Send flowers to Wexford General Hospital, County Wexford

Wexford General Hospital in brief

Wexford General Hospital is an acute general hospital in Wexford, the county town of County Wexford, in the south-east of Ireland, and part of the Ireland East Hospital Group. The present hospital stands on land beside the Newtown Road in Carricklawn, close to the old County Hospital buildings. The people of Wexford rely on it for emergency care, general medicine, surgery and maternity services.

Wexford had 21,524 residents at the 2022 census, and many patients come from towns and villages across the county, such as Enniscorthy and the villages and farms around. If you are ordering from a distance, make sure you have the patient's full name and the ward before you begin.

The story of the hospital

The hospital first opened in December 1928 as Wexford County Hospital, in the premises of the old Wexford Union Workhouse on Old Hospital Road, which dated from July 1842. From March 1965 to 1978, the medical department moved for a time to Brownswood Hospital in Enniscorthy. After planning in the late 1970s and early 1980s, construction of a new building began in February 1988 and finished in 1992, when the hospital was renamed Wexford General Hospital. The old hospital building was designated a protected structure.

More recent changes include two extensions of 4,600 square metres completed in 2014, and the Herbert Amon Unit, an early maternity unit, opened in 2017. A large fire broke out in the hospital on 1 March 2023. A major emergency was declared and over 200 patients were evacuated from four wards, including the ICU. The speed of that response is still talked about locally with respect for the staff.

The town of Wexford

Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney. The Vikings founded the town around 800 AD and called it Veisafjord. Today it is linked to Dublin by the M11 and N11, and to Rosslare Europort, Cork and Waterford by the N25. It also has a mainline railway station.

Wexford hosts the Wexford Opera Festival every October, which Dr Tom Walsh started in 1951. Redmond Park opened in 1931 as a memorial to Willie Redmond. The Irish National Heritage Park at Ferrycarrig has re-creations of Irish dwellings from 9,000 years of history. In 2024 Wexford hosted the Fleadh Cheoil festival.

Always ring the ward

Every ward at the hospital has its own policy. Some do not accept flowers, particularly intensive care and areas for very ill or vulnerable patients. It is worth confirming the patient's present location by telephone. Ask for the ward, and ask if flowers are welcome.

Put the patient's full name and ward on the order, and add your name to the card. Patients may be moved between wards during their stay, so flowers for a patient who has been in hospital for some time should be checked again just before you order.

Sending flowers to the home

Hospital stays are often shorter than visitors expect, and many families find that a bouquet at home is a gentler welcome. Give the full address, the Eircode and the name of anyone who can take the delivery. A small arrangement can brighten the kitchen table while the patient builds up strength.

If you are sending to a family who live far from the hospital, keep in mind that some of them will be spending long days in Wexford town, so choose a date when someone will be at home.

Birth and new arrivals

Maternity patients often leave within days. For a new baby, soft colours and a gentle scent are best, and flowers to the home are usually more practical than to the ward.

What to write

Keep the message warm and short. A few words of encouragement, your name and a promise to visit once the patient is ready are plenty.

Choosing flowers

Choose compact flowers with a light scent, such as roses, freesias in small numbers, gerberas and chrysanthemums. Avoid heavily scented lilies and large arrangements. Choose a weekday delivery date when the ward is busy with visitors.

Did you know? Wexford General Hospital began in 1928 as Wexford County Hospital, in the old Wexford Union Workhouse.