Hill Street is a small, busy road that is located in the heart of Wexford Town. It is a part of the R769 regional road that leads into the town centre.
On Hill Street, you will find:
- Terraces of old houses.
- The Republican Garden of Remembrance.
- The entrance to the old county hall, which was once the home of Wexford Gaol.
- The entrance to Westgate Park (and, by extension, the entrance to the Wexford Vocational College).
In the past, this area was referred to as Cabbage Row because the residents often used their fertile gardens to plant vegetables such as cabbages.
During the 1920s, the local authority attempted to rename the street after Sean McDermott, an Irish political activist who was executed for his part in the 1916 Rising. However, the residents later rejected this change during a plebiscite vote in 1932.
Pictured above: The top of Hill Street, near Wygram Place. Behind me, lies a pub called William Gaynor and Sons, as well as Crossroads Foodstore, which was closed in August of 2013. Crossroads was owned by a local Wexford businessman named Erdie Murphy, who sadly passed away in October of 2014 following a lengthy battle with cancer. Erdie was forced to close the newsagents after a new traffic light system was installed in the area. According to Erdie, the new system made it extremely difficult for motorists to “stop by” and “pick up a newspaper.” The popular store had been operating for 44 years.
Pictured above, on the left: The entrance to the old county hall. In the past, it was the grounds of Wexford Gaol.
The picture above was taken at the entrance to Westgate Park, which used to be Croke Avenue.
Croke Avenue was demolished during the 1990s and rebuilt in a nearby cul-de-sac on John Street.
Down by the roundabout, you’ll see the red terraced houses at Glena Terrace, which is located on Spawell Road.
This is the site of the old Wexford Infirmary, which was once located on Hill Street. The infirmary became the site of a massacre during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 when British forces set it on fire. 57 wounded United Irishmen lost their lives in the blaze. Sadly, the wall and the plaque in the photograph above have since been removed to facilitate the construction of a car park and the offices of the County Wexford Chamber.
1901 Census.
The 1901 Census shows that families such as Hayes, Doyle, Kelly, Aylward, and Whitney lived on Hill Street. A few examples of the residents:
- 1 Hill Street: Five members of the Hayes family lived in 1 Hill Street. The father, Thomas Hayes, was a 55-year-old infirmary porter. His wife, Eliza, was 50 years of age. The couple had three daughters, aged between 15 and 23. Statia (23), Eliza (17), and Mary (15) all worked as dressmakers.
- 6 Hill Street: Four members of the Doyle family lived in 6 Hill Street. The head of the family, John Doyle, was a 34-year-old labourer who worked in the ironworks (presumably, the Selskar Ironworks in Redmond Square). His wife Mary was 32 years old at the time of the census. The couple had two young children—a two-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter.
- 19 Hill Street: Four members of the Nolan family lived at 19 Hill Street. Patrick Nolan was a 28-year-old railway carriage fitter who was born in County Dublin. His wife Anne was 32 years of age, and she was born in County Wicklow. The couple had two young children—Margaret (3) and John (1).
