In the 12th century, Baginbun near Fethard was the site of Norman landings during the Norman invasion of Ireland. The remains of Norman-era earthworks and fortifications may be seen at Baginbun Bay, south of Ingard Point. A 12th-century castle was built by Raymond le Gros, which passed to the Bishop of Ferns and was used as an episcopal residence. There is little evidence of the castle today. Alexander Devereux, the 16th-century bishop of Ferns and Abbot of Dunbrody, is buried in St. Mogue's Church of Ireland church. Fethard was granted a charter by James I of England, and became a municipal borough, sending two members to the Irish parliament, before its dissolution. In 1798, a harbour, was built and this was a landing site for French troops during the revolutionary wars.
Village name
Long known simply as 'Fethard', the village became known as Fethard-on-Sea following events in 1914 when the lifeboat Helen Blake capsized. Nine of the lifeboat's fourteen-man crew were drowned during a service mission to the schooner Mexico off the Keeragh Islands. There was an outpouring of sympathy for the village and charitable donations were posted from around the world. To avoid this post from being misdirected to Fethard in County Tipperary, the name of the Fethard in County Wexford was reputedly changed to better distinguish the two.
Fethard-on-Sea boycott
In May 1957, Roman Catholic villagers boycotted Protestant-owned local businesses in response to the actions of a Protestant woman, Sheila Cloney, who left her Catholic husband, and took her children away to avoid being forced to send them to the local Catholic school as the local Catholic priest demanded. The boycott received national and international attention before it concluded. The family was reconciled eventually, with the daughters being home-schooled.
Film
A film was made about the Cloney family called A Love Divided starring Orla Brady as Sheila Cloney. The film also proved to be controversial, with allegations of fabrications and historical misrepresentation, and the omission of important facts relating to the case. Press criticism focused on one of the film's writers, Gerry Gregg, a Communist and former member of the Workers' Party of Ireland, who was accused of antagonism towards the Roman Catholic Church and towards Irish Republicanism.
