Medieval Ferns Experience

21/05/2026

Looking forward to seeing this performance piece at the . Entitled 'Long Live the King - but which king.' Coming from the , its sure to be entertaining. If you'd like to find out more, come visit the Experience. We love telling the story of Gaelic Kings and Norman Knights.

19/05/2026

Now this is a talk we'll be interested in hearing. The title alone is a draw!

Our next event will be held in Wexford Library on June 18th at 7pm. The talk will be the first in what we hope will be a new series of occasional talks by young or new speakers, perhaps addressing an audience like ours for the first time. These are people who have been researching a topic around the Normans, who have something to say and we want to give them a platform to do so. Hopefully we will all see more and more of these speakers in the years to come! If so, it will be a great legacy from the Year of the Normans.
Our first speaker in this new series is Luke Bradley whose talk is entitled 'The man who sold Ireland' - the legacy of Dermot MacMurrough. Luke is a tour guide employed in the Irish National Heritage Park with an MA in Public History and Cultural Heritage.
Dermot MacMurrough is a historical figure with few equals in Irish history. Over eight hundred years after his death, he remains reviled by many of his countrymen who believe him to be a traitor who opened the gates to invasion and centuries of occupation. His decision to collaborate with Richard fitz Gilbert de Clare ‘Strongbow’ on an invasion of Ireland is a watershed moment in Irish history that put Ireland on a new path that led to further conquest and colonization, albeit many years after Dermot’s death.

But to what extent can Dermot be considered a traitor? Is he truly responsible for what's often called ‘800 years of occupation'? How has Dermot's reputation changed in the centuries since his passing? In this talk, Luke Bradley will tackle these big questions.

The talk will be followed by a Q&A session.

If you would like to book a place, please register on Eventbrite (link: https://bit.ly/4eQRosF)
Ambassade de France en Irlande Région Normandie
Visit Wexford Wexford Library Wexford County Council Wexford Historical Society Uí Cinsealaigh Historical Society North Wexford Historical Society

07/05/2026

Such a pleasure to meet Sarah and Rick from Virgina, USA today - enjoying a walking tour in the sunshine. A wonderful way to spend a morning. Visiting key historic sites and discussing our rich medieval heritage is such a pleasure. Thanks to them both for being so engaging and fun.

20/04/2026

Delighted to hear Ferns Castle 🏆is opening on April 30th this year 👏👏👏. We always look forward to it opening as we collaborate on accommodating tour groups.

18/04/2026

We thoroughly enjoyed our ‘Out & About’ session earlier today - of course warm sunshine and enthusiastic Brownies really helped. We were invited to talk to a group of Brownies from Wexford Area Girl Guiding about medieval Ferns. A great opportunity to talk about how children lived in medieval times. Needless to say we got a great reaction talking about medieval toilet facilities 🤣. Drop in any time - we’re open from Wednesday to Saturday from 11am to 4pm. #

26/03/2026

We're hearing great things about these talks organised by the . The series of countywide talks explore connections and shared heritage between Wexford and Normandy - raising awareness of . Follow Wexford Normandy Cultural Association for updates on future talks.

Our next talk, entitled "Marking their territory - how Norman identity was 'set in stone'", will be given by archaeologist and historian Derek O'Brien. It will take place in Our Lady's Island Community Centre (Y35 WKC9) on April 17th at 7.30pm. This is a free event - please register on Eventbrite https://bit.ly/47NDvqI

When the Anglo-Normans arrived in Ireland they introduced new building techniques, both military and ecclesiastical. To assist this, they introduced a new type of building stone, and the masons to carve it. They were simply carrying on a tradition they had brought with them from Normandy and which they had done in England following the events of 1066. Building in stone was a display of strength and of permanence by the Anglo-Normans. They were demonstrating to their new colony in Ireland that they were here to stay. They were marking their territory and displaying their identity. The evidence of which can be seen around Ireland, with some of the best examples in county Wexford.
North Wexford Historical Society Wexford Historical Society Wexford County Council Région Normandie Visit Wexford Ambassade de France en Irlande Fáilte Ireland Tourism Ireland Alliance Française Waterford/Wexford Our Lady's Island

24/03/2026

It gives us a great boost when we see our visitors enjoying the experience. And to follow it up with a great review? What more could you ask for?
LoveGorey.ie Kilmuckridge Village Enjoy Enniscorthy Ferns Village

06/03/2026

Another great talk by . Looking forward to hearing Barry and David's talk on March 19th.

The next in our series of talks to raise awareness of 2027 European Year of the Normans will take place on Thursday, March 19th in Enniscorthy Library at 7pm.

The talk will be given by archaeologists David McIlreavy and Barry Lacey. Entitled 'Norman Territorial Division in Angevin Leinster', the talk will be followed by a Q&A session.

This is a free event. As numbers are limited to 40, we advise you book your tickets in advance on Eventbrite https://bit.ly/4rQSqbA.

We will try to record as many talks as we can - recorded talks will be available on our YouTube channel within 2 months of the event taking place. Previous recorded talks are available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxNaPafjhQtgPEQo9DMIdYIzhthrnA5_8
Ambassade de France en Irlande Wexford County Council Alliance Française Waterford/Wexford Enniscorthy Library Tourism Ireland Région Normandie Ireland's Ancient East Visit Wexford Fáilte Ireland Tourism Ireland Enniscorthy Castle Enjoy Enniscorthy

18/02/2026

Ideal for kids on yet another rainy, windy day! Looking to entertain the kids on their mid-term break? Look no further! A visit to the Medieval Ferns Experience will do the trick. We have VR headsets, a short film, an inauguration stone challenge and more. The stories of Gaelic kings, Norman knights and of course St. Aidan and his miracles will surprise you! Suitable for adults and children – its history told in an innovative and fun way. We’re open from Wednesday to Saturday from 11 to 4pm.

LoveGorey.ie Kilmuckridge Village Visit Wexford Ireland's Ancient East Wexford Walking Trail Enjoy Enniscorthy Slaney News Amber Springs Hotel & Spa Resort Riverside Park Hotel & Leisure Club Ashdown Park Hotel & Leisure Centre

07/02/2026

Save the date! In the gloom of rainy, dark days in February, its wonderful to think ahead to summer and festival time. Looking forward to this year's festival - always a great weekend of celebration and family fun 👑🤸‍♀️🎼🎤🎯🎸 . Follow Festival of Ferns Facebook and Instagram for updates

01/02/2026

Ferns Heritage Project would like to say a huge thanks to those who attended and participated in the event yesterday to mark the Feast Day of St Aidan. The event was inspired by the 1930s Folklore Commission’s stories by local children. Descendants of some of the writers came along and read their ancestors’ stories and took part in the discussions afterwards. Ferns Village