Wexford Town was founded in 800 AD by the Vikings and by 1169, it became surrendered by the Normans. The name ‘Wexford’ came from the meaning ‘inlet of flat mud lands’, which in Scandinavian terms, was pronounced as ‘Waesfjord.’ On the contrary, it is said that the Irish meaning for Wexford which is ‘Loch Garman,’ came from a tale which saw a local Wexford man called Garman Garbh, drown on the mud flats of the River Slaney, and the flood waters were released by an enchantress. Furthermore, the lake was named Lake of Garman.

From Vikings, castles, abbeys and historical events, to Wexford’s famous scene in Saving Private Ryan, the opera festival and much more, there’s no doubt that every corner of County Wexford has some historical traction that drives more and more to love Wexford and it’s heritage.

Vikings and their stamp on Wexford

County Wexford was one of the area’s invaded by Vikings in the 8th century due to its place on coastal land which meant it was the ideal place to loot Christian monasteries and establish bases in Ireland. 819AD was when the raid first took place on the North Slob area of Wexford harbour and after than, both the native Irish people and the Norse newcomers, began to interlink as one and they finally accepted Christianity, which has a major role in the layout of Wexford’s many small villages and parishes being built in one area during medieval times.

Each parish was extremely close-knit, hence the closeness between St. Patrick’s Church, St. Mary’s Church and St. Peter’s Church in Wexford Town. It can also be seen throughout the many narrow streets and small lanes that situate themselves across Wexford Town.On another note, Wexford Town was also so commonly invaded and raided by the Normans due to its location and proximity to many shipping routes in the Irish Sea.

After the Norman invasion, the town of Wexford surrendered and land was divided between Norse men and Wexford. However, efforts to secure the region by Norm, Robert Fitz Stephen, encouraged him to build a wooden ringwork castle which can be today seen from Ferrycarrig, on the outskirts of Wexford Town, overlooking the River Slaney which was convenient for Stephen to elude eruption. This defensive ditch that was built, is interestingly visible inside the Irish National Heritage Park.

Overall, while the invasion of Normans caused stir in County Wexford, it goes without saying that they left us with much to think about when they expanded the town and left it lying under an abundance of historical sites, with monumental stories. Some of these sites conclude the Westgate Tower and Selskar Abbey.