Wexford Festival Opera
14–30 Oct 2027 · Wexford Town
Seventeen days of rare and rediscovered opera in the National Opera House on Wexford's quays. The 2027 programme was announced in October 2026.
Wexford
Vikings founded the port, opera fills the autumn, and the quay along the Slaney is where the town starts. Wexford is the county town, at the mouth of the River Slaney.
Best sites to see in Wexford
Wexford Quayfront
Wexford's long quay along the River Slaney estuary is the town's front door, with fishing boats, the harbour and views across to Ferrybank. It is the place to start any visit.
Selskar Abbey and the Westgate
The ruins of Selskar Abbey and the nearby Westgate Tower are survivals of medieval Wexford and its town walls. They stand a short walk from the main street.
The National Opera House
Home of the Wexford Festival Opera, the opera house on High Street is a modern landmark built on the site of the old Theatre Royal. Its tower is visible across the town's rooftops.
Wexford Main Street and the Bull Ring
The narrow, winding Main Street follows the line of the old Viking and medieval town, leading to the Bull Ring, a historic market space with a memorial to the pikemen of 1798.
Where to stand, and when
- Wexford Quay at sunset: Evening light over the estuary, with boats and the bridge in frame, is the classic Wexford shot.
- Main Street's winding shopfronts: Early morning gives quiet streets and soft light along the narrow, curving street.
- Selskar Abbey and the Westgate: Visit on a bright morning when light falls into the abbey ruins and onto the old tower.
Wexford through history
Wexford was founded by Vikings, who named it Waesfjord, meaning inlet of the mud flats, and it grew as a port at the mouth of the River Slaney.
The first Norman forces in Ireland landed in County Wexford in 1169, and Wexford town soon became an Anglo-Norman stronghold.
Wexford was a major centre of the 1798 Rebellion, remembered in the town by the pikeman memorial in the Bull Ring.
The Wexford Festival Opera, founded in 1951, made the town internationally known for reviving rare operas each autumn.
Practical tips
- Wexford's old streets are narrow and partly pedestrianised, so park at the quay or in a town car park and walk the centre.
- During the autumn opera festival the town is exceptionally busy and accommodation books out, so reserve well ahead for that period.
- Check tide times if walking the quay and harbour area, as the estuary is strongly tidal.