Fethard, Bag-an-Bun and Tower of Hook - Wexford Guide and Directory, 1885

About “Wexford County Guide and Directory,” 1885

George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.

Read more »

The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.

  1. This online version of Bassett’s Wexford County Guide and Directory is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
  2. The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
  3. Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.

With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.

Show less

FETHARD is a favorite sea-side summer resort. It has a strand three miles in length, and many other attractions for visitors. The distance to New Ross is fourteen miles, and Ballywilliam railway station is about fifteen miles. In 1881 the population, largely composed of fishermen, was 263. Much of the lands between Duncannon and Fethard are very poor, and require no end of industry to raise crops from theM. Fethard occupies a prominent position on the coast, and has within a short distance, many places of interest. It was a Parliamentary borough at the time of the Union. Its ancient castle, in excellent preservation, forms part of the residence of the Rev. John Lymbery, Assistant-Minister of the Church of Ireland. It is covered with ivy at the top, and has a most inviting appearance. Near it is the Protestant Parish Church, whose burial place has a monument about eight feet high, on which are recorded the names of several young girls, drowned in the last century. While on a Sunday excursion to the Keeraghs, a couple of small islands in Ballyteige Bay, the boat was upset; the young men of the party saved themselves by swimming.

Bag-an-Bun promontory is one of the sights of Fethard. It was here that Robert Fitzstephen and his followers landed from the two ships, The Bag and the The Bun, with the determination to conquer or perish; the ships were burned—hence the name. A martello tower marks the landing place, and furnishes a charming look-out point for the tenant, Mr. Edward Lymbery, brother of the clergyman of the same name.

The Hook is a long neck of land, to the west of which is the Harbour of Waterford. It is part of the estate of the Marquis of Ely, and contains Loftus Hall, a stately mansion, possessing many objects worth the inspection of the tourist. At the head of the peninsula is the famous Tower of Hook, the erection of which has been attributed to Rose, sister of Strongbow. It has been long in use as a lighthouse, although, judging from the immense thickness of the walls, that was not the purpose for which it was originally intended.

Rev. Richard Kelly, P. P., Poulfur

Rev. David Walsh, C.C., Templetown

Rev. R. M‘Kee, rector, I.C.

Rev. John Lymbery, assistant

Wesleyan Church, Circuit minister

Godfrey L. Taylor, estate agent

Anne Clarke, Postmistress

John, G. Hunt, Dispensary Doctor

T. Cruise, Civil Bill Officer

M. Clancy, chief boatman Coastguard

Ben Allshire, sergeant R.I.C.

F. O’Loghlen, National School teacher, Fethard

P. Carroll and Bridget Grace, teachers, Templetown

P. and Maria Quinlivan, teachers, Loftus hall

L. Doyle and Mary Furlong, teachers, Poulfur

BUSINESS BRANCHES.

Drapers—Catherine Bassett, Wm. Deacon, Edward Elmes

Grocers—C. Bassett, Rd. Clarke, J. Deacon, P. Foley, P. Quigley

Hotel and Spirit Dealers—P. Foley, J. Deacon, R. Clarke

Millers—John Colfer, G. Clooney

Post-car owner—P. Foley

FARMERS, LANDOWNERS, &c.

Ahearn, Thomas, Ballinrooaun

Barden, Andrew, Templetown

Barron, Stephen, St. Kearns

Biggs, Dr. H. T., Fethard

Bryan, James, Booley

Bryan, Martin, Grange

Cahill, Moses, St. Kearns

Callaghan, P., Galbystown

Chapman, John, Lambstown

Clegg, John, Ballinirey

Colfer, Mathew, Ralph

Connolly, P., Templetown

Cooney, Marks, Kileleggan

Corcoran, W. J., Slade

Cullen, Nich., Ballinrouan

Cullen, Richard, Grange

Culleton, Wm., Templetown

Deacon, James, Grange

Doyle, Patrick, Lambstown

Fenton, Alex., Graigue great

Foley, Laurence, Grange

Foley, Patrick, Lambstown

Foley, Peter, Grange

Foley, Thomas, Grange

Fortune, Thomas, Churchtown

Furlong, Michael, Kileloggan

Gleeson, David, Ballygow

Gleeson, James, St. Kearns

Gleeson, Wm., St. Kearns

Grant, Alex , Houseland

Hays, John, Lewistown

Hurdiss, Samuel, Grange

Lewis, Joseph, Grange

Lewis, Thomas, Grange

Lewis, William, Fethard

Loughlin, Edward, Lewistown

Loughlin, Thomas, Lambstown

Lymbery, Edward, Grange

Moore, Thomas, Ralph

Murphy, Andrew, Fethard

Power, Nicholas, Portersgate

Power, William, Churchtown

Roe, Peter, Connagh

Rossiter, James, Ralph

Shea, Patrick, Broomhill

Walsh, William, Lewistown

Whelan, James, Ballinruan

Whelan, Nicholas, Ballinruan

Search for a copy of Bassett’s Wexford Guide and Directory, 1885