Temperance Row is a small street in Wexford Town, running between Westgate and the junction of Trimmer’s Lane and Abbey Street. The street is best known for the view it provides of Selskar Abbey, as it runs alongside the eastern walls of the abbey grounds. Temperance Row also connects to Selskar Street via Well Lane.
The street takes its name from Temperance Hall, which once stood across from Well Lane beside the abbey walls. The Temperance Hall in Wexford was one of many such buildings constructed during the 19th century as part of the Temperance movement. The movement aimed to provide recreational alternatives to pubs, allowing people to read and participate in other cultural activities in an alcohol-free environment. The hall was built after Father Theobald Mathew visited the town in April 1840. Mathew was one of the main driving forces behind the Temperance movement in Ireland and founded the Cork Total Abstinence Society in 1838. A red dot marks the hall’s location in the photograph.
In later years, Temperance Hall served as a lecture hall for the Mechanics’ Institute, which originally provided adult education.
Beyond its association with the Temperance Hall, the street itself has carried several names over the centuries, including Le Cowstrette (on a map from the 1500s), Cowgate Street, and Cow Street. It was also called Hey Bey, or Hai Bai, on an 1800s map. One explanation suggests that “Hey Bey” was derived from the sound of bleating sheep, which were often kept on Temperance Row overnight before being sold.
The area where Temperance Hall once stood is now a pedestrian walkway providing access to Westgate Tower and Tower Court.
Today, the street is home to businesses including St. Vincent de Paul (SVP), which operates a shop on the corner of Well Lane. It was also home to the Wexford branch of Culleton Insurances Ltd. In 2011, the company exited the personal home and motor insurance market, closing several offices.
Map
The street on Google Maps: