Castles, Churches and Other Experiences

Since our last post we have visited castles in Blarney, Kilkenny and Waterford. Religious sites including Cashel Rock Chapel, the Black Abbey of Kilkenny, the Duisk Abbey of Graigmanaugh, St Mary’s Church of Gowran, Bridget Cathedral of Kildare and St Patricks of Dublin.

We would have kissed the Blarney Stone, but we had too much respect for our backs. We also would have climbed the round tower at Kilkenny, which is reputed to be the tallest round tower in Ireland, had we been ten years younger. For the same reason we would have climbed the round tower at Kildare which is also reputed to be the tallest round tower in Ireland, but we didn’t.

We have been on a church tour, a ghost tour, a famine tour in a shopping centre (which had once been a poor house), a famine experience on a ship, a 4D tour of a bishop’s house and a 3D Viking experience.

We have been to towns and counties across Ireland where our ancestors once lived. Along the way Adrian has sampled numerous local beers and we have toured the Smithwick’s Brewery which exports under the Kilkenny brand. Sadly, our Irish tour has come to a close.

 At 6:20am on Wednesday we fly to Amsterdam for the next part of our holiday.