Rock of Cashel

We're a few days behind schedule here. The following photos and events actually took place on Thursday, August 7. 

Actually, the first few were taken late on Wednesday, August 6. Here are a few photos of Waterford Castle at night. 

The dining room. (No, we did not eat there. Dress code and all that.)

The bar. Photo is a little wacky because I took it in a dark room without a flash. iPhoto then made it REALLY bright. But you can see how nice the room is.

We ordered room service the next morning, because that is how you eat breakfast when you're in a castle. (Thanks to Jeff Denman!) Here's my plate. That's Irish-style bacon, eggs, sausage, white pudding, black pudding, grilled tomato, and sausages. If you're not familiar with black pudding, and you're a little squeamish, don't Google it. But I assure you it was delicious.

Waterford Castle is in the town of Waterford, and if that sounds familiar, you might have heard of their crystal. They have a factory/shop in town. My favorite items are these holiday vases, with etches done on either side so you get a 3D effect when you look through them. 

These are beautiful. Why don't I have any?

Oh. That's why.

From there it was north to Kilkenny. We ate lunch at Kyteler's Inn (Thanks to Charlie & Crystal!), founded in 1324. Dame Alice Kyteler amassed four husbands and a great fortune in her lifetime. Her jealous enemies accused her of witchcraft, so she fled to England so she would not be burned at the stake. Her associates were not so lucky. Medieval history is really awful sometimes.

Kilkenny is a lovely little town.

We were there to see Kilkenny Castle. (Thanks to Glenn!) Originally built by the Normans in 1195, it passed through a series of owners until the town acquired it in the 1960s. They have since renovated it to something resembling its original condition. They do not allow photos inside, but the outside is awfully impressive.

The gardens are also lovely.

Man. That's a really nice castle. One might think it was the coolest historic site we saw that day.

One would be greatly mistaken.

This is the Rock of Cashel. 

The history of the site dates back to the 5th century, though the oldest stuff still standing was built some time in the 12th century. The structure sits on a hill in the middle of the valley, so you can see it sticking out from miles away. I didn't get any photos because I was driving, but even under heavy renovation, it was breathtaking.

I love this. The corner of the building fell off somewhere along the way, so they've just left it there. 

My lovely bride.

Interior shots. I am a sucker for plant life growing out of cracks in walls. I can't help it.

They are in the process of recreating this portrait of Jesus Christ.

There is also a graveyard outside the Rock that is still in use today.

I suspect this is not an original headstone.

A replica of St. Patrick's Cross. (More on this in a second.)

My lovely bride's dashing groom.

They also have displays of what the interior might have looked like.

The actual St. Patrick's Cross, moved inside for protection.

And as it turns out, the views FROM the Rock of Cashel are nearly impressive as the views OF the Rock of Cashel.

Fun with panoramas.

Even the rocks outside the Rock look great.

I fell head over heels in love with the Rock of Cashel and could have stayed there all day. I left thinking it would be my favorite part of the trip. That belief lasted less than 24 hours.

We then drove into Killarney, our homebase for the next couple of nights. (Thanks to Sigrid Soini, Carol Anway, and Keith & Lily Martin!) After some delicious lamb cutlets (Thanks to Kate Trettevik!) and an Irish beer or two (Thanks to Charlie & Crystal!), we spent a little time walking the streets of town. Killarney, at least our section, is pretty touristy, but it stays open late, which is rare for this country. The giant woolen goods store is open till 11 p.m. in case you need an after-dinner sweater. We also saw this guy, who had about the largest crowd I've ever seen gathered around a busker. 

Sample lyrics: "Welcome to Killarney/We're awfully glad you came/Now bugger off and tell your friends/Come back and do the same."

This has been the trip of a lifetime, and we still have a week's worth of adventures to tell you about. Thanks to everyone!