Monaseed is a small rural village nestling in the peaceful rolling hills of the agricultural landscape of north Wexford.

Monaseed and the Monaseed Demense covers an area of approximately 267 acres. The village comprises a Primary National School, a Catholic Church, a Community Hall and a public house.

St Patrick's Church, a curacy of Craanford Parish, minsters to the townlands of Slievebawn, Connahill, Cummer, Knockbrandon, Craan, Foxcover, Millquarter, Annagh, Aughnamaulmeen and Baltyfarrel.

The nearest town is Carnew, about 6 km away, but most business is done with Gorey, about 11 km away to the south east.

Monaseed has grown considerably in the past few years. The local school now has 90 pupils and 40 new houses have been built in the village.

The population of Monaseed is approximately 481, including 113 aged 14 years or under. There are 147 households.

Monaseed - Moin Na Saighead - translates as 'the boggy place of flint arrows'

The Miles Byrne Community Hall was built in 1948 and dedicated to the memory of Miles Byrne on 150th anniversary of the 1798 Rebellion.

Early History
King James I signed an order on 10 September 1611 for the plantation of the north of County Wexford with foreigners, clearing out the owners of the land. Sir Arthur Chichester, Surveyor General of the King, visited the area to identify suitable places for the Servitors to build castles. Monaseed Castle was built in 1613 and granted to William Marwood. The subsequent plantation caused a huge displacement of local families, some of whom were transported to Virginia in the USA. One correspondent wrote in 1630 'Chichester's Plantation in the Co. has extirpated the Irish almost quite.' Following the Cromwellian invasion soon after, Monaseed Castle was left in ruins, and only four Irish men resdied in Monaseed. This early pattern of emigration continued throughout history, to the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere around the world. Many people notable in the history and culture of Ireland are associated with Monaseed.

Famous People
The following are strongly associated with Monaseed:

Miles Byrne
Miles Byrne is one of the most extraordinary figures in Irish history. He was born in 1780, grew up at Foxcover, Monaseed, joined the United Irishmen in 1797, and fought in the 1798 Rebellion at Bunclody, Tubberneering, Arklow and Vinegar Hill. He went on the run in the Wicklow Mountains and escaped to Dublin where he remained undetected. He met Robert Emmet, became one of his faithful lieutenants and after the failure of the 1803 Dublin rising, he escaped to Paris. He was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Irish Legion. He fought in the Napoleonic wars and had a very distinguished career reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He received the Cross of Officer of Legion of Honour from Louis Phillipe in 1832, and retired in 1835 after thirty-two years and seventeen campaigns in the French army. He died in 1862 aged 82 years and is buried at Montmartre Cemetery. His 'Memoirs' provide one of the most important accounts of the 1798 Rebellion.
For more information see 'Memoirs of Miles Byrne: 1798 in County Wexford (Duffry Press) Edited by Kevin Whelan & Thomas Bartlett

Dennis Cullen
Dennis Cullen, who came from Monaseed, is one of Ireland's finest folk artists. Unfortunately, little is known about his life. He worked as a stone mason during the mid-18th century and his delicate and sensitive semi-relief carving decorate carved headstones in south Wicklow and north Wexford. There are 105 known examples of his work, the largest group of which can be seen at Glendalough. He carried out most of his carvings during the period 1765-85. The majority show the crucifixion scene.
For more information see Eoin Grogan 'Eighteenth Century Headstones and The Stone Mason Tradition in County Wicklow: The Work of Dennis Cullen' in Wicklow Archaeology and History Volume I 1998

Jim Bolger
Jim Bolger was Prime Minister of New Zealand 1990-97. Both his parents grew up in the Monaseed area. After marrying in 1930, they emigrated to New Zealand. Jim, one of five children, worked in sheep farming in North Island and married in 1963. He was elected to Parliament in 1972 as Nationalist Party member. After his period as Prime Minister, he served as Ambassador to Washington for three years. He has been a regular visitor to Ireland and visited his mother's home at Knockbrandon, Monaseed in 1993.
For further information see Jim Bolger 'View from the Top'

Donal McCann
The acclaimed actor Donal McCann, who died aged 56, is buried in St Patrick's Church graveyard, Monaseed. His mother and her family lived in the Monaseed area and he often visited. McCann played a key role in the recent history of Irish stage and screen. He is best known for his outstanding performance in John Houston's final film The Dead, which was an adaptation of a James Joyce story, and for his roles in the plays Juno and the Paycock, The Steward of Christendom and Faith Healer. President Mary McAleese said at the time of his funeral that Ireland had lost a formidable acting talent who displayed enormous commitment to his profession and brought great pleasure to audiences at home and abroad. The director of Dublin's Gate Theatre Michael Colgan, said McCann was the best stage actor Ireland has ever produced.

Philip Casey
The well known novelist and poet Philip Casey was born to Irish parents in London in 1950 and grew up in Monaseed. His publications include The Year of the Knife Poems 1980-1990 (Raven Arts Press, Dublin 1991) and the three novels The Fabulists (The Lilliput Press, Dublin 1994) which won the inaugural Kerry Ingredients Novel of the Year; The Water Star (Picador, London 1999); and The Fisher Child (Picador, London 2001) which completes The Bann River Trilogy. He initiated and maintains the websites Irish Writers Online and A Guide to Irish Culture. A member of Aosdána, he lives in Dublin.
For further information about Philip Casey, please visit www.philipcasey.com