Gorey & North Wexford Website.
The historic Market House which is on Main Street Gorey, is a Victorian style building which is now the local government administrative centre and houses the unique chiming clock.
This old 18th century building was rebuilt in 1709 and is currently used as the meeting place for the Gorey Town Commissioners. It is also the location of the Gorey Tourist Office. During the 1798 insurrection prisoners were held here. The building is listed as a place of regional historic interest.
The historic Market House which is on Main Street Gorey, is a Victorian style building which is now the local government administrative centre and houses the unique chiming clock. This old 18th century building was rebuilt in 1709 and is currently used as the meeting place for the Gorey Town Commissioners. It is also the location of the North Wexford Tourist Office. During the 1798 insurrection prisoners were held here. The building is listed as a place of regional historic interest.
The street has many old fashioned shop-fronts - Browne's Pub, Myles Doyle, Hughie Doyle's, French's Premier House and McGoverns Lounge are among the shop-fronts listed for protection. Take note of the Eco Restaurant whose fine premises are protected for regional interest.
At the top of the Main Street is the Court House. Built in 1819, it was burned down in 1922 but was rebuilt shortly afterwards. Beside the Court House is the Church of Ireland. Christ Church was erected in 1861, and boasts some magnificent stained glass windows. The structure of the Church with its tower is beautiful and this is highlighted when it is illuminated at night. The Church is listed for preservation for the national interest. Beside Christ Church is the old Erasmus Smith School House. Built in 1834, the architecture is worth noting, it is now the Social Services Centre.
If you travel on up the street, you will see The Monument of the 1798 insurrection, with its cannons facing down the Main Street. These guns are an added feature of recent years.
In the Market Square, Gorey's designated casual trading area, you will find the Methodist Church. Built in 1834, it's the towns oldest church. Also in the Market Square is the Old Cemetery where the remains of Bishop Thomas Ram are buried, who's family were responsible for Gorey's fine layout.
The location of the Irish Permanent offices on the Main street was the site of Bishop Ram's Palace, which was built about 1620, but has long since gone. It was Bishop Thomas Ram who constituted a corporate town under a charter dated 19th October 1619 called The Town of Newborough. This was the foundation of Gorey, although there was a nucleus of a town here since 1296. The Ram family determined the Administration of Gorey affairs for three centuries.
Looking down Rafter Street, you can see Rynvanney House, built in 1814 which was a former R.I.C. Barrack and a nursing home.
The third church in Gorey is located on Saint Michael's Road at the bottom of the Main Street. Saint Michael's Church is a beautiful and spacious structure, distinguished by its massive square tower. The Church was designed by the famous Pugin.
About half a mile from the town, Clonattin has a burial ground dating back to the fifth century and the remains of a small monastic church are still evident. Due to the cholera outbreaks during and after the famine it is recorded that many of the paupers who died were brought from the old Gorey union workhouse and buried in communal graves at Clonattin.
Some old workhouse buildings still stand in Ramstown, also the site of Gorey Leather Factory (1936 - 1979). The beautiful entrance hall of the old work-house has recently been restored as a dwelling house and Gorey business park is now located on the remaining site.
Also in the district is the home of the notorious Hunter Gowan at Mount Nebo, as it was then called. It was later re-christened Mount Saint Benedict as the Benedictines founded a college there where many of our former politicians were educated. The college closed in the early 1920's.
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