Dalkey

I love living near the sea. You can't beat it when the sun shines and even a few clouds look good. In the distance is Dalkey Island, uninhabited except for a few goats. I have never been on it, but will go over this summer, all going well. That's my bliptask for June.

The building you can see is what is known as a Martello Tower

Martello Towers in Ireland

Martello Towers were built around the coasts of Ireland and Britain in 1804 to thwart any plans Napoleon had to invade these islands. Named after their prototype at Cape Mortella in Corsica these formidable bastions possessed 8 feet (2.4m) thick walls.

A large cannon was mounted on a traversing carriage on the roof. The towers never did fire a shot in anger and they fell into disuse. Some 39 still survive in Ireland, many around Dublin.