Tramore, County Waterford

Tramore (Irish: Trá Mhór, meaning ‘big beach’) is a seaside town in County Waterford, on the southeast coast of Ireland. With humble origins as a small fishing village, the area saw rapid development upon the arrival of the railway from Waterford City in 1853. Initially, the town flourished as a tourist destination, attracting visitors from as far away as Dublin in summer and from closer to home all year-round. Today the town is a popular destination for surfing and other water sports due to its large, sheltered bay and provision of accommodation and amenities.

In the distance on the headland you can see three pillars. On the middle strands Tramore’s Metal Man. The three maritime beacons were constructed through Lloyds of London at the behest of the Admiralty after the tragic loss in 1816 of 360 lives when HMS Seahorse sank after becoming grounded at Brownstown Head in bad weather.

Legend has it that if a woman manages to hop barefoot three times around the pillar, she’ll be betrothed within the year. Nothing mentioned about the men. They’ll just have to make their own luck.