County Wexford — The Complete Guide to Ireland’s Model County

There is a stretch of south-eastern Ireland where the light falls differently. The fields are wider, the hedgerows thicker, and the coastline bends in long golden arcs that feel almost Mediterranean on a warm June afternoon. County Wexford has been called Ireland’s sunniest corner for good reason — it receives more hours of sunshine than anywhere else on the island. But sunshine alone does not explain why this county has shaped Irish history more profoundly than almost any other. From the Norman invasion to the 1798 Rebellion, from the Famine emigrant ships of New Ross to the opera stages of Wexford town, this is a county that punches far above its weight.

This is the seventh article in our 32 Counties of Ireland series, following Kerry, Cork, Galway, Clare, Donegal, and Wicklow. Each guide takes you deep into a single county — its landscapes, its stories, and the places most visitors never find.

Why County Wexford?

Wexford is Ireland’s Model County — a name earned not for perfection but for the fierce independence of its people during the 1798 Rebellion, when Wexford pikemen stood against the British Empire. The county sits at Ireland’s south-eastern tip, bordered by the Celtic Sea to the south and the Irish Sea to the east, with over 250 kilometres of coastline. Its fertile farmland produces some of Ireland’s finest soft fruit — Wexford strawberries are a national institution, available at roadside stalls every summer.

With a population of around 165,000, Wexford is large enough to sustain a thriving cultural scene — including an internationally renowned opera festival — yet small enough that every village has its own character. The county town of Wexford was founded by the Vikings in the 9th century, and the Norman legacy is visible everywhere, from the imposing Selskar Abbey to the narrow medieval lanes that wind through the town centre.

The Must-See Attractions

Hook Head Lighthouse — The Oldest Operational Lighthouse in the World

Hook Head Lighthouse has been guiding ships around Wexford’s rocky southern peninsula for over 800 years. Built by the Norman knight William Marshal in the early 13th century, it is widely regarded as the oldest operational lighthouse in the world. The tower itself is a marvel of medieval engineering — its thick limestone walls have withstood eight centuries of Atlantic storms.

Guided tours take you up the spiral staircase to the balcony, where the views across the Celtic Sea are extraordinary. On a clear day you can see the Saltee Islands to the west and the Welsh coast to the east. The phrase “by hook or by crook” is said to originate from this peninsula — referring to the two headlands (Hook Head and Crooke in Waterford) that mark the entrance to Waterford Harbour.

The Dunbrody Famine Ship — A Floating Museum of Emigration

Moored in the harbour at New Ross, the Dunbrody is a full-scale replica of a 19th-century emigrant vessel that carried thousands of Irish families to North America during the Great Famine. The experience of walking below decks, into the cramped quarters where entire families lived for weeks at sea, is one of the most powerful heritage encounters in Ireland.

New Ross itself is a handsome riverside town with deep American connections — it is the ancestral home of the Kennedy family. The nearby Kennedy Homestead, where President John F. Kennedy’s great-grandfather was born, is a fascinating museum tracing five generations of the Kennedy-Irish connection.

Johnstown Castle and Gardens — Victorian Grandeur in a Fairy-Tale Setting

Johnstown Castle is one of the most photographed buildings in the south-east — a Gothic Revival masterpiece surrounded by ornamental lakes, woodland walks, and manicured gardens that cover over 50 acres. The castle itself now houses the Irish Agricultural Museum, which tells the story of rural Irish life from the Famine to the present day.

The sunken Italian garden, the peacocks wandering the lawns, and the reflections of the castle towers in the lake make this one of the most atmospheric estates in Ireland. Entry to the gardens is affordable and the grounds are perfect for a slow afternoon ramble.

Curracloe Beach — Where Saving Private Ryan Was Filmed

Curracloe Beach stretches for over 11 kilometres along Wexford’s eastern coast — a vast sweep of golden sand backed by dunes and marram grass. Steven Spielberg chose this beach to stand in for Omaha Beach in the opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan, and walking the strand on a winter morning you can understand why. The scale is immense, the light is cinematic, and on most days you will have the beach almost entirely to yourself.

In summer, Curracloe is one of the finest swimming beaches in Ireland, with Blue Flag status and gentle shelving sand that makes it ideal for families. The dune system behind the beach is a protected habitat for natterjack toads and rare orchids.

