased child is believed to have sustained more than one wound though precisely how she was fatally injured remained under investigation. New Ross Educate Together National School has confirmed Malika was one of its pupils, with principal Therese White saying the school had put in place measures to support students and staff. “This is a terrible tragedy for the family, our school and our community. We are deeply saddened by these events. Our sympathy and thoughts are with family and friends,” she said. “The school has implemented our critical incident management plan and we are in receipt of support from the National Educational Psychological Service. They have been with us all day supporting and advising teachers in their efforts to assist students at this time. “Our teachers are helping students to deal with this tragic event. We will be sharing information with parents today around how they can support their children at this difficult time. We would ask you to respect our privacy at this difficult time.” The scene on William Street was sealed off throughout Monday as Garda technical experts examined inside the property and the street outside. Garda Headquarters said a senior investigating officer had been appointed to manage the inquiry by gardaí based in New Ross station. Local Independent councillor John Dwyer said there is devastation in the area. “We’re left numb at the news that started to emerge in the early hours of yesterday morning,” he said. “Word started to filter through. I got a call very early yesterday morning from my daughter, who’s a mother herself, asking me had I heard and was aware of the circumstances. And from that point forward, the phone never stopped ringing until I got a very distressing phone call from a young woman who was closely related to the child. And I will never forget that phone call,” Cllr Dwyer told Newstalk Breakfast.. “That person was desperately, desperately upset. It was one of the most horrific phone calls I’ve ever had in my life. “It took time to make sense of that phone call. But when I did, the realisation hit me that many, many people in New Ross will have known this child and would have known the mother, who is from the locality. You know, there are no words that could adequately describe how people are feeling. “There’s a real sense of shock. New Ross is a relatively small place. Things like this don’t happen in towns like ours. But unfortunately, yesterday the nightmare began for us and for that poor family.” Cllr Dwyer welcomed the critical incident plan put in place at the girl’s school. “I can’t imagine how all those young children must be feeling and how their parents are attempting to deal with having to explain the horrific circumstances of how that poor child died.” Opens in new windowOpens in new windowVivienne ClarkeVivienne Clarke is a reporter Two suspects have been arrested in relation to the discovery of a cannabis grow house uncovered by gardaí in New Ross what’s been described as a "sophisticated" cannabis grow house was exposed by a garda-led operation which was located in rented accommodation in the Ard Álainn housing estate in which the homeowner was completely blindsided by the tenants It’s believed the owner of the house hadn’t resided there for some years and gardaí understand they had “no involvement” in the illegal actions of the tenants nor did they have any knowledge “whatsoever of what was happening inside.” New Ross Gardaí found over €80,000 worth of cannabis herb with tents and ventilation” also on the premises Gardaí then arrested two males a week later in relation to the criminal activity on suspicion of drugs offences and the suspects are being detained and questioned at New Ross Garda Station follow-up searches in other locations of interest identified by the investigation team brought two further leads to seizures in the New Ross town containing approximately €3,000 of the same drug Investigations are ongoing while a file is also being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions There seemed to be a degree of optimism for the future of the old courthouse building in New Ross when it came up for discussion at the April meeting of Wexford County Council. Raised by recently independent councillor Michael Sheehan, Chief Executive of Wexford County Council Eddie Taaffe spoke of the potential that the building has. "We are looking at a number of options,” he said. “There are a couple of aspects to this building. The courtroom is obviously that bit larger. It could potentially be used for different public events. Then there are offices at the back, so it could be a dual use building. "As you know, we’ve acquired the old pub building (The Bumblebee) beside it too, so it will form part of a bigger plan for the area.” The courthouse was purchased under the Building Acquisition Measure (BAM) funded under the Department of Rural and Community Development DRDC. A girl (8) has died and two people have been injured in an assault in Co Wexford. Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene in New Ross at 11.45pm on Sunday at a private residence in Lower William Street, an area known locally as Jones’s Hill. Senior gardaí are investigating the death of the girl. They are following a definite line of inquiry and are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident. A formal murder investigation has not yet been opened. The girl was rushed to University Hospital Waterford (UHW) for treatment but died from her injuries early this morning. A woman and man aged in their 30s are being treated at UHW. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. New Ross Educate Together National School has confirmed the victim was one of its pupils, with principal Therese White saying the school had put in place measures to support students and staff. “The school has implemented our critical incident management plan and we are in receipt of support from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). They have been with us all day supporting and advising teachers in their efforts to assist students at this time. Garda headquarters said in a statement the scene of the fatal assault remains preserved for forensic examination. The road where the assault occurred has been cordoned off at both ends by gardaí. The coroner has been notified and the Garda Technical Bureau and Office of the State Pathologist have been requested to assist in the investigation. A postmortem on the girl’s body will be carried out at UHW. A senior investigating officer has been appointed to lead the investigation, and an incident room has been established at New Ross Garda station. Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have any information to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact New Ross Garda station on 051 426 030, the Garda Confidential Line on (1800) 666 111 or any Garda station. As part of its ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations the New Ross and District Pipe Band will stage a special edition of its Celtic Weave concert in St This is the first time the concert has been indoors since the Covid pandemic the concert took place in the Library Park and each year it proved to be the best-attended concert of the summer concert series The Celtic Weave concept brings together the traditional pipe band with other genres of music and other musical instruments for what is an attractive and exciting blend The band will be joined on stage by a number of guest musicians under the direction of Paul Comiskey; Trad House New Ross; Cumas Céilí Band and the Planxty O’Rourke Irish dancers from Limerick A special guest performer on the night will be a young Ukrainian accordion player A great night of entertainment is promised the band has impressed and entertained audiences in France Tickets for the Celtic Weave concert are €15 and to book or book online through stmichaelsnewross.com Staff and board members of Youth New Ross at the 30th anniversary celebrations Ger O'Connor and April Smith from Ballinaboola Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardThu 6 Mar 2025 at 11:21Many familiar faces involved with Youth New Ross over the past three decades came together in the Bullawn last week in celebration of their 30 birthday The services that Youth New Ross provides are invaluable to families across the south Wexford district and the growth and commitment from the organisation over the years were evident on the day as children of all ages were in attendance and ran playfully happily and safely around the grounds to music and entertainment while also enjoying the delicious refreshments and reptile corner During her speech at the well-attended celebration Elaine O’Connor said the group of local people who founded the organisation in 1994 “saw the need for youth services in new Ross” meant the beginnings of a strong and valued service in our town and we're very grateful to them for taking the time and making the effort to achieve this,” said Ms O’Connor Youth New Ross has built strong relationships with stakeholders and has worked with hundreds of young people and families and has grown and developed into what we provide today,” she continued There were many names of former staff members board members and volunteers who Ms O’Connor mentioned on the day who all had a pivotal role in establishing and growing Youth New Ross over the past 30 years while one staff member in particular was remembered on the day for her contribution and encouragement “A person who was central to this was a dear colleague of ours so I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on her memory She was completely devoted to Youth New Ross and the young people it served She was a fiercely loyal friend and a loving mother She was the first welcome that you would receive at the door and we would like to especially remember Sarah today as we celebrate,” Ms O’Connor said Youth New Ross now prides itself on providing an expanding range of services from a highly skilled team of over 20 staff and volunteers as they deliver programmes and support to those who engage with them “Our Youth Program provides a safe space where our young people can connect with others and grow in confidence and personal capacity Our youth diversion staff work with young people to realise their strengths and potential and supports them in gaining confidence and self awareness,” Ms O’Connor explained “We are one organisation wearing many hats with common goals shared by all staff I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every member of the Youth New Ross team for their contribution,” she added Catherine White and Laura Stafford Killian Speaking about the early days of Youth New Ross when it had just been formed as an organisation Julie Somers gave her account what she faced when it all began in the old Education Training Centre in the Irishtown and stated that “there was £18,000 in the bank account in 1994 “I went out and bought a kettle,” Ms Somers said as she noted that for any important work to be carried out a cup of tea and a chat were necessary for productivity Ms Somers told those in attendance of how Youth New Ross then spent some time in the Youth Centre then on to the monastery building which they shared with the CBS school Youth New Ross then alluded to a place that “was always open.” and that was the atmosphere that we wanted to create,” explained Ms Somers In reminiscing on Youth New Ross’ 10 year anniversary Ms Somers remembered it fondly when former Irish President Mary Robinson and her husband attended the celebration and as the wonderful day of events came to a close and she stood at the gate to wave them off ‘wouldn’t it be fantastic to be here in another 10 years?’ it happens because of the fantastic volunteers that we have had all over the years to be on the board and to be on the various different committees We have brilliant children and young people and families who have supported the organisation all day long and we need to commend the staff team as well for their hard work and being able to adapt the different needs and the way the organisation has changed over the years too while adding that funders have also to be thanked for but for “having faith” in the establishment Many inter-agency links have been established through Youth New Ross and Family Resource Centres across the county who had representatives also there on the day to celebrate the 30 years of success If you would like to contact Youth New Ross about their services you can email info@ynr.ie or call 051 425 415