Duncormick#History

Duncormick is located on the River Muck and on the Bannow Drive, a tourist trail and signposted route through four Wexford villages including Cullenstown, Bannow and Wellingtonbridge.{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZCA2DgAAQBAJ&q=%22Bannow+Drive%22&pg=PT268 | title = Lonely Planet Ireland's Best Trips | date = 2017 |editor= F Davenport |editor2=I Albiston |editor3=C Le Nevez | publisher = Lonely Planet | isbn = 9781787010246}} Duncormick is close to a number of beaches, and a forty-minute drive from Rosslare Europort, to the east, which serves Britain and France. Waterford Airport lies to the west.

File:AA-Duncormack.jpg

File:Duncormick church front.jpg

The name Duncormick derives from the Irish Dún Cormaic, meaning "Cormac's fortress". For many centuries before the arrival of the Normans in 1169, this part of the country was inhabited by the Tuatha Ui Bairche (their name and territory is the basis for the modern barony of Bargy).{{fact|date=June 2023}} In the sixth century, the Ui Bairche had a powerful chief named Cormac Mac Diarmata who was for a time hailed as King of Leinster. It is possible that Cormac had a base in Duncormick. In that early Christian, pre-Viking period, Duncormick was a prominent coastal settlement.{{fact|date=June 2023}} There is a clay mound that rises behind the site of the old water mill and the modern Peace Garden, which may have been part of structures associated with this period.{{fact|date=June 2023}}

In the 12th century, the first Norman forces arrived on three single-masted Longships at Bannow Bay, County Wexford. Arriving in May 1169, they had sailed from Milford Haven in Wales, and on board were Normans, Welshmen and Flemings. Their leader was Robert FitzStephen, a Norman-Welsh warlord, and they made camp on Bannow Island, separated from the mainland by a narrow channel which has since silted up. A day later, two further ships arrived under the command of Maurice de Prendergast, bringing their numbers to around 600. They were joined by 500 Irish warriors led by Dermot MacMurrough, King of Leinster. From Bannow the combined armies headed towards Wexford, a Viking seaport approximately 32 km away. There was a brief skirmish at Duncormick,{{cite web|url=http://www.doyle.com.au/history_pt1.htm |title=Doyle Clan History Part 1 |publisher=Doyle.com.au |access-date=2008-10-28}} before they continued on to assault Wexford's walls during the Siege of Wexford (1169).{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

By the mid-19th century, the 1850s, the village of Duncormick had a population of about 250. The nearby Bridgetown Canal was constructed between 1850 and 1853.{{cite web|url=http://slaney.iwai.ie/btown_hist.htm |title=Bridgetown Canal History |publisher=Slaney.iwai.ie |access-date=2008-10-28}} It is 8 km in length and less than 5 minutes walk from the village centre. The canal served the communities of Bridgetown and Duncormick. While initially part of an extensive drainage and reclamation scheme, it was subsequently used as a transport system. Traffic was still common on the canal in the early 20th century, and the canal remained in use up to the 1940s.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

File:DuncormickOldBridge.JPG

Into the 20th century, and on a sunny day in August 1940, a German war plane attacked the communities of Duncormick and Campile. It released four bombs over Duncormick railway station. However, the bombs missed the station, making four huge craters in a nearby turnip field. The nearby community of Campile was not so lucky,{{cite news|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0A10F8385A11728DDDAE0A94D0405B8088F1D3 |title=4 IRISH TOWNS HIT; Girls Buried in Debris as Three Nazi Planes Drop Te... - Free Preview - The New York Times |work=New York Times |date= 1940-08-27|access-date=2008-10-28 | first=Hugh | last=Smith}} and two people were killed. Not long afterward Duncormick railway station was one of a number of rural railway stations in Ireland to be closed.{{cite web |url=http://www.newrossecho.ie/news/story/?trs=cwqlididey |title=New Ross Echo: Eyewitness account of Duncormick bombings |publisher=New Ross Echo |access-date=2008-10-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071118181120/http://www.newrossecho.ie/news/story/?trs=cwqlididey |archive-date=2007-11-18 }}

Duncormick has a cross roads in the village centre serving the R736, a regional road.

Bus services include the Wexford Local Link route 388 with several buses to and from Wexford town every day (as at 2024).{{cite web |title=Route 388 Duncormick to Wexford |url=https://locallinkwexford.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/388-Wexford-to-Duncormick.pdf |website=TFI Local Link Wexford |access-date=10 January 2024}} Bus Éireann route 381 operates on Tuesdays providing a link to and from Wexford.{{cite web |url=http://buseireann.ie/pdf/1202387061-381.pdf |title=Bus Éireann Timetable PDF |access-date=2015-08-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025090017/http://buseireann.ie/pdf/1202387061-381.pdf |archive-date=2012-10-25 }}{{cite web |url=http://theruralbus.ie/ |title=The Rural Bus |access-date=2015-08-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809005057/http://theruralbus.ie/ |archive-date=2015-08-09 }}

Duncormick was once connected to Ireland's rail network by Duncormick railway station. In 1970 it was one of many rural stations, listed by Dáil Éireann, as having a revenue of less than £10,000 per annum.{{cite web|url = http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0256/D.0256.197111090009.html | publisher = Oireachtas Debate Archive | title = Dáil Éireann - Volume 256 - 09 November, 1971 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927030017/http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0256/D.0256.197111090009.html |archive-date=27 September 2012 }}

The station subsequently closed, along with many other rural stations across the country. However, both Bridgetown railway station and Wellingtonbridge railway station remained open until September 2010. The line continues to be maintained and from time to time is used for empty stock movements.

