Taghmon can be explored through its historic buildings and preserved townscape. Its features reflect different periods: a high cross dating from the 9th or 10th century, the 19th-century Catholic parish church of St. Fintan’s, and Taghmon Castle, which survives to a height of up to four storeys. The old stone walls and cast-iron fountains are also distinctive details of the village.
Building history in the village centre
St. Fintan’s Catholic parish church was built between 1869 and 1871 and consecrated in 1872. Its features include Celtic Art Deco-style stained-glass windows made by the Harry Clarke Stained Glass Studios in Dublin. The construction and consecration dates give the church a clear place in 19th-century history; the windows add a distinctive touch to its interior.
Saint Munn’s Church of Ireland is in the centre of Taghmon village. Its grounds contain a high cross dating from the 9th or 10th century. In Taghmon, an early-dated monument and 19th-century buildings therefore stand alongside one another, though they do not belong to the same period. Taghmon Castle is also centrally located in the village and survives to a height of up to four storeys. The village centre preserves much of its 18th- and 19th-century building stock.
Fountains and stone walls in the townscape
The Lion’s Head Drinking Fountains consist of two cast-iron drinking fountains or water hydrants. One stands on Main Street, the other at the lower end of Stream Street. The fountains date approximately from 1899 to 1910 and were supplied by Glenfield and Kennedy Ltd of Kilmarnock, Scotland. Their two locations provide a clear point of reference for these historic features of the streetscape.
The old stone walls are another distinctive feature: within County Wexford, Taghmon has a particularly high concentration of them. Many of these walls probably date from the 19th century. In addition to contributing to the historic townscape, they provide important habitats for plants and insects. Here, architectural history and nature meet in the same visible feature, though the date has not been established for every individual wall.
Local boundaries and surroundings
Tobermunna Holy Well and Nunnery Well are within Taghmon’s boundaries. Nearby is also St. Munna’s Bed: a natural rock crevice with a sloping, bed-like shape. It lies in a wooded setting in the townland of Mulmountry, not far from Brownscastle Road. The two Holy Wells within the village boundaries are therefore distinct from the nearby rock formation in terms of their described surroundings.
Two distances are given for the Brownscastle Woods Trail: the entrance is 2.5 km from Taghmon; from there, it is approximately 200 m to the trailhead. Check the access information before travelling, as trail details can change. These distances help you treat the trail as a separate planning point rather than confusing it with the buildings in the village centre.
More to explore in the wider destination of County Wexford
Across the wider destination of County Wexford, other places and attractions offer different ways to explore history and landscape. The Irish National Heritage Park is a 35-acre open-air museum with 16 reconstructed sites; its activities, reconstructions, workshops and courses are aimed at visitors of all ages. Guided tours at Hook Lighthouse share 800 years of lighthouse history. Check the current booking arrangements for tours in advance.
The Irish Agricultural Museum at Johnstown Castle displays agricultural machinery, vehicles and artefacts, some of which are up to 100 years old. A guided tour of Johnstown Castle also includes an 86-metre-long underground servants’ passage. Tintern Cistercian Abbey was founded around 1200 by William, Earl Marshal, and is set in a nature reserve surrounded by woodland with walking trails. These destinations complement the picture of County Wexford with museums, guided tours and landscapes, while Taghmon itself is best explored through its buildings, fountains and stone walls.
Discover more destinations: Kilmore Quay, Oulart, Duncannon, Inch, Saint Helen’s, Enniscorthy, Foulkesmill, Cam Eolaing.
Go to the wider travel overview: County Wexford.
