Wexford's iconic Fleadh Harp to make permanent return ahead of the 2025 Festival
Wexford TD George Lawlor was so taken by the craftsmanship, that discussions were commenced about giving it a permanent place on Wexford's quayfront. In October, Deputy Lawlor said, ''We are going to work on a permanent installation of the harp. Discussions are ongoing and we've already met with Buí Bolg on it.'
Last week, Fleadh Cheoil Executive Committee members including Deputy Lawlor and Wexford County Council CEO Eddie Taaffe visited the workshop of Bui Bolg, Wexford's own expert prop makers who made last year's harp with the support of Wexford Credit Union, to get a sneak peak.
Work began in January 2025 for Bui Bolg's dedicated team led by Artistic Director Colm Lowney. The structure has been expertly carved, from oak sourced from McMahon's in Waterford with the help of local master carpenter Jim Grant.
After processing the oak, the painstaking work of shaping and finishing the harp commenced. The harp which features a robust steel structure will be anchored into a solid concrete base and will receive multiple coatings of yacht varnish and epoxy resin, to ensure it can withstand the year-round elements of Wexford's weather.
Bui Bolg's Sales Director Mark Carey said: 'This has been one of the most interesting, stressful, and exciting projects we've undertaken.
'We've had fantastic support from Wexford County Council, and it's been a fantastic team effort with about 10 people directly involved. We're so proud to contribute something that will stand as a lasting symbol of Wexford's creativity and community spirit.'
The oak harp will be officially unveiled as part of the celebrations for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2025 and is expected to draw locals and visitors alike to admire this new addition to the Wexford waterfront.
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Irish Independent
20 hours ago
- Irish Independent
New service station to be built outside Gorey despite appeal – ‘you have failed to identity the obvious potential safety problems'
Situated in Knockmullen on the R741 regional approach road to Gorey, an application to develop the service station was submitted to Wexford County Council (WCC) in July of last year by Mr Pat and Tom Redmond. WCC granted planning permission to the applicants on February 19, 2025 but did so only after approving the 'material contravention' of the Gorey Local Area Plan (LAP) so that a service station could be developed at this location. A material contravention occurs when a planning application significantly deviates from the objectives of the local development plan, but the planning authority (WCC) deems it necessary for the area's sustainable development. In its first planning report on August 26 of last year, WCC stated that the site is in 'an area zoned Business and Technology Park where a petrol station is not normally acceptable' and that, as a result, 'the proposal would therefore be a material contravention of the Local Area Plan'. However, following a request for further information including a revised road safety audit, WCC's updated planning report (December 17, 2024) stated that its roads department considered the development to 'be acceptable' and recommended that a material contravention be applied. Prior to planning being granted, the chief executive of WCC approved the development on the grounds that the service station will provide local facilities for car users on 'one of the main routes into the town', that it will 'provide ten electric vehicle recharging points which are currently lacking in the Gorey area', and a 'changing places' facility which will enhance the network of services that brings dignity for people with a range of disabilities'. The chief executive also noted the service station will bring 'additional employment opportunities and investment to Gorey' before the application was approved by local councillors. Opposing the development, Mr Oliver Lynn, who owns a property opposite the site, objected to the changes in road layout which will 'obstruct access' to his home and argued that the road safety audit had 'failed to identity the obvious potential safety problems within the scheme' and failed to provide 'recommendations to minimise collision occurrence and severity'. He also argued that the new road junction design would result in an 'increased risk of side-on collision for traffic turning right into the private laneway', 'increase congestion' beside his home and that a 'private commercial entity should not be allowed to supersede the rights of users of the private laneway to safely and without obstruction, access their lands and homes'. After planning permission was granted for the service station, Mr Lynn lodged an appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála, the national planning authority, on March 14 of this year. ADVERTISEMENT In his appeal, he referenced the material contravention and stated his belief that his concerns were not 'adequately highlighted' in the process. 'Given the Gorey LAP is eight-years-old, it is not in keeping with proper planning and development to make a zoning change of this nature prior to the development of a new plan,' read his appeal. Mr Lynn's appeal also referenced the size of the development, stating that it was in excess of 100m2 and thus contravened the Wexford County Development Plan. On the issue of road safety, Mr Lynn's appeal stated that existing issues will be 'considerably worsened' by the development of a service station and that 'inadequate provision is (being) made for traffic entering (his) laneway approaching from the Gorey direction'. Highlighting the presence of a recorded monument on the development site, Mr Lynn also stated that he had not been notified of WCC's decision to approve planning permission until he contacted its offices. In their response to Mr Lynn's appeal (April 14, 2025), Mr Pat and Tom Redmond said the development had been permitted by WCC following a 'transparent and lawful application of the material contravention procedure'. 'From the outset the planning authority considered the development to be appropriate subject to resolution of identified issues,' they continued. 'There is no legal or policy bases to suggest that planning applications should be withheld or curtailed during the life of an extended local area plan. In relation to Mr Lynn's concerns regarding road safety, the applicants said the proposed development has been designed 'in accordance with all relevant road and traffic safety standards and guidance' and the road safety audit did not raise 'concerns about the proposed site entrance to the broader road network or the ability of the R 741 to safely accommodate the development'. They also contended that, in accordance with the Local Area Plan, the subject site does not lie 'within or in proximity to any recorded monuments, newly identified archaeological sites or areas classed as historic town and archaeological interest'. In his assessment of the case, planning inspector with An Coimisiún Pleanála Mr Peter Nelson addressed the issue of the material contravention and the applicants' other properties in the area. 'The proposed service station will be accommodated on a section of the Business and Technology Park (BTP) zoned lands in this location and I consider that there is adequate space on the remaining BTP lands and on the existing Hatch Lab site for its potential expansion and for similar types of units which will provide office space for start-ups. 