A fifth of Barna


When Samuel Lewis published his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland in 1837, he noted that there was a fair in the villages of Barna and Freeport (which is now the western side of Barna) on the fifth of every month. Even today, local fishermen land fresh produce at the quay in Barna which often end up as a menu in the local restaurants that night. This picture shows a fishing boat that won’t catch anything, save a photographer’s eye. Pulled up beyond the high tide mark a short distance from the quay, this boat is slowly succumbing to the elements, sunrise after sunrise.