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heritage · Saturday 15 August 2026 · 9:00am 
National Heritage Week - Wexford 2026
At Multiple Venues Across Wexford · County Wexford
At Multiple Venues Across Wexford · County Wexford
Every August, County Wexford opens its doors for National Heritage Week - nine days of free events that reach into medieval castles, old graveyards, town walls, and living-history sites that often stay closed to the public the rest of the year. The 2026 theme is “Heritage at Risk”, so the programme is shaped around urgency and care: what are we losing, and what can we do about it? If you have any interest in Irish history, archaeology, traditional music, or simply want to see places you would not normally get inside, this is a good week to be in Wexford.
The Wexford programme for 2026 runs from Saturday 15 August through Sunday 23 August, with events spread across the county. Confirmed highlights include a guided tour of Ferns Old Graveyard on the opening morning (15 August), a Sip and Paint session at Westgate Artist Studios in Wexford Town inspired by Selskar Abbey, and walking tours of Enniscorthy’s revolutionary heritage covering the 1916 to 1923 period. A living-history event at Vinegar Hill on 19 August brings the 1798 rebellion back to the site where it ended, and on 21 August there is a one-day workshop at Enniscorthy Castle focused on the repair of historic timber windows - a practical response to the “Heritage at Risk” theme. An Urban Fossil Walk along Crescent Quay in Wexford Town on 21 August covers the geological story under the streetscape. Traditional music runs through the week too, with the John Dwyer Trad Weekend in New Ross (15-16 August) and the Cuisle Cheoil Weekend across Gorey (20-23 August).
Not every event requires booking, but the workshop and some guided tours fill quickly. Check the full Wexford listing at heritageweek.ie as the week approaches - organisers add events up to and during the week itself.
Wexford Town is around 2 hours from Dublin by road on the N11/M11, or just over 2 hours by Irish Rail on the Dublin Heuston to Rosslare Europort line, with stops at Wexford and Enniscorthy. Bus Éireann routes connect Wexford to Waterford, Kilkenny, and Gorey. If you are driving to individual sites around the county - Vinegar Hill in Enniscorthy, Ferns village, or New Ross - a car is the most practical option, as rural heritage sites rarely have regular bus access. Parking in Wexford Town is available at the Redmond Square multi-storey and at street level along the quays.
Wexford Town’s medieval streetplan, its stretches of Viking-era town wall, and the Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig are all worth time outside the Heritage Week programme. There is more to see in Wexford and across Co. Wexford.
Heading to Multiple Venues Across Wexford in Wexford? Wexford has plenty more to see. Read the Wexford area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.