Wexford
County town on the Slaney estuary
Wexford is the county town, on the estuary of the River Slaney where the Vikings settled in the 9th century. The National Opera House on High Street is home to Wexford Festival Opera, and Selskar Abbey dates from the early 12th century. Rosslare Europort is about 20 minutes by car, and trains from Dublin Connolly stop at Wexford O’Hanrahan.
On this page
The town on the Slaney
Wexford grew from a Viking settlement founded in the 9th century where the River Slaney meets the sea. Winding medieval lanes run through the old town, and a walk leads along the River Slaney. The tourist office is on the Quays.
By car, Wexford is about two hours from Dublin and about an hour from Kilkenny and Waterford. From Rosslare, the N25 brings you into town in about 20 minutes.
Selskar Abbey
Selskar Abbey dates from the early 12th century. In 1169 the first Anglo-Irish treaty was signed here, and in 1649 Cromwell destroyed the abbey. The present church dates from 1826. The abbey is on Tower Court.
National Opera House
The National Opera House on High Street (Eircode Y35 FEP3) opened in 2008 on the site of the old Theatre Royal, which had been the home of Wexford Festival Opera for more than 50 years. It has two theatres, the O’Reilly Theatre and the Jerome Hynes Theatre, and its programme runs to opera, music, family shows, comedy, theatre and dance.
The 75th Wexford Festival Opera took place from 15 to 31 October 2026. The box office is open from Monday to Saturday, 09:30 to 17:00, and closed on Sundays and bank holidays.
Wexford Wildfowl Reserve
The Wexford Wildfowl Reserve covers about 200 ha of the North Slob at Ardcavan, just outside town (Eircode Y35 EY89). It is owned and run jointly by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and BirdWatch Ireland.
- When: Open daily from 09:00 to 17:00; the gates are closed at 17:00. Entry is free.
- What you see: Greenland white-fronted geese are here in winter, from October to March. More than 250 bird species have been recorded on the reserve.
- Where to watch: An observation tower 8 m high and the Pat Walsh, Pump House and Robert Jobson hides.
- Access: The visitor centre, the grounds and the Robert Jobson hide are wheelchair accessible.
Just outside town
Three of the county’s main days out are close to Wexford. The Irish National Heritage Park is at Ferrycarrig, with its entrance off the N11 just north of town. Johnstown Castle is to the south; bus 390 runs there from Trinity Street and Redmond Square up to six times a day from Monday to Saturday. North of the estuary, Curracloe has 11 km of beach from Raven Point to Ballyconigar.
Getting there without a car
- Train: Wexford O’Hanrahan station is on the line between Dublin Connolly and Rosslare Europort.
- Bus from Dublin: Bus Éireann route 2 runs from Dublin Airport through Dublin city, Arklow, Gorey and Enniscorthy to Wexford O’Hanrahan station. Wexford Bus links Wexford with Dublin city centre and Dublin Airport, and also with Waterford and Carlow.
- Bus to the port: Bus Éireann runs from Wexford bus station to Rosslare Europort.
If you are staying the night, our page on where to stay compares Wexford town with Rosslare Strand and Rosslare Harbour.