Overview
New Ross has one unmissable attraction and it’s moored on the quay: the Dunbrody, a full-scale replica of a 19th-century emigrant ship. If you have a single afternoon in the town, spend it below her decks. The rest of New Ross – a working river port where the Barrow meets the Kilkenny border, and the fourth-largest town in Wexford with a 2022 population of 8,610 – makes an easy base for the wider South-East: the Hook Peninsula is 25 minutes away, Enniscorthy and Fethard-on-Sea 30, and both Wexford town and Waterford city about 35. Since the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge opened in January 2020, most through-traffic now bypasses the centre, which has made the quays a good deal pleasanter to walk.
History and heritage
The town owes its name to a bridge. In the early 13th century William Marshal and his wife Isabel de Clare commissioned a stone crossing over the Barrow – the ‘new bridge’ – and a Norman port grew fast around a motte and market, formalised by royal charter around 1279. Before that the site held a 6th-century monastery founded by St Abban, and the older Irish name Ros Mhic Treoin means ‘the wood of the son of Treoin’.
New Ross has taken more than its share of Irish history head-on: a siege in the 1640s, a pivotal and bloody battle in the 1798 rebellion, and, during the Great Famine, one of the country’s busiest emigration quays. The most visible medieval relic is St Mary’s Church, founded in the 13th century by William Marshal. The medieval nave is roofless now, with a 19th-century parish church built inside its walls; only the crypt beneath the south transept keeps its original roof, over vaulted chambers and old funerary monuments.
What to see and do
Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience
The Dunbrody is a full-scale 19th-century emigrant vessel, moored permanently on the quay. Guided tours take you below deck into the cramped steerage where families crossed the Atlantic, with costumed interpreters telling the emigration story, and interactive exhibitions cover the journey to North America and the diaspora that followed. There’s a public car park right beside the ship at €1 an hour, so you can leave the car at the door. Afterwards, The Captain’s Table on the quay serves Irish fare with a view of the water.
Ros Tapestry Exhibition Centre
On The Quay, the Ros Tapestry hangs 15 large embroidered panels tracing Irish and Norman history. Begun in 1998 as a community project, they give a vivid, patient telling of the town’s founding, its medieval battles and its cross-Channel ties – a quiet, indoor counterweight to the outdoor attractions. Opening times vary, so check before you go.
St Mary’s Church and the Norman Way
Inside the church you can walk the cruciform layout and see the medieval funerary monuments and the crypt’s vaulted chambers. Look for the stone slab of the swaddled ‘Ross Bambino’ and the reputed heart-shrine of Isabel Marshal. The graveyard has stones dating back to 1569. The site is a stop on the self-guided Norman Way, which links the Tholsel and surviving sections of the old town walls.
Kennedy homestead and arboretum
A short drive south is The Kennedy Homestead, birthplace of President John F. Kennedy’s great-grandfather, Patrick Kennedy. The museum traces the family from their departure in the 1840s to political prominence across the Atlantic.
The John F. Kennedy Arboretum (252 hectares, some 4,500 tree species) is set on the slopes of Slieve Coillte, with a visitor centre, café and wheelchair-accessible paths, and it’s at its best in autumn when the canopy turns. One thing to note: unlike the town itself, the arboretum charges admission (prices below). Without a car, you can take a local bus from New Ross towards Ballysop and walk the last kilometre or so to the entrance.
Walking, cycling and the outdoors
- Kelly’s Wood – Five minutes south of the centre, with two easy forest trails: the 1.2 km Blue Limekiln (about 20 minutes) and the 2.8 km Red Oaklands (about 45 minutes). Both pass a 17th-century icehouse and lime kiln.
- New Ross Golf Club – An 18-hole parkland course (par 70, 5,795 m) on the western edge of town.
- Oaklands Lake – A 4.5-acre coarse-fishing lake stocked with carp, tench and bream, with wheelchair-friendly stands and a tackle shop on site.
- Barrow River – Angling from the quay, pleasure cruises, and the Galley Cruising Restaurants, which serve meals on board while drifting past the waterfront.
Heritage trails and local culture
The self-guided ‘Street Focus’ trail links 18 historic plaques around the centre; a free booklet or downloadable map (from the Visitor Information Point) covers themed walks including the Medieval Route, the 1798 Rebellion Route and the Kennedy Footsteps Tour. Personal guided tours can be arranged through the New Ross Historical Society or the local Lions Club, usually in a one-hour format. St Mary’s is also worth catching for music: the church holds a Steinway and hosts an annual piano festival each September.
Practical information
Getting there
- Road – The N25 (Cork–Waterford–Rosslare Harbour) runs through New Ross; the N30 connects Enniscorthy, and the R704/R700 head into County Kilkenny.
- Bus – Expressway Bus 40 runs twice daily between Rosslare Europort, New Ross and Waterford, on to Cork and Kerry. Bus Éireann 370 runs four times daily from Waterford, stopping on The Quay. Local services reach Enniscorthy and Kilkenny.
- Greenway – The former New Ross railway line is becoming the Southeast Greenway, a traffic-free cycle path along the old corridor that will eventually link Palace East to Waterford.
Visitor information and parking
The Visitor Information Point is run by the John F. Kennedy Trust at South Quay (+353 51 425 239) and can supply maps, event listings and advice on walks and accommodation. Free on-street parking is available on South Street and around the quay; the pay car park beside the Dunbrody is €1 an hour.
Opening hours and admission
- Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience: Open daily; the last tour of the day varies by season, so check ahead. Contact (051) 425 239 – dunbrody.com
- John F. Kennedy Arboretum: Seasonal hours; broadly 10:00 to between 17:00 and 20:00 depending on the month, with last admission an hour before closing – confirm current times before travelling. Admission (at the time of writing): Adult €5.00, Child/Student €3.00, Senior/Group €4.00, Family €13.00.
- St Mary’s Church: Open year-round, free to explore; the parish church holds regular services, so mind worship times.
- Ros Tapestry Exhibition Centre: Open seasonally – check current times and any admission charge before your visit.
A day in New Ross
Start with a walk along the Barrow and a look inside St Mary’s, then the Ros Tapestry and lunch at the Captain’s Table. Give the afternoon to the Dunbrody, or drive south to the Kennedy Arboretum for a slow hour among the trees. In the evening there’s St Michael’s Theatre or a pint at Spider O’Brien’s on South Street. With a second day, the Southeast Greenway offers a car-free ride toward Bunclody, and Hook Lighthouse and Johnstown Castle are both an easy drive. Park next to the ship for €1 an hour and you’ll not move the car all day.