Our Lady Of The Long Acre

Finally on a last-ditch excursion before the onset of Academic Autumn. My friend Séan was leaving his inlaws at the ferry port in Dublin, so by a happy chance I was able to give him a lift back to Westport, where he and his wife were putting me up for a couple of days, before I departed for another couple's place (Johnny & Siobhán) near Spiddal.

I stopped on the way to photograph a couple of things that snared my eye, including the wayside Virgin above. I dislike the whole Marian cult business but I love the understated, compact innocuousness of this wee effigy, its sense of being a household god minus a roof. I had also noticed it on another occasion, a couple of years ago when I stopped to film it on the way to the pilgrimage up Croagh Patrick for Reek Sunday.