Wolfe Tone Square, Bantry

Another gorgeous day and a dash into Bantry to get a few provisions. The town was packed and looking good in the sunshine, I thought a closer look might be worthwhile. This view is looking inwards from the sea, across the square and into the town. Worth biggifying for there's quite a lot going on. Unless you take a moment to look you don't realise how nicely the town sits in a natural amphitheatre of hills. Originally the sea and the quays came right up to the first grey building - once the Customs House and now theTourist Information Centre. The sea was literally reclaimed in the early 20C and a new square made in the around 2000. Bantry was famous for its pilchards, lace and linen. Today it's still a working town and although tourism is important it hasn't succumbed to the full Oirish.
Things to spot:
The Catholic church dominates the town at the top right corner
the black and red building is the Anchor Inn - old, and slightly dodgy
the statue is Wolfe Tone, heroic but doomed Nationalist freedom fighter of the late 18C
Mothers and toddler sit around the little ponds (fountains not working) in the sunshine and the toddlers try and reach stuff in the water with sticks
Behind the woman sitting with the dog is a little boy who has just started school and his mum was looking for a water bottle for him - the only one on offer was pink and was declined- I know this because I was behind them in the queue
Behind Wolfe Tone and hard to see is the remains of an enormous anchor, belonging to a ship that was lost in his disatrous naval campaign
the red umbrella belongs to a stall selling excellent ice cream
and you might also spot abandoned shopping trolleys- perfectly acceptable to leave them where you wish for someone is employed by Super Valu to come out and retrieve them
the red and white bunting is the Cork colours, they're in the national hurling final and it's serious!

Just had a lovely swim - aaaaaahhh.