WexWalks - Guided Walking Tour of Wexford Town

Wexford Town is old in a way that rewards a local guide. It was a Viking settlement long before the Normans arrived, and the medieval street plan survives beneath the modern town centre - narrow lanes, a quayside built on reclaimed land, a bullring that once saw bears baited for entertainment. WexWalks is a walking tour led by Paul Walsh, an actor and history enthusiast who has spent over 40 years in the town and previously guided at the Irish National Heritage Park and the Dunbrody Famine Ship. The combination of theatrical delivery and genuine local knowledge makes this an hour well spent for anyone curious about what is actually going on beneath the surface of a town they may only know from a signpost.

What to expect

The tour covers roughly 1,000 years of Wexford’s history in a single hour, threading together the Viking founding, Norman conquest, the role of the medieval port, bloody insurrections and the shadow of Oliver Cromwell. Paul Walsh brings in local characters - some notorious, some forgotten - and gives the kind of detail that never makes it onto heritage panels. Reviewers on TripAdvisor consistently mention the “how did we never know that?” reaction and praise the pacing; it holds your attention rather than reading like a textbook. The tour runs through the historical streets and winding lanes of the town centre, so you are moving the whole time rather than standing in one spot. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for Irish summer weather. Booking is available through the WexWalks Airbnb Experiences page or by contacting Paul directly at paulwalshdrama@gmail.com or 086 213 8062.

Getting there

Wexford Town is about 140 km south of Dublin on the N11/M11, roughly 90 minutes by car in normal traffic. Bus Eireann runs regular services from Dublin Busaras directly to Wexford Town, and Irish Rail connects Wexford to Dublin Connolly and Rosslare Europort. The town centre is compact and walkable from the train station on Redmond Place. Parking is available at the Quay Street multi-storey and at various surface car parks near the town centre; the quayside area gets busy on summer weekends so arriving early gives you the pick of spaces.

While you’re in Wexford

The town has a strong arts tradition - the Wexford Opera Festival in October is internationally regarded - but July is also a good time to be there, with the quayside lively and the surrounding county easy to explore. There is more to see in Wexford and across Co. Wexford.

Good to know

• Date: Wednesday 15 July 2026 at 11:00am
• Price: Check with WexWalks directly (price TBC); tours run on a regular schedule so day-of availability may be limited in summer
• Book: Via Airbnb Experiences or email paulwalshdrama@gmail.com / call 086 213 8062
• Duration: Approximately one hour
• Regular schedule: Also runs Wed-Fri at 3:30pm, Saturdays at 12pm and 2:30pm, Sundays at 2:30pm during the summer season