Fethard on Sea Country Market

What to Expect

Fethard on Sea Country Market runs every Saturday morning at St Mary’s Community Hall in the centre of the village, on the Hook Peninsula in south Wexford. Like other country markets around Ireland, it operates as a co-operative of local home producers rather than a commercial market with paid pitches, so everything on the tables has been baked, grown or made by the sellers themselves that week rather than bought in for resale. Regular stalls carry fresh bread and pastries, seasonal vegetables, herbs, fruit and plants, plus handmade craft items such as cards, knitwear and preserves. It is a small market by Wexford standards, running for just an hour and a half, but it draws a loyal crowd from Fethard, Tintern and the wider Hook Peninsula who come as much for the chat as the shopping. Because everything is homemade in small batches, popular items such as brown bread and seasonal jam can sell out before the market closes, so early arrival is worthwhile for anyone with something specific in mind. Markets run on this model in villages right across Ireland, often with roots in the Irish Countrywomen’s Association network, and Fethard’s has long served as one of the few weekly gathering points on this quiet stretch of the peninsula, between the Hook Head lighthouse and the ruins of Tintern Abbey.

Good to Know

• Every Saturday, 10:30am to 12:00pm
• Location: St Mary’s Community Hall, Fethard on Sea, Co. Wexford
• Free to browse and enter; cash is the most reliable way to pay stallholders
• Stock includes home-baked bread and pastries, vegetables, herbs, fruit, plants and crafts
• A short market, so popular baked goods can sell out quickly
• Check the market’s Facebook page for holiday closures or seasonal changes
• Worth combining with a visit to Hook Head lighthouse or Tintern Abbey, both a short drive away

Getting There

St Mary’s Community Hall is centrally located in Fethard on Sea village on the Hook Peninsula, with parking available around the village centre.