As our sojourn in Dublin came to an end, we got a car and headed out into the wilds of the “Emerald Isle.” Clearly, we shouldn’t have been surprised the sky was mostly wet and gray. How else does everything stay green? On our way to Waterford, we planned to visit some points of interest.
Car Fire at the Airport
The day didn’t start without some drama. As Mike was getting the final paperwork for the car in order, a number of people were looking nervously out the window behind him and the live streaming began. It seemed that a car had caught on fire in a traffic lane next to the car rental building.
The agent began to hurry up his checkout because she was concerned about getting evacuated at any moment. Mike was only too happy to get handed the keys so he could bolt away ASAP. We never did hear any further about it, so it was probably resolved with limited damage.
Glendalough Lake
The lake is not too far outside of Dublin and certainly close enough for a daylong excursion. Of course, the name Glendalough Lake is redundant as the “lough” part means lake. We saw lots of trail signs and places to get directions to interesting hiking trails. We just stopped off for a look-see and wound up at the ruins of a monastery, the first of many. Not the first day or last day we toured around with jackets and umbrellas in June. At least, the weather produced some really interesting cloud formations.
We quickly discovered most ruined monasteries also have ruined graveyards. Also, near the lake, we saw an ancient circle of rocks, like the cairns we saw in Scotland, but it seems no one knows what this one was used for.
On our drive around Ireland, we were struck by the number of intact and ruined towers. Apparently, there are 2000 to 3000 towers scattered around Ireland. The top was good as a lookout as well as a way to call in people. Towers were also defensible, so the lord could retreat to them if things in the neighborhood got a little dicey.
Kilkenny Castle
The quaint, tourist town of Kilkenny is home to the restored Kilkenny Castle. Of course, there were also some hotels and restaurants to support the visitors. Kilkenny Castle has been continuously occupied since it was founded after the Norman conquest of Ireland. It was occupied and controlled by the Butler and Marshall families. Click here for a full history of the lineages. It is interesting if you like that kind of stuff.
The castle has been restored and changed over the last 800 years. Today, it is largely of Victorian design with extensive formal gardens and parkland that is all open to visitors.
Rock of Cashel
The Rock of Cashel is an impressive cluster of medieval buildings with historical significance. At the center is the huge Gothic cathedral set on a rocky outcropping. It is unclear why the cathedral was so large but it was certainly impressive, as were the views of the Irish countryside from the top.
Originally the seat of the kings of Munster, according to legend, St. Patrick himself came here to convert King Aenghus to Christianity. Brian Boru was crowned High King at Cashel in 978 and made it his capital. Then in 1101, the site was granted to the church and Cashel swiftly rose to prominence as one of the most significant centers of religious power in the country.
Holycross Abbey
Holycross Abbey is a restored Cistercian monastery founded in 1182AD in County Tipperary. Pilgrims flocked to the monastery because the monks had a relic of the True Cross of Jesus. A second relic, the Ormond Relic, is also enshrined in the Abbey. When we arrived for the 2 p.m. tour, we found only one other couple, so we got a lengthy, semi-private tour. Our guide said that some of the restorations date from the 15th century, but the church was restored in the 1970s. Today the abbey functions as the local parish church and still contains the two relics.
The interesting stonework and cloister are from the 15th century. Each stone mason marked their work with a unique symbol to ensure they were paid and there are quite a few marked stones at the abbey. After the tour, we took a brief walk around the little town that spans the River Suir.
Waterford Town
We didn’t take much time to explore the seafaring town of Waterford, founded by the Vikings. There is even a Viking boat in a prominent position near a historic tower on the seafront. But, we did stumble on a summer music festival the first night we were there but it really seemed the people were more interested in drinking and socializing than listening to the band.
Waterford Factory Tour
The main reason we came to Waterford was to tour the crystal factory. The tour gave us a very detailed view of the work and the artisans involved in making the world-renowned crystal. During the tour, our guide described and demonstrated all of the processes. The artisans even answered our questions and showed us special things like the etching machine, which is used because some designs can’t be done by hand. However, each piece is unique so the etching process starts with the machine measuring the blank and then proceeding to make the cuts.
At the end of the tour, we were dropped into the Waterford Factory Store, which wasn’t a surprise. Even though we weren’t buying anything, we took a few minutes to admire the crystal.
Copper Coast
Just south and west of Waterford, there is a section of Ireland known as the Copper Coast. Close to Cork, the cliffs of Bunmahon were mined for lead, silver, and copper for centuries, with the industry picking up in the 18th century. Activity kicked into high gear entering the 19th century.
By 1840, the region was described as ‘the most important — mining district in the empire’. They began working at depths of almost a quarter of a mile and the same distance under the sea bed at increasing expense and risk of flood. A peak was reached in 1865 followed by a fairly consistent decline until the last few tons were sold in 1879 as ore prices couldn’t support the cost of mining. Entire extended families moved away, mainly to America where some of them wound up working at the Copper Mountain in Butte, Montana.
Today, what little remains is a UNESCO site, with a small museum and the remains of a few of the mines. The museum is worth a visit to witness the lifestyle and machinery of this bygone activity.
Which heirloom pieces of crystal do you cherish?
3 comments
I am enjoying your stop in Ireland. I traveled there with Mac and Kristine many years ago but had to cut the trip short due to a death in the family. Your post on Dublin makes me want to go back and be sure to spend more time there. We used Dublin as a launch to the rest of the trip but there is so much to see and do that I would stay longer there.
So glad you’re enjoying it. We have another 3 articles on Ireland.
When I said earlier that the advertising covered up your text – I found if you turn it vertical rather than sideways, I can read everything!
We’re glad you are detailing your time in Ireland, as we plan on going there as soon as Jerry’s doctor gives us a green light! Thanks so much!!!