The Mystery Of The Quay

As the dawn broke over the tranquil waters of the quay in Dunmore East on a morning in 1965, the unsuspecting workmen of the Board of Works arrived for another day of hard labour. Little did they know, they were about to stumble upon a mystery that would leave them scratching their heads in disbelief.

Imagine their sheer astonishment upon discovering that, under the cloak of darkness, someone had desecrated the quay by stubbing out large cigarettes in its beloved dock. The audacity of such an act left them dumbfounded, prompting a flurry of speculation and investigation.

At first, suspicion fell upon the "Friends of the Island" group, but it was quickly dismissed as none of its members were known smokers. The possibility of a visiting yachtsman illegally mooring overnight was also considered, yet no records could substantiate such a claim. Even Captain Carroll's smoking habits were questioned, albeit briefly, before being brushed aside as nonsensical.

In the absence of concrete evidence, the blame shifted towards an elusive French boat allegedly responsible for dumping its smelly cigarettes in the harbour. However, with no tangible evidence, the mystery persisted, leaving the Board of Works crew grasping at straws for answers.

The next day the engineers from Dublin arrived, summoned to devise a solution to this peculiar predicament. Ingeniously, they proposed building over the cigarette butts, utilizing them as support for an unplanned section of the new harbour. What initially seemed like an act of vandalism transformed into an unexpected boon, as the discarded cigarettes unwittingly contributed to the further enhancement of the quay's infrastructure.

As the dust settled and the quay underwent its metamorphosis, the identity of the mysterious smoker remained a tantalizing enigma. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, one thing became clear – whoever they were, they inadvertently bestowed a service upon the village, catalysing the evolution of the quay into what it is today.

In the end, perhaps it's not the identity of the culprit that matters, but rather the unexpected twists of fate that shape our surroundings. The mystery of the quay serves as a reminder that even the most perplexing incidents can yield unforeseen benefits, while also weaving an intriguing narrative into the folklore of Dunmore East.