Ever thought of attending an elite opera festival in an historic medieval town less than two hours from Dublin? I’m referring to Wexford in the sunny South-East where history seems to ooze from the very stones.
Originally a Viking settlement (Weissfjord), the Normans conquered it in 1169 and added their trademark battlements, still visible today. King Henry II soon arrived at the newly constructed Selskar Abbey, eager to do penance for the “murder in the cathedral” of Archbishop Thomas Becket of Canterbury.
Oliver Cromwell sacked the town and slaughtered the inhabitants but, undaunted, Wexfordians rose up against the might of the British Empire in 1798. Charles Stewart Parnell was sentenced to a stint in Kilmainham Jail for a seditious speech he delivered from the window of Wexford’s Imperial Hotel.
The National Opera House in Wexford.
You get the idea – one bloody thing after another! I grew up in the shadow of Selskar Abbey, still a towering, if skeletal, castle-cum-monastery.
Hence, I was delighted to attend the recent Wexford Opera Festival after a long absence. Wexford has changed – for the better. The old Theatre Royal has been transformed into the stunning National Opera House, while the Town Hall, where I used to play dances for battling gangs of Teddy Boys, has morphed into the gleaming Wexford Arts Centre.
Culture was everywhere during my stay. Three fully produced operas were in repertory over the 15 day festival. The singers, musicians and creative teams were of the highest international quality, and the audiences came from all over Europe.
Events began early and continued through the day with many pop-up shows and recitals held in churches, halls and pubs. The discerning locals took it all in their stride. They’ve had plenty of experience for this was the 73rd Wexford Opera Festival.
Coincidentally, the festival founder, Dr. Tom Walsh, lived two doors down the street from where I grew up. He was a lovely man who turned an impossible dream into reality. There are other changes afoot about the town. In my day, the narrow back streets throbbed with life, people raised large families in small houses.
But Wexford’s citizens now prefer to live outside town in modern residences on individual plots of land. Wexford Borough District is encouraging prospective homeowners to consider the many vacant houses on the quaint back streets. It is possible to buy one of these properties for under €200K. There is even talk of grants being offered.
Selskar Abbey.
What a location to retire to! With Ireland’s modern network of roads, it’s possible to drive to any part of the country within a day, bus services are excellent, and nearby Rosslare Harbour has regular ferries departing for the UK, France and Spain. If Wexford has changed, so has Ireland, now a staunch liberal European democracy.
Swept away is the unhealthy power of the Catholic Church, along with its dominance in all facets of life. The young are well educated and full of confidence. Though they are fond of America and its culture, their world now is more in tune with the EU, UK, Canada and Australia.
Our nativists have won the day. There is little talk of immigration to the U.S. anymore. Instead young Irish visit for sun-drenched vacations. It’s not worth the hassle to scale the walls of our shining city on the hill, now that the ladders have been pulled up. Better go somewhere they are welcome.
Besides, politicians are held to account in Ireland. Fact-checking is not optional and lying is frowned upon. There are problems, of course, the national health system, though universal, has many flaws, including long delays for certain operations and medical procedures.
Social media – as elsewhere – is becoming a problem. Conspiracy theories are bubbling up, but so far they’re not a match for Ireland’s strong press, not to mention most Irish people are still comfortable sharing the same set of facts. Perhaps these differences between Ireland and the U.S. could be the subject of a modern farcical opera.
Speaking of which, anyone fancy attending the 2025 Wexford Opera Festival?
See Wexfordopera.com And if your candidate lost last week’s presidential election, perhaps you’d be interested in a bargain house near the walls of a medieval town less than two hours from Dublin?
