Abbey Street runs from Temperance Row at the top of Trimmer’s Lane to the Cornmarket, bisecting George’s Street along the way. According to Nicky Rossiter in his book The Streets of Wexford, the street takes its name from the nearby Selskar Abbey, which the Normans built in the 12th century.
Philip H. Hore’s book History of the Town and County of Wexford records that parts of Abbey Street were also known as Market Street in the past. Early references to the Market Street name align with its proximity to the once-bustling marketplace at Cornmarket. Various maps dating back to the 17th century refer to Abbey Street as both Lower Back Street and Selskar Street.
Abbey Street runs parallel to some of the northern parts of Wexford’s Town Wall. Many of the properties in the area have the medieval stone structure at the end of their gardens. In the past, Abbey Street was also home to places such as The Central Constabulary Barracks and Joe Murphy’s forge.
The street is the location of Whites of Wexford (formerly known as Whites Hotel), a 4-star hotel that traces its origins to the 1700s. The Dalata Hotel Group rebranded the hotel as Clayton Whites Hotel in October 2015 after acquiring it. It operated under that name for nearly a decade before Dalata agreed to sell it to Neville Hotels for €21 million in November 2024. Neville Hotels rebranded it back to Whites of Wexford in 2025.
1901 Census
Beyond its commercial and institutional buildings, Abbey Street was also home to many families in the early 20th century. The 1901 Census records that families such as Hayes, Hornick, Whitty, Healy, and Hurley lived on the street. A few examples:
- 31 Abbey Street: 10 members of the Hurley family lived there. The father, John Hurley, was a 41-year-old policeman (a sergeant in the RIC). His wife, Ellen Hurley, was 38 years old. They had five daughters and three sons.
- 26 Abbey Street: Eight members of the O’Keeffe family lived there. The father, Richard O’Keeffe, was a 51-year-old gas fitter. His wife, Maria O’Keeffe, was 48 years old. The couple had three daughters and three sons. Their eldest daughter, Mary, was a 24-year-old milliner (somebody who makes or sells women’s hats). Their teenage daughter, Ellen O’Keeffe (17), was a dressmaker. Their son John (19) was a gas fitter like his father.
- 27 Abbey Street: Five members of the Rossiter family lived there. There were also three boarders living in the house: Daniel OMeara (60), Frank OMeara (21), and Leticia Whitfield (72), who was a member of the Church of Ireland. The head of the household, William Rossiter, was a 63-year-old shoemaker. His wife Catherine was 60 years old. They had three children, two daughters and a son, who were all aged between 15 and 29. The eldest daughter, Ellen (29), was a dressmaker (like her next-door neighbour Ellen O’Keeffe). Their son Nicholas Rossiter (20) was a watchmaker. Daniel OMeara (60) was a master shoemaker. Frank OMeara (21) was a shop assistant. The census listed Leticia Whitfield (72) as having “no occupation.”
Map
A map showing the location of Abbey Street in Wexford Town: