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Published: October 9th 2009
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wicklow
Driving through County Wicklow Well, we picked up the car and headed out of the Dublin Airport on Thursday. I would recommend doing that since the traffic in Dublin is crazy and so is anyone who attempts to drive in it. This way we were outside of the city. Even so, the first thing Jim did was turn the wrong way on a one way street leaving the car hire lot. As with all firsts, the rest of the day was a bit stressful for me since Jim insisted upon driving a wee bit too far to the left and kept scraping our tires on the curb. No beer or wine on this trip. We needed all our faculties. Jim to drive, and me to yell at Jim when I was terrified. No navigation necessary since we had “Garmen” telling us where to drive. I would recommend getting a navigation system. We just let it tell us where to turn. We had only one tight squeeze when Jim looked left instead of right and pulled out into the path of a van coming at 50 miles an hour. Needless to say we gunned it and made it through the intersection. My heart was beating at
2 wicklow
Our first sheep along the road heart attack level. Overall though, we had the most beautiful drive through the Wicklow mountains to Glendalough. The treeless bog land showed signs of peat harvesting (we think), and bubbly black ponds of pitch. Jim had to stop and "christen" a bog (men have no bladder capacity). Rolling hills of green ground cover and thick patches of dark pines dotted in between the bogs and we drove down long dark lanes lined with thick forest. Since “Garmen” had taken us through the back roads, we passed miles without seeing another car (we did see lots of sheep though!). Glendalough when we finally arrived was a peaceful monastic settlement of old and I had no trouble imagining the monks settling down by the burbling creek and deep green forest in this magical valley. We then drove on to the “Meeting of the Waters”, the confluence of the Avonbeg and Avonmore rivers. Then on to Avoca where they have the oldest hand weaving mill in Ireland. After Avoca, we headed for Kilkenney. Even though hair raising at times on narrow roads with big tractors, the scenery was breathtaking. At last we arrived in Kilkenny at the “Kilkenny River Court Hotel”. It has
a beautiful view of Kilkenny Castle from the riverside bar terrace in the hotel. This is a hotel where I was torn between the beautiful location and view and the really really uncomfortable beds. The view won out in our minds, but beware the beds. The next day it rained (and I mean poured!) most of the day. We still managed to visit the castle, the Rothe House (great to see how families lived in the 16th century), the Black Abbey and the St, Candice’s Cathedral, all of which were amazing. Naturally, we had to duck into a number of pubs (which Kilkenny abounds with) so we could dry ourselves out by the fire, and fortify ourselves with Smithwicks beer, which is brewed right in Kilkenny. The “Kytler’s Inn” is particularly interesting since it’s original owner was convicted of being a witch. Fortunately for her, she escaped to England, but her poor maid, Petronnella,, was left behind to be burned at the stake. The pub interior takes you back hundreds of years. Finally at the end of the day, as if to redeem itself, at the sun burst forth to present us with another spectacular evening view of the Kilkenny
Castle as we walked next to the river on our way back to the hotel. We are still in search of a peat fire in one of those fireplaces. No luck so far. Taking off for Kilarney tomorrow. Hope to be kissing the Blarney stone tomorrow too!
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Nancy Rhea
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the pub
I was so happy to see Jim sitting in a Pub! I was afraid that he was not going to partake in order to drive. Looks like a beautiful country and that you are having a good time. Has Jim gotten a kilt yet?