Went to the Rock of Cashel this afternoon. St. Patrick was there in the 4th century, baptizing the king. In 12 or 18 years (I forget which) he had baptized and converted all of Ireland. The rock was handed over to the church by the clan king in 1101. We got lots of church history (relating to Ireland and the site).
The site was abandoned as a church in in the late 1700s because it was so exposed to the elements. It decayed for about 100 years until it began to be preserved. It's mostly made of sandstone which means it was especially subject to the elements. It's about the same age as Westminster Abbey but the conditions are very very different!!
The roofs are mostly gone which makes touring in the rain a little uncomfortable. Took a very informative tour (my memory fault if some of the above is off, not the guide). It was a very interesting place to visit. Views could have been better.
(about the rain...tv anchor just said they are supposed to get a month worth if rain in the next 36 hours...yay. We're paying now for all the sunshine in London.)
Headed to Kilkenny. Randomly stumbled on a Delaney restaurant/bar! Obviously had to stop and eat. I think this might (might) be the area the Delaneys are from. We were told at checkin that it's a common name around here.
Speaking of checking in...in the reception office, looked up and saw a license plate from the Colts Superbowl win! So completely random 2000 miles away! Apparently a guest sent it back (of course we asked).
Walked around town, trying to do some shopping. Running out of time to buy souvenirs! B&B is pretty nice, maybe the nicest we've had yet.
Tomorrow is a busy last day: Powerscourt, Guinness Storehouse, and get car back by 3pm. Then hostel (Matt keeps asking if we'll be killed) in the Temple Bar area. We'll have to make up for missing the Eaglemania beer garden (my favorite beer drinking of the year). Then Saturday around 1 here, 8am at home, we fly out.
It's been a long 2 weeks. The stuff we did at the beginning already seems like a very long time ago. Home seems like a super long time ago. It's gone really fast though. Crazy all we've seen and done in 2 weeks. Maybe once we'll home it'll all sink in.
Pictures: cemetery at Rock of Cashel,
Delaney's restaurant, Colts plate at reception, full Irish breakfast this morning, and Cashel ruins (I can't change the order they show up, or I would).
6 comments:
Craig has bacon envy. That was our favorite part of the Irish Breakfast. On the last day I took the offered pancakes along with a side of bacon. Best stuff ever!
what is to the left of the Egg, sort of looked like blood sausage, but I doubt that is it.
And the last picture, is awesome, too bad they didn't build it with something other than lime stone...
I took a liking to the oatmeal, I don't know why because it's no different than at home.
It might be blood sausage. It was definitely some kind of sausage.
This is what Blood Sausage looked like (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2118302554776&set=a.2118228592927.2113382.1162110027&type=3&theater).
I thought it was a Spain thing, but maybe it would be in Ireland too... Did you end up eating it?
Hum...it looks a lot like your blood sausage but not at jello like. I did eat it but had to choke it down. Matt was stuffed and I felt really bad not finishing everything so I did. But I didn't like it.
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