A traditional Irish pub called ‘Wexford’ is set to open in Savannah where many of the city’s locals can trace their roots to the sunny South-East…
The bar scene in Savannah, Georgia has a new player in the form of ‘Wexford’, a traditional Irish pub that commemorates the special connection between the two areas.
To understand this connection, you have to travel back two hundred years ago when thousands of Irish people left Wexford in search of a better life. Many of them were fleeing the devastating Great Hunger where over a million people perished and a million more departed Ireland, never to return.
Seeking better fortunes abroad, many of these weary travellers found a new home in Savannah, the oldest city in Georgia.
Today, the people of Savannah have not forgotten the hardships many of their ancestors faced, and cherish their Irish heritage more than ever. In fact, Savannah is home to one of the largest Saint Patrick’s Day parades in the world. Some sources rank Savannah’s St Patrick’s Day parade as the second largest in the world behind New York, boasting 350,000 visitors!
Savannah has a particular fondness for Wexford, where more than half of the Irish people who emigrated to Georgia during the Great Hunger hailed from. Now, a new pub is gearing up to open that celebrates the time-honoured connection between the two places.
“Savannah’s newest and most unique Irish pub was inspired by and named after County Wexford, Ireland, to which Savannah has a special connection”
-Wexfordpub.com
‘Wexford’ is currently recruiting staff for its massive bar and restaurant. It is about 13,300 square feet, consisting of three floors and about 500 seats.
This development is only the latest chapter in Savannah-Wexford relations. In 2019, Savannah’s main tourist board, Visit Savannah, collaborated with County Wexford on the Dunbrody Famine Ship Experience.
Also in 2019, Georgia Southern University established their first overseas campus in Wexford town. This was the first time an American public university set up a learning centre in Ireland. The university informally refers to this semester abroad as a “Wexmester”.
“Savannah is certainly the “most Wexford” city in the United States. This bond was one reason for Georgia Southern University’s choosing Wexford Town for its European Study Abroad and Research Campus”
The pub, which aims to open this summer, advertises itself as “Savannah’s most authentic Irish pub”. Indeed, most of the pub’s craftmanship was created in Ireland before being shipped to Georgia for assembly.
The result is what the owners of ‘Wexford’ are hoping to be an authentic Wexford pub experience. A pub that captures within its walls that special Wexford-Savannah connection like lightning in a bottle.
In 2021, the Savannah GAA Club travelled to Wexford. Read more about the links between Wexford and Savannah here.
Luke Bradley
Luke is a student and a lover of all things Wexford. His favourite topics include Wexford history, entertainment and local events
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