Monck Street is a small and narrow street that runs between North Main Street and the Redmond Place area of Wexford Quay. It is best known for its nightlife and is home to popular bars such as Maggie May’s, The Crown Bar, The Loch & Quay, The Mocking Monck, and T. Morris.
History
Monck Street takes its name from the 1st Duke of Albemarle, General George Monck (1608-1670), an English soldier and politician who played an important role in restoring the English monarchy during the 17th century.
Before it became Monck Street in the late 18th century, residents knew the street as Ferryboat Lane. In his book The Streets of Wexford, local historian Nicky Rossiter explains that the street earned this name because it sat across from a ferry point. A small ferry boat operated between Wexford Quay and the pier at Ferrybank before Wexford Bridge existed.
In 1920, authorities attempted to rename the street McDonagh Street. However, residents rejected this change during a plebiscite vote in 1932. Many of the proposed street name changes during this period were rejected because residents worried that their mail could be affected.
Monck Street was paved, pedestrianised, and completely transformed into a plaza-style zone in recent years, culminating in a major €1.5 million upgrade that was officially completed in April 2024. The project added a retractable roof canopy extending over 80 metres in length, making Monck Street the first street in Ireland to have a roof covering its entire length.
In the recent past, the area has been home to a number of popular establishments:
- The building that houses T. Morris was once home to a pub called O’Faolain’s. During the mid-2000s, it operated as a pub called The Dakota.
- The Crown Bar was another popular night spot. In the past, it was a coaching inn called The Crown Inn. The pub was forced to close its doors in 2012. In 2014, new owners announced they would resurrect the name and that the building would undergo extensive changes. It relaunched with a new look in December 2015.
- The Bohemian Girl was a popular bar on the corner of Monck Street and North Main Street. Today, a hairdresser’s occupies the building.
Monck Street has its own self-contained entertainment zone called Crown Quarter, which comprises the Crown Bar, Crown Quarter Hotel, Kitty’s Bar, and Jasper’s Restaurant.
1901 Census
Further historical records from the 1901 Census show that Monck Street was home to families such as Reck, Kelly, Whitty, and Dempsey. Examples from the census include:
- 11 Monck Street: Five members of the Dempsey family lived at 11 Monck Street, along with a boarder named Mary Cullen. The head of the house was 60-year-old Ellen Dempsey, who managed a pub. She lived with her sisters Catherine (43) and Bridget (41), along with her nephews Thomas Dempsey (20) and John Dempsey (6).
- 15 Monck Street: Mary A O’Dowd, a 48-year-old hotel keeper, owned this house. Christina Furlong (21) lived in the residence as a domestic servant. Five boarders also lived in the house. Hugh McEntee (23) worked as a General Tea Agent. Patrick Whelan (23) worked as a Tea Agent. Mary Jane Hughes (32) was listed as a work mistress. Mary Jane Manning (43) and Alice Long (51) were national teachers.
Map
A Google Map showing the location of Monck Street: