Fishguard
Fishguard 
Fishguard (Welsh: Abergwaun = "Mouth of the River Gwaun") is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, with a population of 3,300 in 2006. 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. It is in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Fishguard is served by train at Fishguard Harbour railway station. The town is a major ferry link between Pembrokeshire and Rosslare in Ireland. The town of Fishguard is divided into two parts: Lower Fishguard (Welsh: Cwm) is situated where the River Gwaun meets the sea in a deep valley. It is a typical fishing village with a short tidal quay. The settlement stretches along the north slope of the valley. Upper Fishguard contains the parish church, the High Street and most of the modern development, and lies upon the hill to the south of Lower Fishguard, to which it is joined by a steep and winding hill. The western part of the Upper town, facing Goodwick, grew up in the first decade of the 20th century with the development of the harbour. History Fishguard is famous for its historic French invasion in 1797, led by Irish-American septuagenarian Colonel William Tate, who was intent on attacking Bristol. As Napoleon had apparently reserved the cream of the Republican army for duties elsewhere in Europe, Colonel Tate’s force consisted of a ragtag collection of soldiers, including many newly released jailbirds. The newly formed French revolutionary government appears to have devised a plan that relied on the oppressed masses in Britain rallying to the support of their French liberators. Tate’s orders were to land near Bristol and destroy it, then to cross over into Wales and march north onto Chester and Liverpool. Fishguard was forced to repel 1400 men with only a small force, including 400 women dressed in their Welsh costume of red cloaks and tall hats. Apparently they gave the impression of greater numbers from a distance, and one famous woman, Jemima Nicholson, led the resistance and captured some of the French herself. After a shambolic melee followed by a disorganised looting spree, many of the invaders were too drunk to fight and within two days the invasion had collapsed, and Tate’s force surrendered to a local militia force led by Lord Cawdor on February 25th, 1797. What to See & Do in Fishguard