The Hidden Gems Most Tourists Miss

The Saltee Islands — Ireland’s Largest Bird Sanctuary

The Great and Little Saltee Islands sit four kilometres off the Wexford coast near Kilmore Quay and are home to one of the largest seabird colonies in Europe. Between April and July, the cliffs are alive with thousands of puffins, gannets, razorbills, and guillemots. Boats run from Kilmore Quay in good weather, and walking among the puffin burrows — the birds completely unafraid of humans — is an unforgettable experience.

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Loftus Hall — Ireland’s Most Haunted House

Standing on the windswept Hook Peninsula, Loftus Hall has been called the most haunted house in Ireland. Legend has it that a stranger arrived one stormy night, was welcomed in for a game of cards, and when a young woman dropped a card and bent to retrieve it, she saw that the stranger had a cloven hoof. The hall has been through many incarnations — a Cromwellian garrison, a convent, a hotel — and each has added its own layer of ghost stories to the already thick atmosphere.

Tintern Abbey — The Wexford Original

Most people know Tintern Abbey in Wales, but fewer realise that this Wexford abbey came first — or rather, that the Welsh one was named after it. Founded by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, around 1200 AD after he survived a storm at sea and vowed to build a monastery wherever he landed, Tintern Abbey sits in a quiet wooded valley near Fethard-on-Sea. The nave and chancel survive beautifully, and the surrounding Colclough Walled Garden is a peaceful bonus.

The Norman Way — A Walking Trail Through 850 Years of History

The Norman Way is a series of marked trails connecting the key sites of the Norman invasion of Ireland, which began in Wexford in 1169. The route passes through Bannow Bay (where the Normans first landed), Duncannon Fort, and the medieval town of New Ross. Walking it connects you to the event that changed Irish history forever — and the landscape itself has barely changed since.

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Food and Drink in County Wexford

Wexford’s food scene is rooted in the land and the sea. The county is Ireland’s strawberry capital — from late May to August, roadside stalls sell punnets of sweet Wexford strawberries that taste nothing like their supermarket counterparts. The area around Gorey and Enniscorthy has become a hub for artisan food producers, from craft breweries to organic farms.

Seafood dominates along the coast. Kilmore Quay is a working fishing village where you can eat lobster, crab, and prawns landed the same morning. The Silver Fox in Kilmore Quay and the Lobster Pot in Carne are local institutions. Further inland, Dunbrody Country House near New Ross is run by celebrity chef Kevin Dundon, whose cooking celebrates Wexford’s agricultural heritage with dishes built around local beef, game, and garden vegetables.

For a proper pub experience, head to the Thomas Moore Tavern in Wexford town — a medieval building dating to the 12th century that claims to be one of the oldest pubs in Ireland. The craft beer scene is growing too, with the Yellowbelly Brewery (named after the nickname for Wexford people) producing excellent small-batch ales and stouts.

Practical Tips for Your Wexford Visit

Getting there: Wexford town is approximately two hours from Dublin by car via the M11 motorway. Irish Rail runs services from Dublin Connolly to Wexford and Rosslare, and Bus Éireann operates regular routes. Rosslare Europort connects Wexford directly to Wales and France by ferry — making it a natural entry point for visitors arriving from Britain or continental Europe.

Getting around: A car is essential for exploring Wexford’s coastline and countryside. The Hook Peninsula circuit is one of the finest scenic drives in the south-east, taking in Hook Head, Duncannon, Tintern Abbey, and Fethard-on-Sea. The county’s relatively flat terrain also makes it excellent cycling country.

Where to stay: Wexford town has a good range of hotels and B&Bs. For a special experience, Dunbrody Country House near New Ross offers luxury in a Georgian manor, while Monart Destination Spa near Enniscorthy is consistently rated among Ireland’s finest spa hotels. Budget travellers should look at the guesthouses around Kilmore Quay and Curracloe.

Best time to visit: Wexford is at its finest from May to September, when the county lives up to its reputation as Ireland’s sunniest spot. The Wexford Opera Festival in October is world-class and draws international visitors. The Wexford Strawberry Festival in June is a local highlight. Winter brings dramatic coastal walks and empty beaches — and the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve at the North Slob is one of the best places in Europe to see Greenland white-fronted geese.

Next in the Series

County Wexford is the seventh stop on our journey through all 32 counties of Ireland. So far we have explored Kerry and its wild Atlantic peninsulas, Cork and its rebel heritage, Galway and its Connemara heartland, Clare and its Burren moonscape, Donegal and its wild north-west coast, and Wicklow and its Garden County beauty. Next, we head to County Waterford — Ireland’s oldest city, the crystal capital of the world, and a coastline that rivals anything on the Wild Atlantic Way.

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