Blogs from Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Ireland, Europe

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Europe » Ireland » County Kilkenny » Kilkenny June 22nd 2023

The Lyrath Estate offered Archery on the grounds and we decided to try our hand, but agreed not to shot each other. John from the Hawkeye School of Falconry and Archery was excellent at training us pure newbies to shoot straight and after 20 minutes could consistently target the centre of the targets. By the end of the 1 hour sessions we both archived head shots on a baby deer target. Rose was better at hitting the deer when John covered the deer's eyes. For the afternoon, we decided to drive into town to have lunch, a Kilkenny road train ride and walk around the Castle Yard and Butler gardens, walking the grounds of Kilken... read more
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Europe » Ireland » County Kilkenny » Kilkenny June 21st 2023

Today was a medium travel day starting in Cork and going to Kilkenny via Waterford. Only about 2 and a half hours of travel. On arriving in Waterford we decided to check the tour times for The House of Waterford Crystal. After a short wait we started the tour with a quick history lesson on Waterford and a display of some one off signature pieces. Then we toured the different steps of manufacturing starting with making the wood forms, than watched the forms being used in the blowing room. Which then got passed to the where they removed the blowing caps and then they placed in an annealing oven 24 hours to slowly cool. After cooling they ground the rim top, outside, then inside for a clean rim. Any sculpture pieces that required multiple pieces would ... read more
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Europe » Ireland » County Kilkenny » Kilkenny July 15th 2022

We sadly departed Dublin without kids on the 12th with Bird and HP just moping along. Otherwise day was okay, warm with folks vehemently complaining of heat in the mid-seventies. A couple of days later when in Portmagee, jumping off point for Skellig Michael, a Yellow Flag warning was issued for temperature as on 16 July it was to rise to a blistering 73F. Honest Abe folksYellow Flag. Chatted with an Airbnb host one afternoon and she warns temp may reach the intolerable levels of the eighties with no rain. She didn't say but one would imagine, they blame the U.S. and China for the bulk of climate change. Countries in Europe by and large are doing the work to reduce carbon, but the big boys do little. At any rate visited a couple of demolished ... read more
Jerpoint Abbey
Kells Priory
St. Canice's Cathedral and Round Tower

Europe » Ireland » County Kilkenny » Kilkenny June 20th 2022

We were greeted by grey, overcast skies and chilly temperatures. We left the Lodge, said goodbye to the doggies, packed Sherri, and set off to our penultimate stop in Kilkenny, about an hour away. Once we had found parking we attempted to find our lodgings, eventually asking in a café at approximately the correct address. Luckily the café owner was also our host, so we had somewhere to stay for the next 2 nights. The accommodation on this occasion isn’t Airbnb and was booked by me rather than Susan; I’m afraid to say the quality isn’t really up to the same standard as our last few accommodations, being small and a bit tatty. It is clean though, and we’ll only be using it as somewhere to sleep, so it’s not a major problem. We went for ... read more
Wandering around Kilkenny
Cathedral
Beautiful decoration around the altar

Europe » Ireland » County Kilkenny » Kilkenny June 20th 2022

Our penultimate full day, and the sun was shining ? We found a café for breakfast, then headed to the castle. The self-guided tour was interesting and well structured. It took around an hour, and there was plenty of information on the history of the castle and the Earls of Ormonde, the 25th Earl who died in 1997 being the last. Upon his death, the Marquessate of Ormonde became extinct and the Earldoms of Ormonde and Ossory and the Viscountcy of Thurles became dormant. The castle is now owned by the people of Ireland since the last Marquess of Ormond sold it to the State for a token sum of £50. Afterwards we had an ice cream, and explored the 50 acres of parkland adjacent to the castle. It’s beautiful, with lots of wild flowers and ... read more
The castle
Formal dining room in the castle
Castle library

