Village people are put back in the frame

THE tireless community of Leap near Rosscarbery is back in the frame with an eye-catching, outdoor photographic exhibition.

Passersby will have noticed a row of large, pictures of well known locals mounted on the railing overlooking Leap ravine and waterfall. 

The black and white photos of locals from the village were taken by photographer Shay Hunston, as part of his ‘People of The Wild Atlantic Way’ series. 

The 4ft x 3 ft photos will remain in place throughout the summer and are expected to be a talking point for tourists and locals alike over the next few months.  

Shay is a Dublin fashion photographer who has spent several months photographing portraits of people on the Wild Atlantic Way. 

He is planning to publish the photos in a book once the project is complete, and give the proceeds to the RNLI.

Many towns along the Wild Atlantic Way are proudly displaying his portraits as Shay makes his way up the coastal route, north from Kinsale where he began some months ago.

This is just the latest in a long line of initiatives by the Leap community that has seen the village punching way above its weight in the tourism stakes. 

Its now-annual Scarecrow Festival at Hallowe’en has attracted thousands of curious visitors to the location, as has its Christmas ‘Leapland’ village and its now-famous waterfall.