When Father Murphy captured it with much bloodshed in 1798, it was the first town the Irish had taken since the Williamite wars. Later, Enniscorthy claimed fame as the only town outside Dublin to rise in 1916, and the last place to surrender.
Until Fianna Fail put up its posters for the referendum on the Belfast Agreement a fortnight ago there was little or no buzz locally about the campaign. "Now people are talking about it anyhow," said a local politician, with some relief.
When the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, came to Enniscorthy in February to make a speech on Vinegar Hill, there was a huge local turnout, much of it from curiosity.
There is some anxiety among the main parties as to whether there will be as strong a turnout on May 22nd.
The local Fianna Fail TD, Mr John Browne, is spearheading his party's efforts to motivate the townspeople.
"We'll be doing a door-to-door canvass, myself and the three local FF councillors," he said. "I'd be hoping for a strong turnout. From the talk around the town, they're very much in tune with the agreement. If there is a big turnout, it will be people wanting to show solidarity with the peace process."
But many in Enniscorthy are still confused about the fine detail in the Belfast Agreement, and about whether the concessions involved on each side balance out.
Even the local Sinn Fein cumann held multiple meetings and agonised about its attitude to the deal, right up to the time of the special ardfheis.
The cumann's PR officer, Mr Ray Keogh, admits people did not seem to have a clear understanding of the document and he found a lot of things in it "that seemed hazy". Nonetheless, he feels it will be voted through overwhelmingly.
The average person would distil the issues down to the essence, even without reading the agreement: "People think you're either voting for peace or voting against it, and I think the ordinary people will vote Yes."
An Independent councillor, Mr Sean Doyle, thinks people are relieved there was some kind of agreement, whether they are happy with it or not.
"A lot of people I meet are unhappy with the Articles 2 and 3 changes. Whether they'll vote No on that basis, I don't know," he said.
Mr Doyle has not yet made up his mind: "My inclination is to vote No on Articles 2 and 3, but I'm waiting to be persuaded."
The Presbyterian minister to the United Methodist and Presbyterian congregation in Enniscorthy, the Rev Sam Anketell, from Monaghan, has no reservations about the agreement.
This is his first posting in the Republic: "All my ministry has been in the North until now. I've worked there through the Troubles. As far as I'm concerned, the only ray of hope for us on both sides is a Yes vote."
Mr Keith Doyle, the chairman of Enniscorthy UDC, believes that, because of the town's history and traditions, the trend there will be a barometer of the national outcome. "If it carries in Enniscorthy, it's a good sign for the rest of the country," he said.
The local Fine Gael TD and former minister, Mr Ivan Yates, is convinced his town and constituency will strongly endorse the agreement.
He said there will be a good turnout: "There's the historical and novelty factor that they have never had a vote on this before.
There is no focal point of opposition to it, the only negative factor is apathy. I would say that the historical context to it will reduce that apathy."
Enniscorthy is extraordinary for the enthusiasm with which its citizenry has responded to the 1798 bicentennial.
Its voluntary corps of "pikemen" has trained, organised costumes and props and turns out willingly for every public occasion. Enniscorthy is the very core and centre of the commemoration.
At its own centre, the bronze figures depicting Father Murphy and the Croppy Boy are a constant reminder of this heritage.
But the town is also in tune with the modern economic imperative of flexibility and change. It is gearing itself for the business opportunities held out by the forthcoming Tour de France stage start there and the wave of tourism expected.
Two hotels have opened, and a local paper has headlined the onset of "boom time". Nationalism is moderated by the new reality and requirements of internationalism. This is perhaps most strikingly illustrated by the Union Jack flying freely outside the town's National 1798 Visitor Centre.
Admittedly, it is the pre-Act of Union version of the flag - the St Patrick's Cross is omitted - just as the US flag flown is the American War of Independence flag, and the Southern Cross banner represents Australia.
The centre itself is a pointed reminder of the new internationalism. It has been built with the aid of about £1.6 million from the EU, and Britain is a net contributor to those European funds.