Calls for annual fleadh in Wexford town dismissed – ‘we already have a county festival, the Rockin’ Food Festival in Enniscorthy’

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

The suggestion that an annual summer festival for Wexford town should be funded by the local council has once more been rejected by a member of a neighbouring district.

Having hosted Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann for two years in succession there had been calls for Wexford town to create an annual “family friendly music and culture” event from 2026 onwards.

However, in the wake of the council’s budget meeting, which saw Enniscorthy receive €25,000 less for festivals than Wexford town, Councillor Aidan Browne has said existing festivals should take priority over those yet to be created.

"I’m disappointed we’re still lagging behind Gorey and Wexford in terms of funding,” he said at the December meeting of the Enniscorthy Municipal District (EMD).

“Now that the Fleadh has gone there’s been a lot of talk that we need a new county festival; to me we have a county festival, the Rockin’ Food Festival in Enniscorthy.”

With the budget unchanged from last year, Enniscorthy will receive €106,000 to host festivals in 2026 and Cllr Browne said this wasn’t enough given the increased costs associated with inflation.

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“We should be investing more in the Rockin’ Food Festival, it needs to keep growing,” he said of an event which was held on the May Bank Holiday weekend this year and attracted approximately 50,000 people to the county.

“This is something we need to look at from a county point of view, because it is the county festival everyone’s looking for. I’d be very disappointed to see a new festival come on board (in Wexford) next year, when our existing festival isn’t being supported with more money.”

He received the support of Cathaoirleach Barbara-Anne Murphy who said that a festival based in the “heart of the county” should be “getting more funding”.