On Saint Patrick s Day, March 17, 1835, a boating tragedy in the waters between Wexford Quays and the Fort of Rosslare led to the loss of twelve lives. Seven of the twelve were children.
We are no strangers to tragedy in the waters off our Wexford coast. In 1835, the ill-fated Pomona, the Mexico and the World Concord had yet to sail into our history books. For centuries our coastguard and lifeboat volunteers have been honoured for their bravery in saving lives at sea, and their stories have been handed down with pride. Sadly, this story has been largely forgotten and lost in time.
Three years after first submitting plans for a hotel on a prominent disused site opposite Wexford Bridge, brothers Colm and Anthony Neville of CoAnt Developments have been given the green light to construct the landmark building.
Wexford County Council has granted planning permission with conditions for the hotel with penthouse apartments and an underground car park at Commercial Quay after recently asking the developers to scale back the project and submit a revised design.
After reviewing the altered plans, senior planners have approved the revised design of the hotel which will be part five, seven and eight storey, fronting onto Commercial Quay with retail units and restaurants at Charlotte Street, 10 residential units with balconies on the upper levels, 133 bedrooms on the second, third and fourth floors and 105 car parking spaces at basement and ground floor level.