27-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Only those with ‘strong and enduring connections' to Wexford will have plaques erected in their honour
Due to a 'high level of demand' the Wexford Borough District (WBD) has created a set of procedures and policies for those who wish to have plaques erected in public spaces. Noting that there is often an 'emotive nature' to requests where people are recently deceased, the WBD has stated that there is nonetheless a 'need to ensure that a proliferation of plaques does not detract from the wider amenity and enjoyment of public spaces'.
Asking that all proposals be officially submitted in writing, the WBD said a number of criteria need to be met before an application will be considered.
'The person must have been born or lived in the Wexford Borough District or have had strong and/or enduring connections with the Borough district,' it says in its Procedures and Policy Document. 'The person must have made a unique and outstanding contribution to the life or history of the Wexford Borough through outstanding achievement, distinctive service or significant community contributions.
'In the case of an event to be commemorated it must have occurred in the WBD and it will have to have occurred at least 50 years previously, unless it is of extraordinary and long-lasting consequence to the town.'
Under the new procedures and policies, applications to commemorate living persons 'will not be considered' and nominees will have to have died at least 20 years previously.
While all costs associated with the fabrication and maintenance of the plaques will be borne by the proposer, WBD will undertake to install any plaques.
At the May meeting of the WBD, Councillor Tom Forde requested a slight amendment to the document.
'The criteria that they must have been born or have a long-lasting connection to the district, how rigid is that going to be?' he asked. 'We had a campaign to have a plaque of Frederick Douglass erected at the Arts Centre because he visited Wexford during The Famine, there was great interest in it afterwards. Figures like that who weren't born here or have an enduring connection, but were great historical figures, should be honoured.'
In addition to that amendment, Cllr Leonard Kelly asked that QR codes become part of any new plaques in the district so that those viewing the plaques could learn more about the figure or event in question.
