George’s Street runs through Wexford Town from Selskar Street to the intersection of John’s Street and John’s Road.
The street is believed to have been named after St George, rather than King George, and first appears in documents from the 1600s. An OSI map from the 1800s shows that Upper George’s Street was once home to two schools: Dr Sinnot’s Christian Brothers Primary School and St Mary’s School. The Loreto Convent was founded on Lower George’s Street in 1866.
The street is known for its historic houses, many of which were home to members of the upper social classes. In the 1920s, it was officially renamed Oliver Plunkett Street, after the Irish saint of the same name. However, locals rejected this change during a plebiscite in 1932. The council made another attempt to change the name in the 1980s, but residents again turned it down.
In the years before 2016, some residents called for Upper George’s Street to be renamed Robert Brennan Street, in honour of the Wexford-born journalist who took part in the 1916 Rising. Brennan reportedly grew up in a house on the corner of Upper George’s Street and Abbey Street, though some locals have disputed this based on census records. He joined the Gaelic League and the Irish Volunteers before becoming a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. He later served as the Irish Free State’s first minister to the United States. In 2016, residents rejected the renaming in a plebiscite by 42 votes to 9.
