The South West Wexford Region
Interesting facts and links for you to explore in Wexford

Discover Great Island & The Hook Penninsula  – Wexford 

Please find some options for activities in our area;

Kite Surfing. Horse Riding. Freedom Surfing at Carnivan Beach.

Bike Tours on the Hook peninsula. Hook Sub Aqua Club. Loftus Hall Haunted House Tours. Golf Afternoon.

Dingy and Board Sailing. Sea and River Kayaking. Snorkelling. Sand Yachting. Rock Climbing.

Hill Walking and Orienteering. Simply relaxing at Kilmokea in our indoor heated pool, Jacuzzi and Sauna!

Looking to be guided around Ireland with a tour guide? Take a look at “My Ireland Tour run Luxury Tours of Ireland”

Enjoy! Is mise, le meas. Emma Hewlett

South West Wexford is “the secret Ireland” – unspoilt, awaiting discovery. It is distinctly different and possesses a landscape, history, culture and character undeniably its own. Its uniqueness is due in no small part to some early visitors from across the seas – the Celts, Vikings and Normans who came, conquered and stayed.

Indeed the coastline, which offers a beach a day for a fortnight, is one of the special attractions of this area. Pretty fishing villages, bird watching on the mudflats of Barrow river, deep sea angling, snorkeling and swimming are part of the area’s maritime life. Rivers, valleys, estuaries and rolling hills have long provided South West Wexford with rich grazing land. There are 11 golf courses within an hours drive of Kilmokea, the closest of which is 10 minutes away, a beautiful par3 course carefully tended by the Deely family. www.ballinteskinpar3golf.com

And best of all are the people – warm, friendly, funny, interesting, philosophical, they always have time for a chat or to tell stories about days gone by. The people, the history, the coast, the country – all the ingredients for a great holiday. hooktourism.com

Two cultural and scenic touring itineraries starting from Kilmokea Country Manor and Gardens.

1. Take the R733 road for New Ross. Stop off at John F. Kennedy Arboretum. This stunning gem will keep you entertained for as long as you like with woodland and parkland walks amongst rare and exciting trees from around the world. For the adventurious, walk up Slieve Coilte hill, or drive up and when you reach the top you will be greeted with a view that is one in a million. You can see the Black stairs and Commeragh Mountains and the Saltee Islands and The Hook Light house all from one spot! Continue on the R733 to New Ross to visit the The Dunbrody Ship a full scale reproduction of a 19th Century famine ship, is an authentic replica of the Three Masted Barque built in 2000. They take you on a brilliant tour of the ship with a reconstruction of life on the ship. Take the R road to Innisteague to visit Woodstock Demense and gardens, a restoration project well worth a visit. Take in the beautiful village of innisteague as you relax at one of the gorgeous cafes or bistros for brunch or tupper before driving back to Kilmokea for a well earned swim and evening stroll in the gardens before dinner.
2.  Tour of the Hook Peninsula – it is a beautiful area where the term ‘By Hook or by Crooke’ originates. Your tour should include a visit to the Hook Lighthouse (there is a guided tour available of the lighthouse which is the oldest in Europe – it tells you all about the history and local shipwrecks, etc as well as the nearby haunted house called ‘Loftus Hall); Duncannon Fort (star chamber garrison that is open to the public at the end of a 3 mile long sandy beach); Tintern Abbey (sister to the one in Wales – built by the Duke of Pembrokeshire as a result of surviving a major storm whilst at sea); Dunbrody Abbey & Maze (serious maze where you will get lost!); Kennedy Homestead (owned by Patrick Grennnan a direct descendant of JF Kennedy); JFK Arboretum (460 acres of trees and ponds to commemorate JFK’s life – horse drawn carriages, etc) and Slieve Coilte (an amazing viewing point from which you can see swathes of land once inhabited by Vikings and Normans.
   For all to do and see in our beautiful area;  http://www.hooktourism.com/

Gardens to visit

http://www.wexfordgardentrail.com

Fishing at

http://www.oaklandslake.com/enquires.htm

oaklandslake@hotmail.com . This is a 15 min drive from kilmokea

www.anirishanglersworld.com has information about coarse fishing on the river barrow at st mullins. this is a 30 min drive from kilmokea
The following sites have some further information for you;

www.touringireland.net/fishing_in_ireland.htm

www.northwexford.com/activity.htm

www.toureagle.com/Activities/ie/wexford/fly-fishing

www.sea-angling-ireland.org/shore%20-%20wexford