ENNISCORTHY AND WEXFORD.

New Zealand Tablet, 2 March 1877, Page 17

ENNISCORTHY AND WEXFORD.

(From the Sydney ' Freeman's Journal.') Ik a few minutes after leaving Ferns station we come to Enniecortby. on the winding river Slaney and under the shadow of historio Vinegar HiU. We could not pass a spot bo full of glorious memories and patriotic prestige, so we sauntered slowly up the steep side till we reached the summit of Vinegar Hill, and there looked around on a scene of rare and charming loveliness. But our mind unconsciously wandered back to that bright summer's morning in June, when the hardy sons of Enniscorthy and Wexford, led on by the noble Bagenal Harvey, the daring Michael Dwyer, and encouraged by the patriotic Father Murphy, made a desperate and heroic stand to have happy homes and altars free. Though victory after victory crowned the struggles of the " wild rebels," still they were vastly outnumbered, and in the end, after as brave and gallant fighting as is recorded in the annals of war, the Irish had to yield. Then commenced those cold-blooded massacres that took place in the windmill on the Hill, on the Bridge, and in the Mai ket- house of Enniscorthy. The recent atrocities in Bulgaria pale in cruel enormity and savage butchery to ihe crimes committed by British soldiers and officers on the unprotected and ut' armed Irish peasantry in the memorable year of '98. Leaving Enniscorthy, we follow along the banks of the meandering Slanoy, which widens gradually till it empties itself into the sea at Wexford. This is a very old town, as its narrow streets can testify. To gi*e you an idea of the width of its main street, opposite White's Hotel, where I stay, two vehicles cannot pass each other. The town, or rather city of 13,000 people, is handsomely situated on a fine open bay, but unfortunately, owing to the sandy bar, ships are often " Btuck in the mud" for days till a high tide floats them into the deep waters. Wexford has good reason to remember the treacherous and bloody Cromwell for in the large open space between Commercial Quay and Main street, known as the Bull-riug, he put to death, in cold blood, over two hundred human beings, principally females.- This is the model Champion of your wind-bags, Buchanan and Pastor Allen. His next step was to plant his cannon on the rocky hills below the Faythe, and level every church in the town, with the exception of one which he used as a stable for his horses. This church is now belonging to the Franciscans. For over two hundred years it was the only one that could be used for celebrating the great mystery of Calvary ; but now the town can boast of two newly-built churches owing to the almost superhuman exertions of the Very Rev. Father Roche, a real genuine type of the dear old Soggarth Aroon. I was much surprised to see about a dozen grave yards scattered through the very centre of the town. Within three miles of Wexford is Johnstown Castle, one of the country seats of the great Catholic nobleman, the Earl of Granard

Ebionach.