Fishguard (Welsh: Abergwaun - "Mouth of the River Gwaun") is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales. A regular ferry leaves for Rosslare in Ireland from the port of Fishguard Harbour (not actually in Fishguard, but a mile away at Goodwick). Fishguard is the terminus of the A40 London to Fishguard trunk road.

Fishguard's ancient Royal Oak pub saw the signing of surrender following the Last invasion of Britain in 1797. The whole story is told by the Fishguard Tapestry, which was created for the 200th anniversary as a deliberate echo of the Bayeux Tapestry, and is on display in a hall near the town centre.

Fishguard's Royal Oak pub also appeared in the film I'll Sleep When I'm Dead starring Academy Award nominee Clive Owen (Closer, King Arthur)

The town of Loctudy (Breton: Loktudi) in Brittany, France has been twinned with Fishguard since 1995.

Fishguard hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1936 and 1986.

Industry

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The English name 'Fishguard' derives from the Scandinavian 'fiskigadr', demonstrating the town's connection with the sea. It is therefore not surprising that fishing and the port are the principal industrial activities in this town. Fishguard Harbour opened in 1906 and today is used by ferry passengers to Ireland and also well-known for herring fishery.

Tourism/sights

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Outside of Fishguard there is a stone monument commemorating the signing of the Peace Treaty after the last invasion of Britain in 1797. Also there is the 19th century parish church of St.Mary´s containing the grave of the heroine Jemima Nicholas.

Fishguard has many hotels and is the main shopping town of North Pembrokeshire with a busy Thursday market in the town hall.

Population

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Population Age Distribution	Fishguard	Pembrokeshire
20-44 years	24.4%	28.4%
45-64 years	25.2%	27.2%
65+ years	27.9%	19.2%

Population Age Distribution	Fishguard	Pembrokeshire
0-4 years	5.8%	5.8%
5-15 years	13.0%	14.6%
16-19 years	3.7%	4.8%

According to the census of 2001, Fishguard has 3,193 inhabitants and 1,465 households.

Farming

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Farming has become more intensive in recent years, raising concerns on the effect to the environment. Erosion, pollution and harm to wildlife are major issues farmers now face. Some also face issues over payment and financial losses due to weather and climate changes. One other very important point is that the farmers use lot of pesticides, fertilisers, hormones and antibiotics. The Pembokeshire region including Fishguard is registered as a problem zone, because the area has a very little potential of agriculture, revenues are less than the Welsh average.

Wildlife

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Wildlife in the Fishguard vicinity is rich in flora and fauna: It shows a wide variety of colourful wild flowers and birds such as cormorants, gannets and gulls. Other local wildlife include the grey seal, puffins and even porpoises or dolphins. It is a paradise for bird and animal watchers alike.

Climate

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Fishguard enjoys a relatively mild climate due to its coastal position. The winds coming from the west or southwest have a determining influence on temperature and precipitation.

External links

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• An account from historic-uk.com
• Population figures 2001

Seaside resorts in Wales | Towns in Pembrokeshire | Invasions of England

Abergwaun | Fishguard | Fishguard | Fishguard | Fishguard