'I also note that there is a large section of undeveloped BTP zoned lands on the Courtown Road. The applicant has submitted a letter stating that as the owner/landlord of the M11 Business Campus, where the Hatch Lab is located, they have struggled to secure tenants for the space since its completion in 2017. "They state they have an addition c.2,800 sqm of commercial space in Gorey that they are having difficulty leasing. Having regard to all of the above I consider that the proposed development will not prejudice the expansion on the existing Hatch Lab or the development of similar type enterprises. I also consider that there are currently adequate zoned lands for BTP use in Gorey. 'While recognising that the provision of a service station on BTP zoned lands is a material contravention on the LAP, I consider that given the site is located on the main approach to Gorey, to and from the M11, I consider that in principle that this location is acceptable for a service station. 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However, he did recommend that a number of conditions be applied to the application including a stipulation that the 'total net retail sales space of the forecourt shop shall not exceed 100m2', that 'all proposed car parking spaces shall be capable of accommodating functioning electric vehicle (EV) charging stations/points', and that the developer shall engage a 'suitably qualified (license eligible) archaeologist to carry out an Archaeological Impact Assessment (AIA) . . . in advance of any site preparation works and groundworks'. , Following Mr Nelson's report, three members of the Coimisiún na Pleanála board (Chris McGarry, Mary Henchy, and Marie O'Connor) met on July 9 to assess his recommendation. They chose to accept Mr Nelson's recommendation and grant planning permission for the service station.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Conditions of roads in ‘disgraceful' New Ross estates raised for the ninth meeting in succession
However, despite Cllr Sheehan's repeated queries, Parkfield has yet to be taken in charge by Wexford County Council (WCC). 'Can we write to the chief executive to find out what's happening with the TIC scheme for Parkfield?' he asked at the July meeting of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD). 'This is my ninth meeting in succession raising it. I've met with several residents in different estates over the last couple of weeks and the conditions of the roads in each of them are a disgrace.' Frustrated by the lack of progress in these urban estates, Cllr Sheehan suggested that the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), which primarily focuses on rural areas, could be expanded to include roads in New Ross. This did not sit well with Cllr Marty Murphy who was quick to protect a programme which has benefitted those in his constituency. "The LIS should be kept for the local areas and not in the town,' he said. Returning to Parkfield, Cllr Sheehan said it, and other town estates, were not receiving the funding required for improvements. 'There's two reasons why these roads are in such an appalling state: the money is not there, and when it is there it's going in the wrong areas. We need to get this money back into the town because there are several estates, all of which have been TIC, which need to be rectified. If not, we're going to have serious issues in a couple of years.' "There's been a number of roads done in the town over the past few years,' replied area engineer, David Murphy. 'We only get funding to do approximately 20km of roads annually.' It was then left to director of services Eamonn Hore to provide an explanation as to why Parkfield continued to pop up on the agenda on a monthly basis. "I'll discuss this with the chief executive but the issue could be the €250,000 required for the footpaths,' he said.
Irish Independent
30-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Wexford County Council opts to approve new Courtown hotel despite breaches of local area plan
In instances such as this, the decision to grant or refuse planning permission lies with the elected members. And at the July meeting of Wexford County Council (WCC), the decision to allow the development to go ahead, despite it being in breach of the Courtown and Riverchapel Local Area Plan (LAP), was approved by local councillors. The proposed development, by Bayview Limited, is for the construction of a 136-bedroom, six-storey hotel, on lands currently used as car parking at the edge of Courtown village. The existing coast access road, pedestrian bridge, and the landscaping to the watercourse to the east of the site would remain unaffected by the development. Outlining the reasons and considerations behind its decision to grant planning permission, WCC stated, 'The proposed development would provide much-needed accommodation in the area and bring longer stay visitors to the village that would benefit the local economy and bring new employment opportunities.' A consultation period took place between June 4 and July 1 which allowed members of the public to have their say on the proposed development. A number of submissions were made regarding the construction of a hotel in Courtown, some of which expressed concerns about how it will affect the local community. BPS Planning and Development Consultants, on behalf of the Harbour Court Residents Association, stated, "The argument that a development would have economic benefits is not one we consider normally to be used by planning authorities to overrule significant scale, massing, design, and zoning concerns. The LAP's open space and amenity (OSA) zoning cannot be viewed in isolation from the range of planning policies, aims, and objections set out in the LAP and the County Development Plan (CDP).' "The focus has clearly been on the purported economic benefits of a hotel without adequate due consideration of the benefits to the community. The guidelines confirm that the 'material contravention procedure' is intended as a mechanism to deal with specific non-conforming planning applications. These are, by definition, proposed developments which the applicant knew at the time of making the planning application was not permitted in principle or open for consideration. "It is meant to be an exceptional procedure for cases which, one would expect, are supported by the same public who voted for the elected members who adopted the LAP.' Previously, a further 32 submissions were made by members of the public, concerned residents, and local organisations. Recommending that councillors approve planning permission for the hotel, chief executive of WCC, Eddie Taaffe stated, 'No modifications of the proposed material contravention of the Courtown and Riverchapel LAP are recommended at this time on foot of the submissions received. In accordance with Section 34 (6) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, it is recommended that planning permission for the development of a 136-bedroom, six-storey hotel be considered by the members for approval as a material contravention of the LAP. "I therefore recommend that the members agree to pass a resolution approving the proposal to grant permission subject to standard conditions.' Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
