The River Barrow & The Port of New Ross

THE RIVER BARROW AND THE PORT OF NEW ROSS
From the commercial highway into the heartland of medieval Leinster to the start of the Emigrant Trail in the 19th century.
The port of New Ross had a cosmopolitan reputation in medieval times with trading links to England, Wales, France, Spain, Italy and the Middle East.
In the late 18th and throughout the 19th century eyes turned westward and trading links to east coast of North America were established.
While the westward cargoes were mainly people the return cargoes consisted of timber, tobacco, cotton, corn and sugar.
New buildings sprung up along the quayside at this time. Erected by a new breed of local entrepreneurs to service the trans-Atlantic route and etched their names into the commercial and maritime history and heritage of the South East.
Roche’s corn and malt stores. Howlett’s ships, brewery and timber yards. Kough’s ships and bacon factory. Graves’ ships, timber yards and passenger lines to Liverpool and North America. The Chilcomb Distillery and Cherry’s Brewery.
In the meantime, the traditional seasonal salmon fishing by the New Ross cot men sustained many local families through hard times.
They all have stories worth telling.