Festival guided tours

Explore Ireland’s Ancient East with Festival Historical Tours

County Wexford is rich in history, from Viking settlements and Norman mercenaries to rebellions – all part of Ireland’s Ancient East, pulsating with legendary tales!

As part of your Festival experience, why not explore Ireland’s Ancient East and join one of the very popular Festival Historical tours, curated by local historian and ‘Friend’ of Wexford Festival Opera, Bernard Browne on behalf of Wexford Historical Society.

The Festival Tours, which have been running since the first Festival in 1951, are led by expert guides who take you to interesting and intriguing places throughout Wexford town and County, some known, some lesser-known, but all of great interest.

When and where

The tours leave the Talbot Hotel car park, unless otherwise stated, at 10:30 am sharp and are scheduled to return to Wexford at 1:00pm, in time to enjoy the afternoon Festival events. No car? – don’t worry. People who have cars make room for those without. Another chance to make new friends! The tours are open to everyone and are free of charge.

Festival Tour Schedule 2026

Friday, October 16

Outlart Hill
A welcome visit to the historically significant Oulart Village and hill, most famously associated with the 1798 Rebellion. Learn about St. Mochua's 1798 restored Chapel, built in 1753, visit Tulach a' tSolais, built to commemorate the bicentenary of this Rebellion, Mise Éire memorial and Bygone Days Storyhouse led by Author and Historian Brian Ó Cléirigh.

Saturday, October 17

Fethard-on-Sea
A mile of history in Fethard-on-Sea. A guided walking tour through Killarney to Grangeville as well as through the graveyard of St. Mogues and surroundings. If energy levels hold up, a trip to the inscribed stone of Baginbun and the Norman fortifications will complete this historic mile. An intriguing and unique tour with Fethard-on-Sea Author and Historian Liam Ryan.

Monday, October 19

Ardcavan
This tour will take us along part of William Dargan’s Sea Wall that he and John Edward Redmond Sr. built in 1847 to take in 2,000 acres of land from the sea. The intake is called the North Slob and is now the winter home of many thousands of waterfowl, including nearly half the population of Greenland White-fronted Geese which adopted these big fertile fields of farmland as a winter home when World War Two fuel shortages led to huge-scale industrial turf-cutting and destruction in their natural bogland habitats in the midlands and west.

The geese and other birds usually arrive around Festival time. Fresh air, spectacular 19th century engineering and the sights and sounds of wild geese and other waterfowl all await with Dominic Berridge, former National Parks and Wildlife Service staff member in the Wexford Harbour and Raven Wood area.

Tuesday, October 20

Lady’s Island
A guided 1.6km (1 mile) walk along the grassed path around the perimeter of Lady’s Island, a site of long-standing and significant importance since the pre-Celtic period. Discover the area’s rich heritage and history with local naturalist Jim Hurley.

Wednesday, October 21

Ferns
As the European Year of the Normans approaches, explore the thriving town’s unique place in Irish history, the political base of Diarmait Mac Murchada, King of Leinster, and the castle built by William Marshall the elder, with Historian and expert guide Catherine MacPartlin.

Thursday, October 22

Tomhaggard
A tour of three ruined medieval churches, led by an architectural historian, Dr Richard Gem. Amongst the sites to be visited are:

• Tomhaggard, St Moshagra – one of the county’s earliest buildings (10th or 11th century), also St Anne’s holy well and 18th-century Mass chapel.
• Kilmore, St Patrick – where the old church is lost in ivy, but many interesting monuments remain.
• Killag, St Decuman – which demonstrates, by way of contrast, what can be achieved with the recent careful conservation of the ruined church.

Friday, October 23

Wexford Town
Learn about the architecturally significant and iconic William Tate School, built on an elevated site in the mid-1860s designed by Sandham Symes with esteemed historian John McCormick.

Saturday, October 24

Castlebridge
A festival first! The birthplace of the Guinness World Records tour to Castlebridge promises to be something very special this year. The Castlebridge story has become a global site for inspiration. The tour will be led by our guide, John Ryan, in a chauffeur driven 1951 MG, crossing the Wexford Quays to the Castlebridge Community Hall. View the Guinness World Records Book collection and other memorabilia, as well as the ambitious future plans for Castlebridge House.

Ample parking available. The tour will also visit the Mill, the Guinness donated Reading Rooms, the community gardens and the remnants of Castlebridge House. This promises to be a tour full of other surprises and should not be missed! Weather and crowd/numbers permitting, there will be an optional 1-hour Castlebridge town tour.

Monday, October 26

Artramon
Visit the well-preserved four-story 13th century tower house with its protected doorway overlooking the River Slaney. The tour will also visit Artramon House, built in the 1780s with its stunning views of the river Slaney, as well as St Bridget's Well and Artramon Graveyard. With local expert guide, author and historian John Foley.

Tuesday, October 27

Crossabeg
This tour north will take place just north of Wexford town, visiting the formidable Deeps Castle on the River Slaney with its 14th century tower house, held by the Quaker Randall family following the turbulent Cromwellian Wars. Learn about Francis Randall, a Quaker who famously aided James II during his flight into exile, and the newly discovered Randall burial ground with Author and Religious Society of Friends and Quakerdom historian Paddy Kinsella.

Wednesday, October 28

Wexford Town
When Wexford Festival Opera launched its first season 75 years ago, it embraced other activities such as historical tours as well as the visual arts, by including an exhibition of paintings from the National Gallery – thus the name, ‘Wexford Festival Opera’ rather than ‘Wexford Opera Festival’. Ever since, the streets of the town have been illuminated during the day by the biggest hosting of art exhibitions anywhere in Ireland.

This tour will visit major exhibitions and displays at venues including Wexford Arts Centre, Wexford County Library, Greenacres Gallery and the Arts Council of Ireland funded Wex-Art group show, comprising work by eight of the region’s emerging artists, at the Westgate Heritage Centre. The tour will be conducted by Tom Mooney, programmer of Wex-Art Festival.

Thursday, October 29

Wexford Town
St Brigid's: The Story of a medieval parish in Wexford town from its beginning to the present day. This tour will bring us through St Duologues and a bit of St Mary's. Learn about the Viking house in Bride Street, town gate and walls, the Normans’ attack on Wexford, the story of the Adoration Convent, Kerlogue Altar Stone originally part of a Knights Templar foundation, Quaker burial grounds, the unique Harry Clarke and other interesting windows, the salt tolerant holm oaks trees, native to the Mediterranean region and other local surprises. All related by the expert author and historian Monica Crofton.

Friday, October 30

Clonmines
A rare opportunity to visit one of the finest examples of a deserted medieval borough located on the estuary of the Owenduff River, near the village of Wellingtonbridge. This once thriving medieval town, famous for the seven castles of Clonmines, is an iconic site and not normally open to the public. Discover the intriguing history of the numerous historically significant sites with local historians Domini Codd and Jarlath Glynn.

8pm Friday, 30 October
Festival Lecture

Wexford Historical Society
Dr George Hadden Memorial Lecture
Presentation Secondary School
James Ryan and the Development of Independent Ireland, 1892-1970 - Michael Loughman.

Saturday, October 31

Wexford Town
The story of Wexford town during the summer weeks of May 1798, when United Irishmen occupied the town. These so-called rebels were politically and militarily far more sophisticated than these accounts would have us believe. They set up a democratic dimension in parts of the county under rebel control. Explore the people and places around Wexford town with tour guide Maura Bell, Manager of the National 1798 Visitor Centre and Enniscorthy Castle.