Enjoy Wexford, Ireland

A statue of Commodore John Barry faces the harbor of Wexford, Ireland near the very place where-at age 12-he entered the Navy as a cabin boy.

Mayor George Lawlor’s grandfather unveiled the statue. Mayor Lawlor wonders why Annapolis doesn’t do more to recognize this Naval hero.

John Barry served with George Washington in our war for independence and was listed as #1 in the American Navy. The competition between the Scots-John Paul Jones is considered by some to be a pirate- and the Irish hero, John Barry, emerges.

Mayor Lawlor, dressed in official red robe and gold chains, welcomed me to the official town chambers. The Chambers are much like a board room with little space for public participation. Pictures of past Mayors line the walls. A photo of former Maryland Senator Gerald Winegrad’s visit to these chambers is included. The Mayor of New Ross, Ingrid O'Brien and Speaker in Parliament, Brendan Howlin, joined as hosts.

Wexford is a town founded by the Vikings. After they plundered the sea coast in the 8th century, Ireland’s rich supply of wood for ship-building attracted the Vikings for permanent settlement. Wexford was a major trading center, exchanging cowhides and agricultural products for luxury goods, wine, figs and olives.

The harbor was a magnet for others expanding their territory. The Normans came in the 12th century. The town's earliest fortifications date to 1169. At the Irish National Heritage Park in Wexford, home sites reproduce the way people lived over a 9,000 year period of time. The son of Pat Collins, Wexford Administrator, explained stone age, bronze age and the 1600 year Celtic early Christian age sites.

In the 1840's, a potato blight forever changed life in Ireland. Over 3 million people died or emigrated to a strange country hoping to survive. One of them was Patrick Kennedy, the great - grandfather of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. He arrived destitute in Boston in 1848. The Homestead, a simple farm still owned by the family, still exists and is open to the public. John F. Kennedy returned to this homestead in Wexford County in August, 1963. Videos and pictures of the visit 44 years ago are proudly on display in Wexford shops.

In the town of New Ross, a reproduction of the Dunbrody famine ship supported by the JFK Trust tells the stories of those leaving their homeland for America. Many died of the famine and the ships earned the macabre nickname of "coffin ships." On the voyage researched for the Dunbrody, 8 people out of 300 died en route, including the parents of 5 children. Nothing is known of their fate when they reached Boston. While the Dunbrody carried twice its capacity, the mortality rate from fever and dysentery was low.

During WWI, German U-Boat activity created a grave yard of ships off the Wexford coast. The Lusitania, a Cunard cruise ship, was one of the victims. In 1918, the US Navy established a seaplane base at Wexford Harbor and broke the back of the U-Boat operations. Nothing remains of this important complex today.

Nearby is Duncannon Fort, a fortress for over a 1,000 years. The fort is now owned by the County of Wexford. Duncannon is also the name given to the race horse who won the first Jockey Club Trophy, the Annapolis Subscription Plate, in Annapolis in 1745.

On the Southwest Coast of Ireland, 100 miles from Wexford, the town of Kinsale was hosting Regatta Week. Twinned with Newport, Rhode Island, the Mayor and Council members of this American city were on hand to officially open the 10 day regatta event.

Kinsale and Wexford boast Ireland’s best places to dine. Wexford enjoys the country’s #1 Light Opera Company. Mayor Lawlor is a member- another voice to join with our singing troupe during our Annapolis Alive/Charter 300 Celebration in 2008.