Drug problem in Enniscorthy?

After disgracefully being left idle for more than a decade the old Dunnes Stores premises on Rafter Street has been undergoing renovation in recent weeks. The anchor tenant (the property owners themselves) Grant's Pharmacy are tearing away with a massive new shop - only yards away from Sam McCauley's existing large outlet - while directly across from the new development the latter is said to be opening a second outlet! Three pharmacies within yards of each other - you couldn't make it up.

Other tenants being talked about for the old Dunnes premises include the library - refurbished at a cost of €150,000 as recently as 2011 - and the reasoning behind any such move is mind-boggling but leave it to the Council to find a way of wasting more money.

Enniscorthy - The Market Square in quieter times

 

Enniscorthy Market Square circa 1900. No sign of Oliver Sheppard's 1798 statue which wasn't unveiled until 1908. Click on image to enlarge. More about it here: http://www.historyireland.com/18th-19th-century-history/1798-1898-the-political-implications-of-sheppards-monument/

Enniscorthy Antiques & Collectables Fair - Sunday 1st March, 2015

Enniscorthy Castle - 1950s (?) Aerial View

An interesting aerial view of Enniscorthy Castle from the 1950s (?) - before the redevelopment of Abbey Square. Click on image to enlarge.

Eyesore gone at last!

The former 'head' shop on Slaney Place which has lain semi-derelict since early 2011 has, at long last, received a makeover and appears to be about to open as an office of some sort.

Meanwhile the decline in the retail sector continues with the impending closure of Saria Boutique on Main Street.

 
Bucking the trend is Stamp's Pub on the Market Square which is thriving since its new licensee took over at the end of last year - good Guinness, nice crowd, plenty of rugby on TV and possibly the best pub loos in County Wexford?

 

Dirty Old Town!

It gives me no pleasure to report that Enniscorthy's claim to being the dirtiest town in the South East is still intact. In recent weeks the expensive, new pavements throughout the town have rapidly deteriorated with the ubiquitous chewing gum, now turned black, spread everywhere due to the heatwave. Things are now so bad that I doubt cleaning, if attempted, would be successful. Elsewhere there are oil trails, and other markings (possibly restaurant waste) all over the pavement. All in all, after the spending of in excess of €800k  the town is left with an unholy mess but will anybody held to account?

Above: a tell tale trail near the junction of Church Street and Rafter Street - this pic doesn't do justice to just how bad this stretch of pavement has now become.

Further down Church Street a large chunk of the new kerb has been smashed and, apart from its unsightly appearance, is a compensation claim waiting to happen.

Above: the state of the new paving on the way up from Dunnes Stores to the Market Square is beyond description.

The work of the village idiots in the Murphy Floods carpark - undoubtedly tourists will flock to see these unique cave(men) drawings.

Forrest's Bookshop branches out to Enniscorthy!

Some good news, at last, with the opening of a new bookshop on Castle Street. Forrest's, who already operate a successful bookshop in Ferns, opened for business last week. Hopefully, this will herald a revival in the fortunes of the street and will last longer than the plethora of businesses that have come gone in the last couple of years. The new shop will be concentrating on school books, stationery, activity books and quality wooden toys.