Sitting on rich, fertile land on the eastern slopes of the Blackstairs Mountains, the village of Killanne has been at the heart of this area’s history, yet today only a monument at the crossroads teases its fascinating past. The soils that developed on the mixture of rock, stone, and gravel laid down by melting glaciers were well-drained, fertile, and excellent for farming. This was likely part of what drew both Cistercian monks and Anglo-Norman settlers to this area in the 1100s and 1200s. Evidence of the long religious history of this area can be seen in Saint Anne’s graveyard, where headstones date back to at least the 1600s. You can also see some of the unique species which thrive in this graveyard environment, including solitary bees and types of lichens.
However, it is in the history of the local people that this area truly comes alive. The building that houses Rackard’s Pub today was once home to John Kelly, a leader of the 1798 United Irish Rebellion in Wexford. The nearby forge produced the pikes that the locals fought with.
The Rackard family were also important figures in the Irish sport of hurling. The Rackard brothers, Nickey, Bobby, and Billy, rose to fame in hurling during the 1950s. Nickey Rackard is widely regarded as the best hurler in County Wexford’s history. The community has a rich tradition of music and song that share and preserve local memories of these people and their heroic deeds.