Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Kilkenny
We had a nourishing breakfast and relaxed night, it was a sunny morning cloud an drizzle came in by 12:30. We roamed around the churches, and Kilkenny has more than it's fair share of grand churches both catholic and protestant. First up St Canices Cathedral and Round Tower. (Church of Ireland), then to the protestant St Canices Church, round to Black Abbey which had a magnificent stained glass window, and then to the very grand catholic St Mary's Cathedral which was packed to the rafters. The streets of Kilkenny are empty until church is over. So it was eerily quiet until midday.
There is no pressure to see spectacular landscapes, but among its attractions and activities it offers a relaxed rural experience with rolling hills courtesy of Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs; two major rivers - the Barrow and the Nore; medieval abbeys; Norman castles and some magnificent formal gardens, inspired by the Anglo Irish aristocracy who held sway in this prosperous county.
Kilkenny city is dominated by the splendid 13th century Kilkenny Castle, one of the many medieval structures that make this town so special. It is a throwback to the Norman chieftains who dominated this region for so long, particularly the great Butler family.
They arrived from Wales and England to Leinster in the 12th century, destroying the old order of kingships. The priory in the medieval village of Kells was founded in 1193 under the instructions of Strongbow - after whom the Irish cider is named. The castle was remodelled in Victorian times and set in extensive parklands. It was the principal seat of the Butler family, Marquesses and Dukes of Ormonde. The family moved away and sold off a lot of stuff. Then the castle was left to rot for 30 years and finally sold for 50 Euro to the town for restoration which too another 30 years. The beautiful Long Gallery has some of the original family paintings it's truly grand. We took lots of happy snaps.
Nowadays Kilkenny city is popular because of it's of the variety of things you can do, boating and fishing are popular as is the art and music. It has aspirations to match Edinburgh festival as a top tourism event with The Cat Laughs Comedy Festival.
The river Nore and river Barrow form the boundary with neighbouring Carlow and connects with Dublin via the Grand Canal. Kilkenny is also home to beautiful forest parks, stately homes, walled gardens and some of Ireland's grandest golf clubs and country hotels such as Mount Juliet.
Translated as 'the village of the monks', the village on the Barrow is home to the Duiske Abbey, the largest and finest of the 34 medieval abbeys in Ireland. Saint Fiachra hails from here - he is patron saint of gardeners and taxi drivers (French cabbies are often known as fiacres in his honour). Good trivia knowledge.
Before we left Kilkenny we had coffee and almond Florentines at Kilkenny chocolate House and Café, great coffee, great chocolates, great atmosphere.
The Cats is also the nickname for its senior hurling team which dominates the county's sporting records with 31 All-Ireland Championship titles under their belt. we got a picture of their team colours.
Passed thought another town called Inch, or as Keith said that's "two Inches".
Robin picked a place to eat (Jay K's - blame him) and we have filled up (nice smoked cod) and now we are on our way back to Talbert Street, within the hour. Hope to catch the second half of the Chelsea V Liverpool football game.
It will be good to get back to the flat and out of the car, getting rather sick of driving around so much, I need to walk and eat salads and wash my clothes. More flood warnings south of Cork and the southern coast line. It's been dry all day so were either lucky or just ahead of the rain. It's cold though 5 degrees and its 4pm. Dam…..mmm. Cold! My feet need sunshine and thongs, sick of boots and sneekers.
Saw a sign to Graiguenamanagh village, shades of Wales, they have long complicated names here too, barges come up the river Barrow to Graiguenamanagh. A barge trip would be great to do in the summer time, a ramblers and anglers delight. Next time.
Robin read that Jerpoint Abbey was close by and that it is one of the finest Cistercian Abbeys in the country. It dates back to the 12th century and features a magnificent sculptured cloister arcade and unique stone carvings. they will have to come back to do that and the Caves. Most things take alot of time to see, and it's getting late. We're heading for the coast, through the Carlow County following the winding roads to the coast town of Arklow (An Tinbhear Mor). We again passed unspoiled countryside with rolling hills, horse paddocks and farms, very relaxed and Keith is an expert navigating narrow winding roads, except he likes to race around "just because there is no traffic and to burn the gunk out!".
- comments
ruth griffiths greast to hear about your travels arrived yesterday back from the home of TRans fat had a great time in NYC vegas was what vegas is all that glitters is just rhinestones and bugle beads but saw shows including Human nature and Zumanity spent three days La and went to museums and la Brea tar pit santa monica etc am exhausted and glad to be home Ireland sounds just as I remember especialy around Dingle I remember the feeling when the sun comes out after days of grey skies and rain Take care Ruth and Wayne