Tuesday, April 28:

Today begins the last leg of our Ireland adventure as we make our way to Dublin. We made a morning stop in Kilkenny, a charming town on the River Nore. Approaching Kilkenny I saw a sign in one of the local homes: "We may not have it all together but together we have it all". Among the sites in Kilkenny is the Kilkenny Castle, built in the 1190's, and St. Canice's Cathedral. We only had about an hour in Kilkenny but during that time many took advantage of visiting the craft and design workshops and gift shops. During my walk I spotted the butter slip - a small alley way named after the butter stalls that once lined this small market place. I also saw The Kyteler's Inn, named after a former resident, Dame Alice Kyteler. In 1324, Alice and her maid were pronounced guilty of witchcraft after four of Alice's husbands had died in mysterious circumstances; although pardoned, Alice was again accused but escaped, leaving her maid to burn at the stake. I did make my way to St. Canice's Cathedral and the Round Tower but it was not open when I arrived. Kilkenny is the home of Smithwick Beer since 1710. 

     

Leaving Kilkenny, we were off to Dublin. Arriving in Dublin, we stopped at our drop-off and pick-up point for lunch. We made our way in different directions for lunch. A few of us ended up at The Lincoln Inn for lunch - a pub that was frequented by James Joyce during his day. While we were eating the power went out for several blocks in town. We had ordered soon enough for us to eat our food via light from the windows and use the restroom via candlelight. Back on the coach, we had a driving tour of Dublin pointing out the key sights and ending up at St. Patrick's Cathedral. The Cathedral has been at the heart of Dublin and Ireland's history and culture for over 800 years. For long periods it was the largest enclosed space on the island it remains the largest Cathedral in the country. It has been visited by some of Irish history's most influential individuals from Cromwell, William of Orange and King James I, to Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. It is the final resting place for one of Ireland's most famous men, Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's travels and Dean (head) of the Cathedral. It has witnessed the birth of the expression "to chance your arm" within its walls as well as being the site of the very first school in Ireland, the Cathedral Choir School (Bono attended this school.) 

Death mask of Jonathan Swift

Throughout Dublin the doors are multicolored. It was said that at one point all the doors were painted black. Drunken men were having a problem finding their houses after a night at the pubs so they painted their doors a different color to distinguish their door from the others. 

After our tour of Dublin, we went to the hotel to freshen up before dinner. Tonight was an optional excursion called "The Taste of Ireland" - a farm to table restaurant in Dublin - O'Connell's. The First Course allowed us to try any or all of the following food items: Silver Darling Herrings, Deviled Granstown Farm Free-range eggs, potato & spring onion salad with wild wicklow garlic relish, roasted Keelings Farm red peppers, Goatsbridge Farm Trout Crush, Beetroot hummus, Toonsbridge Irish Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese, Final Ferguson's West Cork Choizo, and Grilled inch Black Pudding.  For the Main Course we had a choice of Braised Shank of Irish Lamb and a wee Shepherd's Pie; Charcoal Oven Roasted Breast of Irish Chicken; Gratin of Co Cork landed Wild Atlantic Hake; Charcoal Oven Baked Wild Mushrooms; or Roast Striploin of Irish Hereford Beef. For Dessert, a choice of warm Cullohill rhubarb tart; Traditional sherry trifle; or Irish coffee meringue roulade. It was an enjoyable evening with a lot of food!!

After dinner, it was back to the room for the night.