Gorey - town in County Wexford, Ireland

Gorey is a market town in County Wexford. It's 41 km north of Wexford and is evolving into a commuter town for Dublin 90 km to the north; in 2016 the population was 9822. The nearby villages of Courtown and Riverchapel are beach resorts. The tourist information centre is in Market House in the town centre, open M-Sa 09:30-17:00.

Gorey in Irish is Guaire which may mean a sandbank, the bristles of a horse, somebody's name . . . no idea frankly.

Get in

Five trains a day run from Dublin Connolly, taking just under 2 hours via Dún Laoghaire, Bray, Wicklow Town, Rathdrum and Arklow. They continue from Gorey to Enniscorthy, Wexford, Rosslare Strand and Rosslare Europort the ferry terminal. A walk-up single from Dublin is €12, see Irish Rail for timetables and ticket deals. The railway station 📍 is 500 m south of town centre by the retail park.

By bus there's competition on the route from Dublin. Expressway Bus 2 / X2 runs hourly from Dublin Airport and Busáras via Arklow to Gorey, and continues to Enniscorthy and Wexford, adult single €11. Wexford Bus 740 also runs hourly from the airport, with several stops in central Dublin (but it doesn't use Busáras), then Arklow bypass, Gorey, Enniscorthy and Wexford; similar fares to Expressway. The 740 bypasses Wicklow Town but the 740A stops there. Gorey doesn't have a bus station, the stop is on Main St by Market Square.

By car from Dublin follow N11 / M11 south through County Wicklow and reckon 90 min. From Rosslare ferry port take N25 towards Wexford then join N11 / M11 north.

Get around

Bus 879 plies between Gorey, Courtown and Riverchapel, taking 15 min. In summer it's hourly, the rest of the year there are only 3 services M-Sa.

See

• Main Street is a broad thoroughfare lined with 2- and 3-storey 19th century buildings, much improved in 2007 when the M11 bypass took away the traffic congestion. The centrepiece is the Market House, built 1709, which hosts the TIC.
• Gaslamp Gallery is a small commercial gallery and art shop on Esmonde St, open M Th-Sa 11:00-17:00.
• Courtown 📍 is a beach resort village 7 km east of Gorey; it's merged into Riverchapel to the south. The Seal Rescue Centre is open daily 10:00-17:00. The harbour was built circa 1850 as a famine relief project.
• Tara Hill 📍 is only 253 m / 830 ft (a "Marilyn") but it rises prominently from the low coastal plain and commands fine views. The main path to the top starts from Tara village just south. It's not to be confused with the Royal Hill of Tara in County Meath, still less with Tara Hills near San Pablo California.
• Kia Ora Mini Farm, Courteencurragh Y25 RX60 (off Courtown road), 52.676°, -6.251°, +353 86 878 8424. Apr-Oct daily 10:00-17:30, Nov-Mar Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 12:00-17:00. Show farm with animals to pet and feed, plus amusements and mechanical diggers. €8 2020-12-29
• Craanford 📍 (sic) is a village 7 km west of Gorey with a restored 17th-century watermill, but this was closed to visits in 2020.
• Wexford Lavender Farm 📍 is at Coolnagloose Y25 NW42. It's closed until April 2021.
• Ferns: see Enniscorthy for this village to the south with a castle and several historic religious sites.
• Fr Murphy Centre: see Enniscorthy for this priest who became a leader of the Wexford rebels.

Do

• Little Theatre is on Pearse St.
• Movies @ is a mobile drive-in cinema which visits Courtown in summer.
• Golf: the courses are around Courtown, with Courtown GC, 5898 m par 71, Ballymoney, 6337 yards par 71, and Tara Glen which is a resort with a 9-hole course.
• Riverside Equestrian Centre, Barnland, Gorey, 52.709°, -6.303°, +353 85 231 3459. Daily 08:30-18:00. Horse riding lessons, treks and hacking.

Buy

• There's a superValu on Main St, and Tesco Extra west edge of town.
• There are four banks with exterior ATMs along Gorey Main St, and one in Courtown village centre.

Eat

• The better places on Gorey Main St include Table 41, The Bistro, One Hundred Degrees and Coach House Bar.
• Near Gorey the standout is The Duck, within Marlfield House, see Sleep.
• Courtown has a string of cheap and cheerful places for the beach and caravan-park crowd: pizza, Chinese, fish & chips.

Drink

• A slew of pubs along Gorey Main St includes Coach House (see Eat), La Rochelle wine bar, Bob's Bar, French's, Katie Daly's, The Fowler, McGovern's, Browne's, Nell Sweeney's and Oscars 64. A block north on Pearse St are Breen's and Paddy Blues.
• Courtown village centre has Shipyard Inn, 19th Hole and Ambrose Moloney's.
• Brennan's Brewery is in Courtown, no tours.

Sleep

• There are no camping or tourer caravan facilities near Gorey. The coast around Courtown is lined with caravan parks, but these are for individually-owned static units, effectively second homes, and not available for short stays.
• Loch Garman Arms Hotel, 90 Main St Y25 E3V2, +353 53 942 1513. Straightforward reliable hotel in town centre. B&B double €100 2020-12-29
• Amber Springs Hotel, Wexford Rd Y25 FY07, 52.668°, -6.290°, +353 53 948 4000. Family-oriented hotel, with spa and leisure facilities, restaurants and bars. B&B double €100 2020-12-29
• Ashdown Park Hotel, The Coach Rd Y25 V1D6, 52.679°, -6.286°, +353 53 948 0500. Spa hotel gets great reviews for comfort, service and dining. B&B double €140 2020-12-29
• Railway Country House B&B, Arklow Rd Y25 E6H3, 52.687°, -6.279°, +353 86 853 2710. Smart welcoming B&B. Small dogs welcome. B&B double €100 2020-12-29
• Marlfield House, Courtown Rd, Gorey Y25 DK23, 52.669°, -6.275°, +353 53 942 1124. Excellent small hotel in Regency building with two fine restaurants, the Conservatory and the less formal Duck. Open Feb-Dec. B&B double from €250 2020-12-27
• Seafield Hotel & Spa, Ballymoney Beach Y25 X2V0, 52.676°, -6.216°, +353 53 942 4000. Big boxy modern resort hotel, which reviewers are trying to like more than they do. The hotel mostly gets it right but too many examples of indifferent food, rooms and cleanliness, considering what you pay. B&B double €180 2020-12-29

Connect

As of Dec 2020, Gorey has 5G from Eir and 4G from Three and Vodafone, while Courtown has 5G from all Irish carriers.

Go next

• Wexford the county town has the National Heritage Park, and Johnstown Castle with the Agricultural Museum.
• Enniscorthy was the bastion of the 1798 uprising of United Irishmen: see the museum and final battle site at Vinegar Hill.
• Arklow, scene of a break-out by the 1798 rebels, has a pyramid and a philosophical conundrum by Wittgenstein.