False Advertising

This beach along the west coast of Ireland was advertised, by multiple signs, as Inch Beach:

I wondered how I would get a suntan, while perched on an inch of sandy coastline, amidst a hundred other tourists.   I wondered if it were a square inch or a cubic inch of sand that we would fight over with other visitors.  Wonder no more when on Saturday morning, we were relieved to find a much larger expanse of sand and beach on which to stroll, especially at low tide:

I counted at least 200,000 inches of beach (not including the width of course) as we walked and walked and walked, turning back reluctantly before we reached the end of this sprawling sandopolis:

Inch Beach was an excellent case of false advertising.   I still have no idea where the name of this village originates.  Perhaps, a more diligent tourist would have sought out the answer. Was Inch Beach just an abbreviation for 200,000 Inches beach?  Or did the name have a deeper historical meaning?   These worthwhile questions strayed far from my mind while walking barefoot along this vast sandy expanse.   I was more than content to dwell in la-la land than in reality for the moment, at least.  

I expected the Northern Atlantic to be a little wilder, a little bit more insistent about pounding the few rocks on this beach into soft, silty sand.   But, I guess she waits for winter to show her wilder side.   For now, she is quiet, relaxing, soothing.... everything that she should be for all her eager tourists.