Europe » Ireland » County Kilkenny » Kilkenny September 7th 2019

We get to sleep in a bit this morning. As we pass through the lobby on the way to breakfast, the backwards musical sculpture bothers me again. I decide to explain the problem to the clerk at the desk. She smiles politely but clearly doesn't really get it. The hotel's buffer breakfast is particularly good. There is fresh honey comb and (gasp) fresh peanut butter. What a treat. And we're off again on a day trip to explore the area south of Kilkenny. The landscape is much less interesting than the wild coastal regions we toured recently, consisting mostly of rolling hills and farms. We drive through Bennettsbridge, the location of several flour mills, and Thomastown, known for the 13th-century Jerpoint Abbey and the Church of St. Nicholas. Yes, that St. Nick. He's buried here. Tony ... read more
Passenger on the Dunbrody Famine Ship
Eternal flame for Irish emigrants
JFK Memorial

Europe » Ireland » County Kilkenny » Kilkenny September 6th 2019

Unfortunately we are back to rainy weather this morning. Early start on our way to Cork and ultimately Kilkenny. We are now headed east on the last leg of our counterclockwise circle around the island. As we enter county Cork, Tony tells us the story of Michael Collins, the Irish revolutionary leader who came to realize that compromise was the only hope for peace. He signed the peace treaty with Britain in 1922 that created the Republic of Ireland while leaving six northern counties in British hands (Northern Ireland). He knew he was signing his own death warrant because the radical factions saw this act as a betrayal. And, indeed, he was later assassinated. 1.5 million people attended his funeral in Dublin. We pass through another Irish-speaking area. There have been a few of these on ... read more
Dave kisses the Blarney Stone
Climbing down the stairs at Blarney Castle
Town of Cahir

Europe » Ireland » County Kilkenny » Kilkenny June 12th 2017

Up and out at 8:30 with another couple in tow, heading for Kilkenny. Made it through the roundabouts, into the city, and caught a parking space on the street right next to the castle! The Castle has three of its original four towers still intact, as well as a beautiful rose garden. The contents were all auctioned off when the Butlers went bankrupt so the OPM have found items "of the times". During excavations, some original wallpapers and fabrics were found and replicated. Then, walked through town to St. Canice Cathedral--lovely medieval city--pubs and shops. Got a great idea for a sweater. The cathedral included the ancient chair used to anoint bishops of the parish, of whichever religion, currently Anglican. Then there was the Tower--seven sets of acutely angled steps with a tight landing at each. ... read more
Kilkenny Castle
Kilkenny Castle
Kilkenny Castle

Europe » Ireland » County Kilkenny » Kilkenny June 9th 2017

We first got into a plane to Atlanta which took about two hours to get there. Then we got into another plane to Amsterdam which I slept through since it was 7 hours. After Amsterdam, we took a plane to Dublin which was about 2 hours. Once we arrived we did not stay long because we were not staying in Dublin. We got a car and took it to Killkenny which was about an hour and a half ride. Once we got to our hotel, we just ate dinner and went to bed as it was a very long day. The next morning we went to the Kilkenny castle which is like every single castle ever built in Europe. The castle had a blue room, a green room, a red room and a photo gallery. The ... read more
Rock of Cashel
Rock of Cashel
Rock of Cashel

Europe » Ireland » County Kilkenny » Kilkenny October 1st 2016

Ah Kilkenny. I don't even know where to start with this trip. I cannot help but gush on and on about my time here, so be weary. I had been planning to come to Kilkenny for a little while and I was in contact with my grandpa's sister Kathleen. Now, for background's sake, my grandpa was born and raised in Kilkenny and he has four sisters, three of whom are still living, and two who live in Kilkenny still. I left myself Friday morning from the Galway bus station at about half eight. Now, I'm not going to lie I was nervous. I had met and spent time with all of these people before, but I hadn't seen them in over five years. I was nervous I was going to impose too much on them and ... read more
Kilkenny Nightlife
Kilkenny at Night
Smithwick's Brewery




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