Named after the town of Wexford, it was based on the historic Gaelic territory of Hy Kinsella (Uí Ceinnsealaigh), whose capital was Ferns.

[6] Portal tombs (sometimes called dolmens) exist at Ballybrittas (on Bree Hill)[7] and at Newbawn[8] – and date from the Neolithic period or earlier.

[6] Early Irish tribes formed the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnsealaig, an area that was slightly larger than the current County Wexford.

The native Irish began to regain some of their former territories in the 14th century, especially in the north of the county, principally under Art MacMurrough Kavanagh.

At Duncannon, in the south-west of the county, James II, after his defeat at the Battle of the Boyne, embarked for Kinsale and then to exile in France.

[11][12] In 1963 John F. Kennedy, then President of the United States, visited the county and his ancestral home at Dunganstown, near New Ross.

The adjoining counties are Waterford to the south-west, Kilkenny to the west, Carlow to the north-west and Wicklow in the north.

[23] A canoe-shaped punt fitted with a gun, called a float in Wexford, is used traditionally to shoot game birds in the North Slob mud flats.

County Wexford, sometimes dubbed Ireland's "sunny southeast", has in general a higher number of hours of sunshine recorded daily than in the rest of the country.

The one exception is Mount Leinster, visible from a large portion of the county, and frequently covered with snow during the winter months.

As the ice retreated, County Wexford would have been one of the first areas to be covered with glacial drift (a mixture of boulders, clay, sand and gravel) that blanketed the existing bedrock.

After that, gleys (poorly to imperfectly drained with a limited use-range) are the next major soil type, primarily located in the south-east of the county and east of Gorey (along the coast).

The last major soil type, brown podzolics, occur mainly near the edges of the Blackstairs Mountain range and around Bunclody and in the baronies of East Shelmalier and South Ballaghkeen.

Common species of tree include oak, ash, sycamore, alder, blackthorn, hawthorn, beech and birch.

Less common (but plentiful) species include wild cherry and Scots pine (also called red deal).

Despite the designation of much of this habitat as a Special Area of Conservation, it remains threatened by destruction for agricultural intensification[citation needed].

South-eastern Wexford is an important site for wild birds—the north side of Wexford Harbour, the North Slob, is home to 10,000 Greenland white-fronted geese each winter (roughly one third of the entire world's population), while in the summer Lady's Island Lake is an important breeding site for terns, especially the roseate tern.

The council has three representatives on the Southern Regional Assembly, where it is part of the South-East strategic planning area.

Noted singers include All-Ireland Fleadh Champions Paddy Berry, Seamus Brogan and Niall Wall.

[46] The county's main newspapers include Wexford People, New Ross Standard, Gorey Guardian, and Enniscorthy Echo.

Ballyteigue Burrow, located near Duncormick, is one of the finest protected sand dune systems in Ireland.

Rich in wildflowers, wildlife and butterflies, this 9 km (6 mile) coastal stretch is a protected nature reserve by the golden sands of Ballyteigue Bay, with spectacular scenery.

Popular beaches are located at Courtown, Curracloe, Carnsore Point, Duncannon and Rosslare Strand.

Cattle, sheep, pig rearing and some horse breeding are the main types of husbandry practised.

Every year, near the end of June, a 'Strawberry Fair' Festival takes place in the town of Enniscorthy, and a Strawberry Queen is crowned.

In 2007, a significant oil find was made 60 km (37 mi) off Hook Head in County Wexford.

[52] Great Island Power Station opened in 1967 and was operated by the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) until it was sold to Endesa in January 2009.

In the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championships, Wexford have won 6 times, first in 1910 and most recently in 1996, beating Limerick in the final.

Maritime activity takes at various locations in County Wexford, including at Kilmore Quay and Slade Harbour.

Common fish species include herring, mackerel, cod, monkfish, whiting, bass, perch, gurnard, haddock, mullet, pollock, John Dory, sole, conger eel, shad, salmon, trout, pike, carp, and tench.