Long ago Ballygear was a scattering of terraced railway houses, a water tower, Murphy's shop, the village green, and the plantation. Surrounding the green a copse of evergreen trees occupied the centre of the village. In summer time it provided a nursery for rooks, and a parasol which nodded gently to the summer breezes. In winter it broke the worst of the wind and rain, and gave shelter to the inhabitants of The Hill.

Nowadays, along with a cut-down water tower, only a few dozen cut-back trees remain. The green has fallen into disuse and, with Murphy's shop, the focus of village life has shifted away from the old centre. But maybe not … maybe not ….
On Saturday 6 August 2006 the day dawns fine. Bunting flutters, and traffic control tape winds about the village green. A great anchor, a flag pole, a granite monolith, stylish seating, stone flags, and themed lighting transform the scene. The old green is no more. Today it will become Rosslare Memorial Park, a place dedicated to people who have lost their lives at sea, and those mainly in the waters off the Wexford coast.

A fly past by a Coast Guard rescue helicopter followed by a lone land-based piper, Brendan Wickham, playing a lament, opens the ceremonies. After the speeches wreathes are laid in remembrance-a dignified and moving ceremony with appropriate music played in the background.

The first wreath was laid by Irish Coast Guard Operations Officer, Eamon Torpey, assisted by Tuskar Sea Scout Aoife McNamara. The next by Patricia Scanlan, author and grand-daughter of Lighthouse Keeper Paddy Scanlan who was killed when a drifting mine struck the Tuskar Rock in 1941; she was assisted by Irish Lights' representative Oliver Hickey, Attendant of Tuskar Lighthouse. The third, an RNLI wreath, was laid by Eamonn O'Rourke, 2nd Coxswain, assisted by Tuskar sea scout Shane Carroll. The next wreath was laid by David O'Beirne, son of the Aer Lingus pilot, Barney O'Beirne, Captain of the ill-fated Viscount St Phelim which was lost near the Tuskar in 1968. Accompanied by Aer Lingus Chief Pilot, Capt. Henry Donohoe, relatives of the Viscount Victim's Group laid the final wreath.
A blessing was then given and the Revd Fr Diarmuid Desmond PP and the Revd Maria Jensen jointly read prayers.

To end the ceremonies a guard of honour, comprising Officers and ratings from the Irish Naval Vessel le Niamh formed ranks and faced forward. Kevin Roche, senior member of the Rosslare Harbour/Kilrane Environmental Group (to which group must go all the credit for the great effort and magnificent result they achieved) raised the tricolour to half, then full mast while the No. 1 Army Band sounded the Last Post, then Reveille, followed by the National Anthem.
There it was, a day of moving ceremony. A day of remembered loss. A place, later on, to visit with the children and buy an ice-cream across the road in Lambert's shop.

Raymond Wickham is Assistant Attendant of Tuskar Lighthouse.