Redmond Park is situated on Spawell Road in Wexford Town.
It opened in May 1931 as a memorial for Major Willie Redmond, a Wexford-born politician and soldier.
Redmond grew up in Ballytrent, County Wexford. He was a strong advocate of Irish Home Rule and participated in the Irish National Land League agitation.
During the Battle of Messines in World War One, he was hit in the wrist and leg as he led his men from the trenches. He died later that day from shock.
An inscription on the statue reads:
I should like all my friends in Ireland to know that in joining the Irish Brigade and going to France, I sincerely believed, like all the Irish soldiers, that I was doing my best for the welfare of Ireland in every way.
The memorial bust was crafted in 1930 by Oliver Sheppard, a prominent Irish nationalist sculptor who also sculpted the 1905 pikeman statue at the Bullring.
Redmond Park contains picnic benches and a children’s playground. The remnants of an old pond that once held ducks and other wildlife sit at the rear of the park. The pond dried up in recent decades and is now overgrown with trees and bushes.
The park had a negative reputation during the 1990s and early 2000s, as local youths often used it as a place for outdoor drinking. Its image has since improved following a makeover, more stringent regulations, CCTV cameras, and the introduction of a new playground.
On dry days, the playground is a popular destination for local parents and their children.
The park undergoes a seasonal transformation each autumn, as the trees turn shades of brown and orange and fallen leaves create a carpet across the ground.
Love Redmond Park, a community group, organises community events such as “Neighbours’ Day” and “Picnic in the Park.” Throughout the year, the group repairs vandalism damage and cleans up litter.
Map
A map showing its location: