Metal Man

«Stay away stay away stay away from me, for I am the man of misery» is supposedly what the man atop the pillar shouts. To be honest, he looks like a giant smurf — white pants, blue shirt. During storms, ships used to try to shelter in Tramore Bay. Only to be welcomed by rocks. One of the masts of these unfortunate crafts now stands on Tramore Beach’s backstrand as a further reminder of the treachery of the bay’s hidden rocks. So the locals hoisted pillars on each headland of the bay — to the east on Brownstown Head, and on the west headland (called Westown) the Metal Man. It’s a lovely walk through the fields along the coast out to the Metal Man — start at Newtown Cove and tramp the mile or so around the inlets and through the fields. You’ll need sturdy shoes and a waterproof/​windbreaker: even if it’s not rainy, it will most likely be windy. The view is well worth the effort.