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Apart from the Viking legacy of narrow, quirky lanes, WEXFORD town retains few traces of its past, and only the quays suggest that it was once an important trading centre. In fact, the harbour, in business from the ninth century, has now silted up, and Wexford has lost its trade to its old rival Waterford. That's not to say, though, that the town's history stopped with the fall of the Vikings. Settled by the Normans in the twelfth century, it became an English garrison town, brutally taken by Cromwell in 1649 (who had 1500 Wexford citizens put to death). In the 1798 Rebellion, the town saw brave, rebel fighting against the English Crown (backed by a mainly Protestant yeomanry), which was fearful that the port might be used as a landing place by the French. The uprising lasted longer in Wexford than in most places, but the rebels were finally put down, and the Crown was quick to exact retribution. Wexford, though, plays down its contribution to Republicanism and has emerged as a positive, forward-thinking place. It is internationally famous for its prestigious Opera Festival , while a more mainstream draw are the town's estimated 93 bars , reason enough to give Wexford at least a night.
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