The Castle Bailey Summer Festival is an annual affair held at the end of June. It’s an attempt by the local community council to promote the place as a tourist venue despite our distinct lack of beach, castle, or significant monument. We have a lovely library, I can vouch for that, but I’m not sure any tourist would be particularly drawn to visit us and after today’s events, they won’t be coming for the local cuisine either.

Paddy, over at the Goose Inn, is the chair of the festival committee and has worked for months with the local tidy towns group to get flourishing hanging baskets and window boxes onto nearly every building on the street. The local police station looks particularly well. Apparently the sergeant is a keen gardener. I must bend his ear for advice on the library’...

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