Ireland

Just got back from a few days of mixed work and pleasure in the Irish Midlands. Visiting amongst other places Roscommon and Athlone. Which even on a Saturday appeared to be closed! I guess the economy has all but shut down. Roscommon on a Saturday morning felt like Sundays used to feel in the UK before Sunday trading was allowed. Almost nobody about, car parks half empty, shops quiet. The only shop that was even half busy was a place selling solid fuel stoves, as folk rush away from steeply rising electricty and fuel oil costs.