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"The Optimist" - Cobh

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  • 05-07-2012 4:15pm
    #1
    Judes
    Registered Users Posts: 776 ✭✭✭


    Anyone driving in/out of Cobh over the months would have spotted "The Optimist" - and if you haven't "The Optimist" is an installation of a fisherman sitting in a boat with a fishing rod and the boat is on the roadside. It gives me such a giggle everytime I drive past, as you never know what's going to be in that boat or at the end of the fishing line - i.e. the fisherman could be wearing a Green Wig (during the football), or pink feathers and tiara (hen party), also a striped stuffed tiger was with him in the boat for a few weeks, you never knew what position that tiger was going to be in. The Fishing Line has had little fish attached to it, dolls and more recently a whale :) both locals and tourists love it!

    But I was gutted to drive by recently and see that somebody had burnt both the "The Optimist" and part of the boat. Needless vandalism and not funny. It's really annoyed me that somebody/bodies could do this.

    I spotted a man working on it the other day and as I drove past today I saw that the boat has been rebuilt. So if any of you locals know who this person is - just give him a big THANK YOU. In this day and age it's really nice to just get that momentary giggle on the way to work/home. :)


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    #2
    Judes
    Registered Users Posts: 776 ✭✭✭Judes


    I'm very happy to say "The Optimist" is back...............

    As I drove to work today, not only was he back in full fisherman's regalia - but he had 2 stuffed cats in boat with him (one looked like the Tiger) and on closer inspection of the big fish - I was wrong - it isn't a whale - it's "Jaws".

    You have to drive past and have a look at it! :)


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    #3
    spoofilyj
    Registered Users Posts: 579 ✭✭✭spoofilyj


    Ya I was home for the weekend and noticed the new statue of "Jaws" its really well done from recycled cans I think.

    My parents were telling me that it was burned recently but as I live in Dublin these days I had'nt heard.

    I'm glad its restored now anyway its nice to have this novelty in an otherwise boring spot on the drive into Cobh.


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    #4
    Shellygoose
    Registered Users Posts: 155 ✭✭Shellygoose


    The Optimist is called Timmy Optimisty - he has his own facebook page n all. The kids love him...well my daughter does anyway!! The white tiger is called Colman (guessing after St Colmans Cathedral lol). The Shark was made as a join effort between Cobh Youth Services and local artist Jack Hickey, the same guy that did the Titanic mural down by the train station.

    Theres been a lot of discussion recently about poor auld Timmy - some ppl think its a waste of space/placed in a dangerous area etc, but I think it's brightened up the area and as i said already kids love him. I was delighted that Cobh Tidy Towns decided to rebuild timmy after the "incident of arson". GO TIMMY lol :D


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    #5
    Judes
    Registered Users Posts: 776 ✭✭✭Judes


    Thanks Shelleygoose - I'm going to check out Timmy's page now :) I can't believe somepeople think it's a waste of time - how can making people smile/ laugh these days when we are surrounded by constant headlines of negativity and destruction be a bad thing?!* Well done to Cobh Tidy Towns -that area is really lovely now between Timmy and the flowers that have been planted. And as for being viewed as dangerous - it makes us all slow down on an otherwise dangerous hill/bend where drivers may go a little fast at times. So well done on all accounts!!! J


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