Blackwater, County Wexford

History

Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of ringfort, holy well, motte and ecclesiastical enclosure sites in the townlands of Ballynaglogh, Inch, Glebe and Castletalbot. A church and graveyard site, in Glebe townland, contained a church that was standing as of the early 17th century but was in ruin by at least the mid-19th century.

Castletalbot, a country house built and historically associated with the Talbot family, is to the north of the village. St Brigid's Catholic Church, within the village, was built in 1831.

Transport

Michael Gray operates a route linking the village with Wexford Mondays to Fridays inclusive Bus Éireann route 379 serves the village on Mondays and Saturdays only linking it to Wexford, Gorey and intermediate locations such as Courtown Harbour.

Demographics

In the 10 years between the 2006 and 2016 census, the population of the village increased from 173 to 339 people. By 2022, it had a population of 485.

Community

Blackwater has competed in "category B" (places with populations of between 201 and 1000 people) in the national Tidy Towns competition.

Blackwater is close to Ballyconnigar beach, and the stretch of beach from Ballyconnigar to Ballynaclash is used for bathing, walking and fishing. Species of fish recorded in the area include bullhuss, smoothhound, tope, bass, ray, codling, eels, and flounder. Other nearby beaches include Curracloe strand and Ballinesker beach, where the opening scene of the film "Saving Private Ryan" was filmed.

Sports

The local GAA team is St. Brigid's Blackwater, established in 1885. The hurling team play in the Wexford Intermediate Hurling Championship. The Gaelic football team won the 2009 Wexford Junior Championship.

Blackwater has a par 3 golf course which is located outside of the village between Blackwater and Kilmuckridge. The golf course itself was opened in July 1993 although Blackwater Golf Society had its first outing in 1991. Blackwater Golf Course also has a FootGolf course.

In popular culture

Blackwater served as a setting of Mary Kay Tuberty's 2015 novel Keeper of Coin.

Notable people

• Michael Cash, stonemason
• Colm Tóibín, writer, holidayed here as a child and has a holiday home nearby.

References

References

1. "Census Interactive Map - Towns: Blackwater - Population Snapshot". Central Statistics Office.
2. "Sapmap Area - Settlements - Castle Ellis". Central Statistics Office.
3. "Blackwater (Castle Ellis) Census Town".
4. "An Abhainn Dubh / Blackwater". Irish Placenames Commission.
5. (1996). "Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford". Government Stationery Office.
6. (1837). "[[A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland]]". Lewis.
7. "NMS mapping data - WX027-045001-".
8. "History of the Town and County of Wexford, Volume 6". Elliot Stock.
9. "Castle Talbot, Castletalbot, Blackwater, Wexford". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
10. "Saint Brigid's Catholic Church, Ballynaglogh (Bal. By.), Blackwater, Wexford". National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
11. http://www.journeyplanner.transportforireland.ie/nta/TTB/EFA03__00005866_TP.pdf{{dead link. (November 2016)
12. "Timetable - Route 379".
13. (24 September 2018). "Rosslare, Ballycanew, Blackwater tops in tidy awards".
14. (30 September 2019). "Tidy Towns: The full list of winners for 2019". Irish Times.
15. (2015-08-31). "Keeper of Coin (The Carty Sisters Series)".
16. Max, D. T.. (20 September 2021). "How Colm Tóibín Burrowed Inside Thomas Mann's Head".