End-of-Summer Party at Redmond Park

Summer is nearly over and that means only one thing ... it's Picnic in the Park time at Redmond Park. This year’s Picnic takes place on Sunday, August 21 (2-5pm).

The Children's Memorial Park, to give it its formal title, has been hosting an end-of-Summer party since 2011. The event is now a firm favourite with Wexford families.

This year's Picnic has a jam-packed programme with puppet show, children’s arts zone, obstacles races, football skills, live music, hoola-hooping, face-painting, hair-braiding and much more. 

All you need is a picnic basket full of goodies, a big rug or deck chairs, and a couple of free hours to chill out. Bring a book, a guitar, bongos, a frisbee ... whatever.

There will be ice cream, coffee, water and soft drinks available on-site. 

Civil Defence will be on hand to deal with any minor emergencies.

(The all-action image above was captured by Wexford photographer Des Kiely at a previous Picnic in the Park.)

Council puts land at Parklands on market and blocks access to Redmond Park

Wexford County Council recently made a decision to sell a field which borders Parklands estate on one side and Redmond Park on the other. Some Councillors expressed reservations about this decision at their last meeting. Expect the matter to be on the agenda again for September's meeting.

Wexford Community Garden - an idea whose time has arrived!

The Council has cleared off the field that runs along the bottom of Parklands (backing on to the rear of the houses on Hill Street). For years this field has quietly lain there growing wilder and more impenetrable. Look at it now!

We have spoken with the Council on a number of occasions over the years about the possibilities for this space. Most recently, as part of our proposed plan for improving Redmond Park, and following consultations with local residents, we said that this space should become a new Community Garden for Wexford. 

We will shortly call a public meeting in order to get the process of establishing the Community Garden project off the ground. In the meantime we encourage you to have a look at the space and let your imagination run riot. We need ideas! We also ask that you contact your local Councillor to ensure that he/she is on side.

Safer Access Route into Park

The Council has done some work at the Parklands corner of Redmond Park. There is now a proper gravelled path for people entering the park from Parklands.

Time for Action!

We had a very productive meeting last night at which we discussed improvements we want to bring to Redmond Park. Apart from local residents the meeting was attended by representatives of Wexford in Bloom, Wexford Tidy Towns, Future-Proof Wexford, the arts community, event organisers, local business and the Council.

Meeting to discuss overhaul of Redmond Park

Everyone knows that Redmond Park is a wonderful amenity for the town of Wexford. However, after eight decades of valuable service to the community it is looking a tad tired. Last year we got a commitment from the Council to invest in necessary, even essential, improvements to the park. Sometimes such commitments can take their time in arriving at the implementation stage! 

With this in mind we reckoned it would be opportune for us to call a public meeting to hear how the people of Wexford would like their park to look. This meeting takes place at Fusion Café, Monck Street on Wednesday, February 10 at 7pm. We have asked the Council to send a representative so that we can find out what are their present plans are for the park. We have also asked members of the Council to attend.

We hope this meeting will prove constructive and that it will serve to shunt forward the process of getting work started on the park. Please wear your 'positive' hat to this meeting as we want to make things happen!

I posted this message on our Facebook page on Christmas Day:

Splashy and soggy mid-Winter greetings from your favourite Wexford town park! But look, Spring cannot be far away ...

Picnic in the Park, 2015

This year's Picnic in the Park takes place on Sunday, September 6 (2-5pm). We don't even need to check the long range forecast to know what the weather will be like then - the kids are back at school and that can only mean one thing .... BLAZING SUNSHINE!

What to expect? The usual mix of novelty events, puppet show, obstacle races and other sporting fun, arts and crafts, a bit of circus fun (stilt walking, juggling, fire-breathing), live music and DJ ...

However, the one thing that makes this day really special is you! You and the kids. You and the kids and the picnic. You will meet friends, share a laugh and treat yourself to a 99.

And the sun will shine and shine.

Council Agrees to Upgrade Redmond Park

At it's most recent monthly meeting Wexford District Council voted in favour of allocating funds for the upgrading of Redmond Park. A motion on the matter was proposed by Councillor Fergie Kehoe. Here is what the Councillor had to say following the meeting:

"I'd like to thank my colleagues on Wexford District Council for unanimously supporting the two motions I tabled at the Borough District Council meeting today ..... The first motion was that we would proceed with the original public park at Carcur , to include a plantation of Irish Trees , Walkway & Cycle Track and also an Amenity Area ..... The second motion was that the Council would upgrade Redmond Park in Wexford Town , to include Toddler Swings , facilities for Teens and Elderly including those with disabilities and also if possible to Reinstate the Pond , this I believe would increase the usage of the Park , especially with the new safe access form the new car park on Hill Street ..... I feel also I should give a mention to Love Redmond Park , who do tremendous work that is really appreciated."

Well done Councillor Fergie! Now we have to meet the Council and agree on exactly what works are going to be done.

When you hear the tree mulcher you know Christmas is well and truly past

Great to see so many Christmas trees brought to the park for shredding. The shredding will produce nice mulch for the town's flowerbeds. The mulch helps to retain moisture in the soil and to suppress weeds.

Christmas Day at Redmond Park

Christmas Eve at Redmond Park

I click the lock shut on the park gates. It's 11.30pm Christmas Eve night and all is quiet. Just as it was a hundred years ago on the western front in the so-called Great War. In 1914 soldiers on both sides put aside their guns, left their trenches and came together to exchange Christmas greetings and gifts. Imagine such a beautiful thing happening in such a brutal war. Major Willie Redmond died in that war. On this day of birth and renewal let us remember him and all the Irish fallen of that terrible war.

A deputation from Ireland visits the grave of Major Redmond at Locre, 21 September 1917. 

http://time.com/3643889/christmas-truce-1914