Our first event this morning, after meeting our coach driver, Mark, was a tour at Dublin's Kilmainham Gaol (Jail), a jail whose history dates back to 1796! We entered the Gaol through the courthouse where the tour started. We appreciated the history of the Gaol, but there were two stories that stuck with us the most was that of Joseph Plunkett and James Connolly. Both of these men were leaders in the 1916 Easter Rising. Joseph Plunkett was captured and taken to the Gaol to be held and executed. 7 hours prior to his execution he married his fiancé Grace Gifford in the Gaol chapel. After their marriage they were together for 10 minutes in his cell with a guard present who was said to be counting down the time until she had to
|
|
|
Our next stop was the beautiful town of Cashel at the foot of the beautiful Rock of Cashel. We had a wee lunch of soup and sandwiches before hiking up the hill to the ruins. The view from the top was stunning as we gazed over the green, rolling fields, and other ruins visible from the site. Our walk through the Rock of Cashel was extraordinary and memorable. This was also our first up close encounter to the beautifully ornate Irish Crosses cresting the graves. Local legend states that the rock originated 20 miles north of Cashel at a mountain called the Devil's Bit where St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave in the mountain. The original rock has been taken away and replaced with a sturdier version as limestone easily erodes overtime.
|
This evening we spent the night in a beautiful town of Kinsale, one of our favorite towns that we visited! We loved the brightly colored doors and buildings throughout the town! The harbor was small and beautiful!
On our tour dinner was included for our first night in most places. We ate at High Tide, which was a beautiful dinner with a warm and welcoming host who was a very attentive waitress and excited to share her son's food with us that evening. We never found ourselves to be hungry on this tour! |
|
|
This morning we started the day with a walking tour of Kinsale with an Irish Gem, Barry Moloney. Our walk started at Desmond Castle, a fortress that was converted to a jail and which held American prisoners captured while trying to take over British merchant ships during the American War of Independance. There were 300 American prisoners held there and 60 of them died while imprisoned. As we were visiting this site on the 4th of July, Barry led us in the singing of the US national anthem as a nod to the site's past.
We heard many stories as we walked the streets of Kinsale. It was a wonderful walking tour! At the end of the tour |
Barry had some of his books available for purchase. We loved this town so much that we were very eager to pick up a copy. It is a wonderful read and a great souvenir of our walking tour!
Our next stop was Charles Fort, one of 2 forts on the outskirts of Kinsale. Charles Fort only saw one battle, which she lost at the 1601 Battle of Kinsale. It was taken over by the Spanish, who were trying to take the port of Kinsale as an entry to Ireland. The Irish fought along with the Spanish to try and fend off the British, but ultimately the British claimed the port. The British released the Irish and allowed them to return home on one condition that they not fight back against the British. |
|
|
This evening we followed Pascal and Barry's advice and opted to join the Kinsale Ghost Tour. It was hilarious! The Kinsale Ghost Tour is enjoyable and appropriate for children and adults. Brian and David utilize a Monty Python type, slap stick humor with some startling surprises along the way! For the tour being run by a couple of older gentlemen, they are surprisingly spry! We did hear a couple of the stories earlier in the way with our city tour, but this was a different presentation. Also, despite the size of the walking group you will still be able to hear the stories as the guide has a speaker around his neck! This tour is highly recommended! Please check out a video we took at one of the points of interest along the way.
|