WHILE THE topic of graffiti is generally a much maligned topic, site workers at the Dr. Furlong car park site on Hill Street found a novel use for a tin of yellow spray paint when it came to the latest leg of construction.

Users of the facility will have noticed, over the past week, the presence of writing on the roadway on exiting the car park. The marking reads: ‘Where is the 1798 plaque?’

The car park, and location of the Wexford Chamber headquarters was once the site of the old Wexford Infirmary where, following the 1798 Rebellion, 57 wounded United Irishmen lost their lives when British forces set the building on fire.

Subsequently, a plaque was erected on the wall outside of the site, commemorating those who had died in that event.

While there may have been initial worry that the plaque had gone missing and this was a very public admission of such, Cllr. George Lawlor confirmed that the plaque had been removed to accommodate for building works in the area, which includes car and bicycle parking.

“The plaque was taken down for safe keeping. It is in storage and will be re-erected on the wall after the works have finished.”

While the wall which originally held the plaque has now been knocked, Cllr. Lawlor said that it would be positioned as close as possible to its original location.