Wexford

Wexford, a maritime county of the province of Leinster, bordering on Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, and Waterford; greatest length, 55 miles; greatest breadth, 30 miles; area, 573,200 acres. The coast-line is irregular, and very dangerous for shipping. The headland called Carnsore Point is the south-eastern extremity of Ireland. The greater part of the surface is level, but Mount Leinster, the highest point of the mountains of the border, is 2610 feet high. The principal river is the Slaney, which enters the sea through Wexford Harbour; the Barrow is part of the boundary. In its geological structure Wexford belongs to the eastern clay-slate tract; granite is found in the south-east of the county, and in some of the detached hills, as are also beds of greenstone. The soil varies from light and sandy to stiff clay, but the county has a verdant luxuriance. There are but few and inconsiderable manufactures, and the trade is chiefly in the export of agricultural produce, especially barley; butter, cattle, pigs, poultry, and eggs are also exported in large quantities. The fisheries are valuable. The principal towns are Wexford, Enniscorthy, New Ross, and Gorey. The maritime position of Wexford laid it open early to the incursions of the Danes. It was the first landing-place of the English, and formed part of the tract granted to them by MacMurrugh. During the civil wars which followed 1641 Wexford was the scene of frequent contests; and in the insurrection of 1798 it formed the theatre of the only formidable conflicts of the peasantry with the regular troops. There are numerous relics of antiquity, Celtic as well as Anglo-Norman, including many old castles, and the monasteries of Dunbrody, Tintern, and Ross. Wexford returns two members to parliament. Pop. (1841) 202,196; (1861) 143,594; (1881) 123,854; (1891) 111,536, of whom 102,002 were Roman Catholics.