Day #1 (Thursday 6/15/2017) - Welcome to Ireland (Page Two)
Did You Know? - Dublin is in the province of Leinster on Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey. The city has an urban area population of 1,345,402. The population of the Greater Dublin Area, as of 2016, was 1,904,806 people.
Founded as a Viking settlement, the Kingdom of Dublin became Ireland's principal city following the Norman invasion. The city expanded rapidly from the 17th century and was briefly the second largest city in the British Empire before the Acts of Union in 1800. Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, Dublin became the capital of the Irish Free State, later renamed Ireland.
We stayed at the Aspect Hotel in Kilkenny
Popular with locals and visitors, Lanigan's Bar is the ideal place to relax where friendly bar staff are always glad to serve you their finest food at very reasonable prices. Guests can choose from a scintillating menu with only the best of local produce used.
Did You Know? - Kilkenny is also the site of Ireland's earliest recorded witch trial. Occurring in 1324, the trial involved Dame Alice de Kyteler and her servant Petronella de Meath. Petronella would be the first person recorded in Ireland to be burned alive at the stake for witchcraft, after Dame Alice presumably fled the country. This trial was also one of the earliest recorded witch burnings in Europe, and inspires much folk lore about the possibility of the ghosts of Alice and Petronella haunting downtown Kilkenny.
Day 2 (Friday 6/16/2017) - Time To See Kilkenny Castle!
It is 5:00 AM and we are up and ready to go!
View from our hotel
Here comes the sun!
A hop, skip, and a jump!
Did You Know? - Kilkenny Castle (Irish: Caisleán Chill Chainnigh) is a castle in Kilkenny, Ireland built in 1195 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways. It was a symbol of Norman occupation and in its original thirteenth-century condition it would have formed an important element of the defences of the town with four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, part of which can still be seen today on the Parade.
On the River Nore
A mountain of stone was used
Neat mote... Where be the alligators?
Having a load of fun!
All smiles
The River Nore runs through the center of Kilkenny
Did You Know? - The River Nore is a 140-kilometre (87 mi) long river located in south-east of Ireland. Along with the River Suir and River Barrow, it is one of the constituent rivers of the group known as the Three Sisters. The river drains approximately 977 square miles (2,530 km2) of Leinster.
The long term average flow rate of the River Nore is 42.9 cubic metres per second (m3/s).
The river rises in the Devil's Bit Mountain, County Tipperary. Flowing generally southeast, and then south, before emptying into the Celtic Sea at Waterford Harbour, Waterford.
Irish ducks... Some of their heads are green
The castle grounds are beautiful
Indeed it was a fortress!
The inside has been kept up to date
Plastic walls protect the ancient furniture
Set for a Lord!
Checkout the stained glass
There were tapestries on many of the walls
Oldies but goodies
Interesting signs? Handicapped?
Matt's is right across the river from the castle
Did You Know? - Smithwick's /ˈsmɪθɪks/ is an Irish red ale-style beer originally brewed in the Kilkenny brewery of the same name.
The Smithwick's brewery was founded in Kilkenny in 1710. It was acquired by Guinness in 1965, which is now part of Diageo. The Kilkenny brewery was shut down in 2013 and all Smithwick's and Kilkenny branded beers are now brewed in Dublin, while parts of the old brewery are now a "visitor experience"
Welcome to Smithwicks!
Did someone say "beer?"
It's Friday and we are on tour... Yeah!!
Great fun!
LoHs Restaurant is a Chinese restaurant - Welcome to Lohs Restaurant located on 27 Parliment St in Kilkenny. This delicious Chinese takeaway serves a wide range of dishes
On the road again!
The church steeples seem to reach way into the sky
The sun sets and we are home for the night...
Magnificent