After Henry II murdered his former ally Thomas Becket, he did penance at Selskar Abbey, founded in 1190. Basilia, the sister of Richard Fitz Gilbert de Clare (better known as Strongbow), is thought to have married one of Henry II's lieutenants in the abbey. Its present ruinous state is a result of Cromwell's visit in 1649. Admission is only by guided tour, run by Wexford Walking Tours – gather at the Westgate, off Spawell Rd.


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1. Westgate

0.02 MILES

The only survivor of the six original town gates is the 14th-century Westgate. It was originally a toll gate, and the recesses used by the toll collectors…

2. Creative Hub

0.19 MILES

An abandoned 20th-century shopping mall was transformed in 2018 into this innovative arts centre. Its former shops are now home to more than 25 artists,…

3. Lone Pikeman Statue

0.19 MILES

Participants in the 1798 Rising used the Bull Ring as an open-air armaments factory; they're commemorated here by the Lone Pikeman statue.

4. Bull Ring

0.19 MILES

The Bull Ring is a small, open square in the city centre that gets its name from having been used as a venue for bull baiting in medieval times. These…

5. St Iberius' Church

0.23 MILES

St Iberius' Church was built in 1660. The Renaissance-style frontage is worth a look, but the real treat is the Georgian interior with its finely crafted…

6. Wexford Wildfowl Reserve

2.21 MILES

The North Slob (from the Irish slab, meaning 'mud' or 'mire') is a large area of reclaimed land to the north of Wexford harbour, drained by ditches and…

7. Irish National Heritage Park

2.21 MILES

Over 9000 years of Irish history are squeezed together at this open-air museum 5.5km west of the town centre. After a short audiovisual presentation, take…

8. Johnstown Castle Gardens

3.69 MILES

Parading peacocks guard the splendid 19th-century Johnstown Castle, the former home of the once-mighty Fitzgerald and Esmonde families (the estate was…