History of County Wexford - 19th Century

19th Century

In 1803, Edward Hay, of Ballinkeele, published one of the first accounts of the 1798 Rebellion, along with a detailed map of the county.

In 1807, a famous duel took place at Ardcandrisk between John Colclough and William Alcock. The main cause was an election that was about to be held – each being opposing candidates. Colclough was killed and a huge crowd subsequently attended his funeral at Tintern Abbey. This was mainly because the Colcloughs were generally popular and considered liberal landlords and also because Colclough was the people's candidate. The Colclough family had been granted the former Abbey (part of which they used as a dwelling) and its extensive lands in the mid-16th century.

In 1811, Valentine Gill published his map of the county. He published another edition in 1816. He was a brother of John Gill, killed on Vinegar Hill during the 1798 Rebellion.

Edward Hay, of Ballinkeele, died at Dublin, 1826.

Many areas of the county were very much involved in the Tithe War (1831–36). This can be seen from the many people, from many areas of the county, included in the lists of those who refused to pay Tithes, known as the Tithe Defaulter Schedules. County Wexford wasn't as badly affected as some other areas by the Famine in the 1840s, but it still had a major impact on the county.

Nicholas Furlong, illustrating the effects of the Famine, states "In 1841 the population of County Wexford was 202,033. In 1851 it was 180,158, a drop of 21,875. The population continued to decline for the rest of the century."

Griffiths' Valuation for County Wexford was published in 1853 – it now serves as an important Census substitute, as almost all the 19th century Census returns have since been destroyed.

Newspapers became widespread in this century – for example, the Wexford People began around 1853.

In 1859 the Pomona, an emigrant ship, sank off the Wexford coast and all on board were killed – estimated at about 400 people.

In the mid-19th century many of the county's towns received gas lighting for the first time – Enniscorthy, for example, around the 1850-60s. The 19th century also saw the arrival of the Railways in the county.

The Bridge at New Ross, over the River Barrow, was carried away by a flood and a great flow of ice, 1867.

Later in the 19th century, the Land War had a widespread impact on the county. A large number of tenants were famously evicted at Coolgreany, 1887.