The calm before the storm

Still cold but no fresh snow today and we nipped into Bantry to get a few essentials and have a look around the market. Whiddy Island was looking even more ethereal than ever with the ghostly shapes of the Caha mountains looming behind it.
We are now bracing ourselves for Storm Bert and counties Cork and Galway are on a very unusual red weather alert - taking effect at around midnight. All calm out there at the moment. Fingers crossed.