Wexford
a maritime county is in the province of Leinster. It is bounded on the
North by county Wicklow on the east by St. George's channel on the south
by the Atlantic ocean and on the west by counties Waterford, Kilkanny
and Carlow. It's length from Hook Head to the boundary south-west of
Arklow in county Wicklow is 55 miles and it's breadth from Greenore
Point to New Ross is 29 miles.
NAME
AND FORMER DIVISIONS
The
name is derived from that of the Borough of Wexford.
Croghan
Kinsella is called after the ancient family of Kinsella, whose original
name was Hy Kinsella and they were descended from Enna Kinsella, King
of Leinster in the fourth century. The people called Hy Felimy occupied
territory in county Carlow and Wexford and the branch in county Wexford
took the name O'Murcada which was then anglicised to Murphy. They occupied
territory corresponding to the Barony of Ballaghkeen. Another old territory,
that of Fotharta also extended from Carlow into county Wexford and this
gave its name to the Barony of Forth.
PHYSICAL
FEATURES
There were several variations of minerals to be found in the county,
copper at Kerloge near Wexford itself; lead at Caim near Enniscorthy
and silver at the head of Bannow Bay.
The
Wicklow Mountains extend into the northern part of county Wexford;
the height in feet is given after each peak's name here; Mount Leinster
(2,610) and the Blackstairs (2,409) are on the boundary with
county Carlow, Blackrock is near county Carlow but within county
Wexford. Croghan Kinsella (1,987) mentioned previously is on
the Wicklow border and close to this are Annagh (1,498)
and Slieveboy (1,385). on the coast near Gorey is Tara
(826) and Forth Mountain, near Wexford separates the south-eastern
plain constituting the Baronies of Forth and Bargy from the other parts
of county Wexford.
The
chief headlands are Kilmichael, at the point where counties Wicklow
and Wexford meet, Raven and Rosslare points mark the entrance
to Wexford Harbour. Greenore marks the south end of Wexford Bay.
Carnsore Point is in the extreme south-eastern point; Crossfarnoge,
Clammers Point and Baginbun Head are on the west. Clammers
Point and Baginbun Head mark the entrance to Bannow Bay.
Hook Head is at the eastern entrance to Waterford Harbour
The
Saltee Islands are off the west coast; the Keeragh islands
are in Ballyteige Bay; the Bannow islands in Bannow Bay. Tuskar
Rock lies south-west of Greenore Point about five miles from the
coast.
The
principal rivers are the Barrow which forms the western boundary
with Kilkenny from its confluence with the Pollmounty river,
until after receiving the waters of the Nore and the Suir
and other tributaries it enters Waterford harbour. The Slaney
river forms the boundary with Carlow until it enters county Wexford
at Newtownbarry, and crosses the county to enter the sea at Wexford.
The Cody, the Glasha, the Urrin, the Borro,
the Aughnaglaur, the Derry, teh Bann, the Lask
and Milltown stream are tributaries of the Slaney. The
Sow river flows into Wexford harbour.
FAMILIES AND HOUSES,
1926
There were 20,607 families in the county according to the 1926 Census
for Ireland, the average number in each family being 4.4. The number
of 'inhabited houses' was 20,452, with an average of 4.7 persons to
each house. The Special Inmates of Public institutions are omitted from
these figures.
There
were in the county 11,802 'Occupiers' or 'Heads of Families' who were
in occupation of less than five rooms, this was 57.3% of the total for
the whole county. Of these 444, or 2.1% occupied one room; 1,872 or
9.1% occupied two rooms; 2,821 or 13.7%, occupied three rooms; and 6,665
or 32.3% were in occupation of four rooms.
There
were 165 tenements in the county, in which the room had only one occupant
at that time; 213cases where the room had two, three or four occupants;
53 cases in which there were five, six or seven occupants and 13 cases
where the occupants of one room exceeded 7 in number, including 8 cases
where 8 persons, 4 cases where 9 persons and 1 case where 10 persons
occupied the same room.
ANALYSIS
OF THE CENSUS FOR COUNTY WEXFORD, 1821-1926
| Year |
Males |
Females |
Total
Pop. |
| 1821 |
82,322 |
88,484 |
170,806 |
| 1831 |
87,995 |
94,718 |
182,713 |
| 1841 |
97,918 |
104,115 |
202,033 |
| 1851 |
86,938 |
93,220 |
180,158 |
| 1861 |
69,104 |
74,850 |
143,954 |
| 1871 |
64,199 |
68,467 |
132,666 |
| 1881 |
60,928 |
62,926 |
123,854 |
| 1891 |
54,935 |
56,843 |
111,778 |
| 1901 |
51,756 |
52,348 |
104,104 |
| 1911 |
51,568 |
50,705 |
102,273 |
| 1926 |
48,561 |
47,251 |
95,848 |
EDUCATION
In 1911, there were in the county 84,677 people aged 9 years and upwards;
of these 72,271 or 85.3% could read and write; 3,123 or 3.7% could read
only; and 9,283 or 11% were illiterate. As that census was the first
for which the age for consideration had been raised from 5 years to
9 years, no comparison can be made with figures from earlier censuses.
But - the percentage of those of five years and upwards who were unable
to read and write in 1891 was 19.6%. By 1901 this figure was listed
as 15.5% and in 1911 had fallen to 13.9%.
IRISH
SPEAKING (1861-1911)
| No.
of people |
1861 |
1871 |
1881 |
1891 |
1901 |
1911 |
| Irish
only |
1
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
| Irish
& English |
240
|
209
|
512
|
320
|
1,300
|
2,901
|
| Irish
Total |
241
|
210
|
512
|
320
|
1,300
|
2,901
|
| %
of population |
0.2
|
0.2
|
0.4
|
0.3
|
1.2
|
2.8
|
RELIGIONS,
1871-1926(% of population)
| Religion |
1871 |
1881 |
1891 |
1901 |
1911 |
1926 |
| Presbyterian |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.26 |
0.25 |
0.15 |
| Church
of Ireland |
8.5 |
8.2 |
7.9 |
7.55 |
6.89 |
5.34 |
| Roman
Catholic |
90.7 |
91.1 |
91.4 |
91.67 |
92.31 |
94.04 |
| Methodist |
0.3
|
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.33 |
0.33 |
0.23 |
| Others |
0.2 |
0.2
|
0.2 |
0.19 |
0.22 |
0.24 |
EMIGRATION
(1861-1911)
| 1861 |
1871 |
1881 |
1891 |
1901 |
1911 |
| 27,053 |
16,088 |
13,106 |
11,966 |
3,960 |
2,900 |
