Ludgate Hub: Wake up and smell the digital coffee

Last week, my wife and I were tootling around West Cork for a few days. We do it on a regular basis to remind ourselves how lucky we are to live in a country festooned with natural beauty.

Of course, rural Ireland — and especially those parts that have a high reliance on tourism — lives in a highly seasonal economic environment.

Once October sets in, many restaurants and places offering accommodation close or wind down to a weekend trade. In addition, numerous houses across the countryside, and particularly along the coast, are holiday homes that are often not occupied during school term.