Camross Hall Centenary Christmas Market Another sparkling day at the Centenary Christmas Market in Camross Hall, when a fantastic array of professionally created artisan gifts and goodies. It was a very special market, celebrating our Centenary year. The largest-ever showcase, with our largest-ever attendance, proved to be the perfect recipe for an extremely successful day. “The range of gifts so varied, and professional, we were delighted to have the opportunity to display the talents of the local community, and very happy they had a successful day. The atmosphere was magical on the day, and everyone was in the Christmas Spirit” says Breda Banville, Chair of the Camross Hall Committee. “The Hall, Committee, and customers made it such a great day, the committee is accommodating” says one of the stallholders. This was a message ringing throughout the Hall all day. Another amazing event hosted by Camross Hall for their Centenary year.

 What’s another year?

2024 was an amazing year for Camross Hall Committee, as they celebrated the 100^th anniversary of the construction of Camross Hall. A year of celebrations, nostalgia, and genuine good times.

As the year started to wind down, the families of all involved in the Hall over the past 100 years were celebrated with a wonderful night of entertainment in the Hall.  This centenary community night began with a beautiful display of refreshments by the wonderful management and staff of the Country Bistro, Taghmon.  A delicious specially designed cake for the night by Mary Kelly, music by Phil, Joan & Peter. The Camross ICA Mummers entertained, along with Pat O’Callaghan, Val Whitty, and the chats with many members of the audience with our MC for the evening, Michael Doyle.

There were many memories from years past from locals and expats alike, the catch-up, the laughter, and the electric atmosphere carried on well into the night.

This of course was just one such wonderful event played out in Camross Hall over the year. On the first Friday of every month of the year, we put on our dancing shoes and are joined by some of the best Irish country musicians in a wonderful night of social dancing with the very popular tea and currant bread, and of course, this will continue in 2025.

Each year Camross Hall hosts at least 2 quiz nights, always a great night for all the contestants, with great fun, spot prizes, and even little treats, one of which is for Camross Drama Group, whose home is now based in the little Theatre upstairs, and they also host drama nights throughout the year.

Caroreigh All-Vehicle Run also has Camross Hall as its starting point and end base for the very successful fund-raiser for the Parish. A cup of tea and refreshment to start the day and a very welcome soup on return.  This has proved to be as much a fund-raiser as a social event.

Camross Hall is also the home of the very busy and successful Camross ICA Guild, and it plays host to many ICA Events, including ICA’s Got Talent, Wexford Federation Meetings, and many other fun events including the now popular Pickle Ball.

A fantastic meeting room for many local groups, including Camross Passion Play.  However, Easter 2024, the Passion Play Committee had a change of approach and played the recording of the previously staged Passion Play performance from The National Opera House on a big screen in Camross Hall, with donations collected for local charities.  Camross Passion Play Committee has decided that due to Covid and other changes the mountainous task of getting a cast, crew, choir, and all other helpers was just not possible, and have decided to call it a day.  The Facebook page will be live till Easter 2025 so please send in any photos, memories, and anything else please send it in for our records.

Politics is of course in the headlines now, and so too in Camross Hall, our local Polling station.

Also happy to help with local charities, often hosting coffee days, and other fundraisers. Working closely with our St. Garvan’s Primary School, and many other local charities, including this year with “Relay for Life”.

Our Centenary Concert this year with the fabulous Green Road, was a great success and a very entertaining night for all, still a talking point and we do of course wish the lads every success in the future too.

Of course, we can’t forget our annual Christmas Market recently.  And our Christmas Dance with the fabulous Michael Collins Band on December 6^th.

Speaking with Breda Banville Chair of Camross Hall Committee “We have been delighted with our very busy Centenary Year, it was a great year for the Hall and the Community.  But it is thanks to the hard work of the entire team here that keeps it all going.  We have a very hardworking, dedicated Committee, who do a lot of work behind the scenes to keep it all running smoothly.  We also have the support of an outstanding community who support us and help keep this facility going.  It takes a lot to keep a big hall of its years standing and maintained.”

Camross Hall was first opened in 1924 and will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2024. It has operated as a centre for community activity and as a dancehall/ballroom during this period. All through the years it has been run by a committee of local people. Its current committee is

Chairperson: Breda Banville
Secretary: Breda Nolan
Treasurer: Margaret Nolan
Assistant Treasurer: Ann O’Gorman
PRO: Kay Doyle
Other committee members: Peggy Doyle, Dympna Kelly Robert Nolan, Billy Nolan, Eamonn O’Gorman, Eddie Colfer, Michael Doyle, Lar Banville, Fr Robert McGuire

The origins of Camross Hall date back to the early 1920s when some young local men wanted to create a place where the community could come together in a social setting. Their dream had come true by the mid 1920’s when the hall -a corrugated iron construction- provided the first place of entertainment in the area.Its attraction grew throughout the 1930’s and 40’s with dances going on till four in the morning, mumming competitions, card drives, meetings, drama productions, and other social gatherings.

It was so successful that it began drawing crowds from a wider area and the then committee began refurbishment and extension work which saw it completed in 1951. It proved to be very successful again and a new committee redesigned it completely and was reopened again in 1961 with a modern dance floor, new stage and lighting and proved to be a huge hit with dancers from across County Wexford
and beyond during the swinging sixties. The then committee saw the potential for further development and the hall was totally redesigned and extended to give the building we have today. It was opened in May 1972 and saw the biggest crowds
yet when it was dancing mecca every Friday night right up to 1982.

The 1980s saw a move away from the showband dancehall type of entertainment to the discos, many of which had a drinks licence. This impacted on Camross Hall and the weekly dances were over. However bingo continued to draw the crowds to Camross Hall until it finished in 2004.
In 2009 monthly Friday night social dances started and continue very successfully to the present day. There is once again a live band and patrons love to dance the night away on the beautiful maple sprung floor carrying on a tradition than began almost one hundred years ago.
Other notable events that have made their mark in Camross Hall is the Passion Play which was first produced at Eastertime in 2000. It has been held every six years since. Another memorable event was the New Years Eve Ball which was held every year between 1976 and 1993. The hall continues to be of great benefit to the community and if you would like to keep up to date with events taking place
in the hall or want to hire it for any function contact our secretary Breda Nolan on 087 6259126 or follow us on our facebook page