Food
Wheelocks Farm Shop
Farm shop at the Wheelock family's strawberry farm: their own fruit in season and Wexford artisan food.
Known for: Wexford strawberries grown on the farm
Hours: Wed-Sat 09:00-16:00, Sun 09:15-16:00. Closed Mon and Tue.
Plan Your Visit
Everything you need to know before you head out: weather, what to pack, the best seasons, and useful links.
Looking for a day plan?
Half-day highlights, full-day explorer, rainy day plan, and weekend escape: all mapped out step by step.
Weather & What to Bring
Weather
Mild and changeable, in the corner of Ireland the town's own visitor site calls the Sunny South East. The town sits low in the Slaney valley, and the open top of Vinegar Hill catches the wind.
Packing Checklist
- ✓Waterproof jacket (essential year-round)
- ✓Layers: temperature can change quickly
- ✓Comfortable walking shoes
- ✓Camera: the views are worth it
- ✓Sunscreen: yes, even in Ireland
Bring Something Home
Local producers, markets, and makers worth a stop before you leave Enniscorthy.
Seasonal Wexford vegetables, meat and Kilmore Quay fish
Market
Enniscorthy Farmers' Market
Saturday-morning producers' market at Abbey Square: vegetables, meat, baking, crafts and Kilmore Quay fish.
Known for: Seasonal Wexford vegetables, meat and Kilmore Quay fish
Hours: Saturdays 09:00-14:00
Best Time to Visit
Spring
March - May
The Rockin' Food and Fruit Festival fills the castle grounds and the pubs over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
Spring in Enniscorthy builds to the May Bank Holiday and the Rockin' Food and Fruit Festival, which in 2026 ran from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 May: a free Food Marquee in the castle grounds with chef demonstrations, an artisan market the organisers put at more than eighty producers, and a rock'n'roll gig trail through the pubs into the Monday. Check the organisers' site for the next dates before you book. The castle's sister-site page says its scheduled weekend tours, at one and three, run from Easter to September. On Vinegar Hill the paved path from the free car park to the windmill is a short climb in any weather.
Summer
June - August
Strawberry picking at Wheelocks runs from May to October, and the long evenings are for the walk up Vinegar Hill.
Summer is strawberries. The Village at Wheelocks, the Wheelock family's fruit farm about three and a half kilometres east of the town, lets you pick your own in the polytunnels from May to October, and the farm shop and café sell Wexford food; it opens Wednesday to Sunday, until four. Long evenings suit the walk from the castle over the Seamus Rafter Bridge and up to the windmill on Vinegar Hill, about 2.3 kilometres each way. The farmers' market is at Abbey Square every Saturday from nine to two.
Autumn
September - November
The 1798 Centre is closed for the rest of 2026, so the castle and the arts centre carry the town until Christmas.
Autumn is indoor season. The National 1798 Rebellion Centre is closed for the rest of 2026 and says it reopens in January 2027, so the castle is the place for history: three floors of exhibitions, the carved swordsman in the dungeon and the roof over the Slaney. The Presentation Arts Centre on Convent Road runs free foyer exhibitions, and Blackstairs Mountain Theatre brings its new play, Sky Road, there in early December 2026. Santa's Enchanted Christmas at the 1798 Centre begins in late November, with every ticket bought online in advance.
Winter
December - February
Christmas starts at the end of November with the lights switch-on and Santa at the 1798 Centre.
Winter in Enniscorthy starts at the end of November. In 2025 the Christmas lights switch-on and parade ran on Friday 28 November from the castle down Church Street and Rafter Street to Market Square; the 2026 date had not been published when this page was written. Santa's Enchanted Christmas runs at the 1798 Centre from late November 2026, tickets online only. The castle stays open every day, and the Waterfront pool on Templeshannon is the plan for a wet afternoon with children. Via Veneto and Chang Thai both close on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Quick Links for Planning
Weather Forecast
Check Met Eireann for the latest Enniscorthy forecast before you head out.
Met Eireann
Irish Rail Timetable
Plan your train journey to Enniscorthy. Check live departures, fares, and route options on the national Irish Rail network.
Irish Rail
Plan Your Journey
Plan your journey to Enniscorthy by train, bus, or car.
Transport for Ireland
Getting Here
Detailed transport options for reaching Enniscorthy by train, bus, car, taxi, or bicycle.
TravelPlan.guide