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.

Castle Street, Enniscorthy - almost traffic free!

Postcard view of Enniscorthy (Castle Street) circa 1900 - the Athenaeum is only a few years old and the National Bank (the first building on the left) had yet to be rebuilt into the present impressive, stone clad  edifice.  

View from the Spire

An unusual early 20th century postcard view of Enniscorthy taken from the spire of St.Aidan's Cathedral.

Enniscorthy in quieter times #2

I came across this positively pastoral view of Enniscorthy in a recent online postcard sale. How the place has changed and Abbey Square has lost most of its former charm today.

Phoenix Rising

Colman's Pub on the Market Square, Enniscorthy, is nearing completion and a super job has been done on the rebuild. The roof sets the standard and has been done using salvaged Blue Bangor slates - probably now one of the best roofs in the town - and the on-street frontage is superb. Let's hope that a new tenant will be found soon as well as an improved clientelle from its last incarnation. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.

Enniscorthy in quieter times!

Came across this interesting Valentine postcard of the Shannon Quay in Enniscorthy, on eBay, and thought it worthy of inclusion here despite its obvious grubbiness. Even the Horse Chestnut trees along the riverbank had not been planted when this photo was taken. Yates' building (which is still there today as apartments and Danny Murphy's Furniture) is the most obvious landmark.

Sign of the times

Two more changes on the retail front in Enniscorthy with the closure of the "Next Door" Off Licence on Main Street, and the appearance of yet another cash for goods type outlet at the premises formerly operated as "Bonita's" also on Main Street. Between the two cash for clothes shops, a cash for gold shop and another cash for goods shop in the SuperValu carpark, it brings to a total of five (!) the number of these type outlets operating in the town.

Photos © rmgp

Actions speak louder than words!

Much ado about nothing is the best way to describe the 'Destination Enniscorthy' meeting held at the Riverside Park Hotel last week. Sponsored by Enniscorthy Chamber of Commerce and the Town Council it appears to have been no more than a mutual back slapping, love-in between the officials involved. 'Every Time I see Enniscorthy Castle, I say wow', Tara Kenny of Failte Ireland provided the official seal of approval and all the usual platitudes were included. Failte Ireland have, for decades, presided over these sort of love-ins and all that changes are the faces, locations and dates but the song remains the same.

Somewhat ironically, Colm Neville, proprietor of the Riverside Park Hotel urged everyone to get involved in getting the town moving and making  it look better. Perhaps it would be a good start if he did something to have the adjacent playground put in proper order - God only knows what his guests make of the place if they have the misfortune to wander into it during their stay in his hotel. I don't expect to see any change there though, much easier just to talk about it.

Another short-lived venture bites the dust?

"Scooby Doos" shop and cafe which had sprung overnight in the 'old' Dunnes Stores carpark has come and gone without most people noticing its existence. Despite an apparently good footfall nothing seems to thrive in that location - both places seem deserted when I passed this morning!

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The bitter wind of recession stills stalks Enniscorthy

More closures this week - two ladies boutiques on Main Street, 'Bonita' and 'Silhouette', presumably both victims of the massive fall-off in consumer spending. Meanwhile 'Crystal Script' on Castle has relocated yet again - this time to Slaney Street.

A Menswear Liquidation outlet has opened on the Market Square - for two weeks only - offering up 80% discount on certain designer brands.

On a brighter note, work continues apace on Colman's Pub on the Market Square and, at last, St.Mary's Church Institute on the corner of Castle Street and Church Street is getting a much needed facelift.

Can't pay, won't pay!

Enniscorthy - 25th February, 2012

Rafter Street regresses!

Sadly, Enniscorthy's Rafter Street is really beginning to revert to its original state in recent months. General filth, oil, dog dirt and chewing gum are increasingly evident. Excessive amounts of vehicular traffic - road cleaning trucks, recycling and delivery lorries - are destroying the pedestrianised ambience that the street had achieved since its refurbishment. There seems to be no restriction on when the street is available for traffic. Already the paving is being broken up. Chewing gum is starting to put in an appearance and needs to be tackled NOW before the street is permanently disfigured. Given the Council's usual lethargic reaction to most things I wouldn't hold my breath while waiting for the gum problem to be tackled. Click on the pics to enlarge.

Enniscorthy's disappearing seats!

I highlighted the state of the public seating outside the Town Council's offices as far back as May 2009 http://countywexford.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html and reported it face to face to the Town Development Officer in July this year - so imagine my surprise today when I went to take a photo for the this blog and was greeted by the above. Hopefully, like General MacArthur, it will return, and then the Council can deal with the other seats throughout the town which would benefit from an annual maintenance programme.

Sue Ryder Charity Shop opening in Enniscorthy

Yet another charity shop is about to open its doors in Enniscorthy, with the arrival of Sue Ryder http://www.sueryderfoundation.ie/ in Abbey Square. No opening date yet but perhaps as early as this weekend from the looks of things.