New Ross (Ros Mhic Treoin) Overview

New Ross makes for a great place to rest after a tour of Ireland’s southeast corner, as Waterford, the Hook, Wexford, and Kilkenny lie within easy reach of this tiny yet bustling town. Home to the beloved Kennedy family, this ancient maritime port has a tidy little list of sights, most of which involve its favorite great-grandson John F. Kennedy and the Irish exodus. Dunbrody, a coffin ship replica from the Famine era, is an awe-inspiring must-see.

Orientation And Practical Information. Most events in New Ross occur on a strip of waterfront known as the Quay. Other major thoroughfares are Mary Street, which extends uphill from the bridge, and South Street, which runs parallel to the Quay one block inland between Mary St. and Cross St. New Ross is on N25 (to Wexford and Waterford) and N30 (to Enniscorthy): though Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking, hitchers report finding plenty of rides on either, especially in the morning and late afternoon.

Bus Éireann (☎051 879 000; www.buseireann.ie) runs from the Riverview Hotel on the Quay to Dublin (3hr.; M-Sa 7:10, 11am, 1:25, 4:28pm, Su 11am, 1:25, 5:45pm; €10.50); Rosslare Harbour (1hr.; M-Sa 7:10, 11:50am, 1:35, 7:50pm, Su 7:10am, 1:35, 7:50pm; €11); and Waterford (25min.; M-Sa 10 per day 7:50am-8:55pm, Su 6 per day 8am-9pm; €5.50). Donovan’s Taxi (☎425 100) will drive you to your hostel after an exhausting day. The New Ross tourist office, in Dunbrody Centre next to the famine ship, provides useful town information as well as an Internet cafe (€2 per 20min.) and tickets for the Dunbrody ship tour. (☎421 857; www.newrosschamber.ie. Open Oct.-Mar. daily 9am-5pm; Apr.-Sept. daily 9am-6pm.) Banks with 24hr. ATMs abound: Bank of Ireland, on Quay St. (☎421 267; open M 10am-5pm, Tu-F 10am-4pm); AIB (☎421 319; open M 10am-5pm, Tu-F 10am-4pm) and TSB (☎422 060; open M-F 10:30am-5pm) are across from each other on South St. The post office is on Charles St., off the Quay. (☎421 261. Open M-F 9am-5:30pm, Sa 9am-1pm.) New Ross is also newly wired up with two Internet cafe options across the street from each other on the Quay: Internet Cafe (€1.50 per 15min., €4 per 30-60min.) and the cafe in the Dunbrody Centre (2€ per 20min.).

Accommodations And Food.  Mac Murrough Farm Hostel 1 provides a family-friendly respite in a converted farmhouse. From the bridge, follow Quay St. up one block, then turn left onto North St. and follow N30 toward Enniscorthy. Take a right onto Bosheen Rd., then turn left immediately after the Statoil station and continue straight until you see the “hostel” sign; the remaining mile is signposted. The owners will pick you up if you call ahead. Check out is at 10:30am, but don’t worry about sleeping in—the roosters will give you a real wake-up call (☎421 383; www.macmurrough.com. Dorms €16-18; ensuite twin €20.) For a bed in town and a bigger dent in the wallet, try Riversdale House B&B 3, William St. Follow South St. to William St. and turn left up the hill. The owners take pride in their snazzy rooms with great views of town. (☎422 515. Ensuite rooms €35 per person.) Glendower House B&B 3, on Ring Road near N25, has a more modern feel with TVs in every one of its pristine rooms. (☎421 989. Singles €40; doubles €40.)

SuperValu grocery store is on the Quay. (☎421 392. Open M-Th 8am-9pm, F 8am-10pm, Sa 8am-7:30pm, Su 9am-6pm.) Café Nutshell , 8 South St., tucked away in the back of the health-food shop “In a Nutshell Emporium,” serves breakfast, sandwiches, and excellent coffee in a skylighted seating area. (☎422 777. Breakfast €3-6; sandwiches €3.50-7. Open M-Sa 9am-5pm.) For those in the mood for something greasier, Kaan Kebab , 2 John St., offers a variety of kebabs, burgers, and chips (kebabs €5-6; burgers €3-4; chips €3). For a unique dining experience, board The Galley Cruising Restaurant 4 (☎421 723), which travels from New Ross into either Waterford Harbour or up the River Nore, depending on the tide. An Irish culinary stronghold, their yeast malt brown bread is considered their signature. It is served with all of their fresh, seasonal meals: lunch (2hr.; 12:30pm; €25, cruise only €12), tea (2hr., 3pm, €12/10), or dinner (2-3hr., 6 or 7pm, €40/15).

Sights. During the Great Famine, thousands of emigrants made the torturous 50-day journey to America in the dank and dreary holds of wooden ships. Many left from New Ross in the Dunbrody, which sank off the coast of Canada after her days as a famine ship were over. Today, a brand-new 54m oak replica sits at the docks, inviting visitors to observe the conditions both first-class and steerage passengers had to endure. Tours start with a 10min. video highlighting the making of the new  Dunbrody, then move into the ship, where actors relive the ordeal. A computerized database of coffin ship passengers is free to explore. (☎425 239; www.dunbrody.com. Open Apr.-Oct. daily 9am-6pm; Nov.-Mar. daily 9am-5pm; last admission 1hr. before closing. €7, seniors €5, students and children €4.) After learning about your Irish roots, get a load of the natural ones at the John F. Kennedy Arboretum, which lies 11.3km south of New Ross on Ballyhack Rd. (R733). Stroll around 623 gorgeous acres of nearly 6000 different species dedicated to Ireland’s favorite U.S. President. The small cafe doubles as a gift shop but many visitors bring their own lunch to this perfect picnicking place. (☎388 171. Open May-Aug. daily 10am-8pm; Apr. and Sept. 10am-6:30pm; Oct.-Mar. 10am-5pm. Last admission 45min. before closing. €2.20, seniors €2, children €1.20.) Nearby, at the Kennedy Homestead in Dunganstown, Kennedy fans can visit the home and working farm of JFK’s great-grandfather and see an archival video of the 35th President’s visit to Ireland in 1963. (☎388 264; www.kennedyhomestead.com. Open July-Aug. daily 10am-5pm; May-June and Sept. M-F 11:30am-4:30pm. €5, seniors €4.30.)