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The village of Duncormick has a church, car dealership and health spa. A former filling station and post office have since closed. Other business in the area include an agricultural machinery sales business, a ladies hairdresser, a horse riding facility and a doctor's surgery.{{fact|date=November 2020}} A number of B&B's are also located in and around the village.{{fact|date=November 2020}}

There is one pub in the village, 'Sinnotts', which is partially thatched.[http://wexfordfilmlocations.ie/?p=2464 Wexford Filming Locations website][http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=WX®no=15704629 National Inventory of Architectural Heritage] A second pub, 'The Legend', has since closed down.{{cite web |url=http://www.scavilleslodge.com/ |title=Scavilles Lodge, Accommodation, Lounge Areas Duncormick, Co. Wexford |publisher=Scavilles Lodge |access-date=2008-10-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003061306/http://www.scavilleslodge.com/ |archive-date=2008-10-03 }}{{citation needed|date=November 2018}}

Soccer, hurling and gaelic football are common sports in the area, including at Bridgetown Vocational College there are gym facilities.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

Nearby community centres, such as the Stella Maris Community Centre at Kilmore Quay, incorporates a full tournament-sized badminton court with facilities for volleyball, basketball, pool, and table tennis.

St. Annes achieved a double triumph in the year 2001, winning both the county hurling and football championship. They also won the county football championship in 2002. Bannow Ballymitty also achieved a double in 2003 winning both the intermediate football and junior hurling titles.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

File:Local-windmill-near-duncormick.JPG

Duncormick is visited by walkers, equestrians and cyclists, and there is fishing in both the nearby river and the ocean.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} The beaches at Ballyteigue Bay and Cullenstown are close by and Ballyteigue Burrow is a nature reserve which is visited by birdwatchers.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} It is a protected sand dune system and a habitat for wild flowers and butterflies which covers a 9 km coastal stretch.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} It was established as a national nature reserve in 1987.{{cite web|url = http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0451/D.0451.199503280051.html | title = Dáil Éireann - Volume 451 - 28 March, 1995 | publisher = Oireachtas Debate Archive | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120927030013/http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0451/D.0451.199503280051.html |archive-date=27 September 2012 }}

A plaque on the summer cottage of P.J. McCall,{{cite web |url=http://www.countywexford.com/wexford_enniscorthy.htm |title=County Wexford Towns - Enniscorthy, Wexford |publisher=Countywexford.com |access-date=2008-10-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204070105/http://www.countywexford.com/wexford_enniscorthy.htm |archive-date=2008-12-04 }} commemorates the author of several ballads including "Boullavogue", a song associated with the 1798 rebellion. Nearby on the same road is a deserted Norman settlement known locally as The Seven Castles. It is visible from outside Wellingtonbridge. This historic estuary and peninsula is now home to birds including brent geese, wigeon, teal and some other wintering wildfowl. Close to Cullenstown village is a bungalow decorated with seashells.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

File:House near duncormick in Cullenstown.JPG

A signposted coastal cross-country walk, from Duncormick to Kilmore Quay, starts at an old bridge on the Kilmore Quary road. The path trails along the river/canal for 30 minutes, before reaching a small beach and continues along the beach for a further 30 minutes to another large bridge. The trail reaches the protected sand dune system of Ballyteigue Burrow. Walking along the beach for a further 2 hrs leads towards Kilmore Quay and the Saltee Islands. The route ends at Kilmore Quay fishing village.

A shorter road, from Duncormick to Cullenstown, starts along rural roads, passing along the Irish Sea coast.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

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The Killag Show (also known as the Bannow and Rathangan Agricultural Show) is held close to Duncormick every July.{{cite web|url = http://bannowrathanganshow.com/ | publisher = Bannow & Rathangan Show | website = bannowrathanganshow.com | title = Bannow & Rathangan Agricultural Show | access-date = 20 November 2018 }} The nearby Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival is also held in the summer (usually mid July).{{cite web|url = http://kilmorequayseafoodfestival.com/ | publisher = Kilmore Quay Seafood Festival | website = kilmorequayseafoodfestival.com | title = Home | access-date = 20 November 2018 }}

Other nearby events include the JFK Dunbrody Festival at New Ross, Phil Murphy Weekend at Carrig on Bannow, Viking Boat Festival at the Irish National Heritage Park, and Tagoat Steam Rally.{{cite web|url = http://www.wexfordtourism.com/festivals_events.htm | publisher = Wexfordtourism.com | title = Festivals Events | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230101445/http://www.wexfordtourism.com/festivals_events.htm |archive-date=30 December 2007 }}

Since no educational establishments are located in Duncormick Village anymore, students travel to schools in other areas, sometimes via school bus.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} Schools used by the local community include primary (national) schools in places like Rathangan, and secondary schools like Bridgetown Vocational College in nearby Bridgetown.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

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