Today we left Dublin and traveled south to Kilkenny for a brief visit. Such a lovely town! We got off the bus and into a tram for a ride around the historic area. Our driver, Paul, was a lovely wee man, full of jokes and fun. As he drove us through neighborhoods and past shops, he rang his bell and was greeted by locals each time - clearly he's a popular guy around here!
After this introduction to all the sights, we began walking to a few of them. One stop was at the farmer's market that springs up every Thursday on the broad promenade outside the walls of Kilkenny Castle. At Paul's recommendation, we stopped at the Irish bog oak kiosk, operated by a farmer and his wife, he a wood carver and she a jewelry maker. The oak comes from the peat bog on their farm and is as old as 7,000 years. Preserved by the bog, the wood is carvable and beautiful. I did feel compelled to purchase some earrings ....
Next we poked into Kilkenny Castle, entering the keep and wandering around admiring the flowers and the acres of back lawn. Then we exited the grounds, crossed the street, and went into the Irish Design Centre, where the castle outbuildings have been converted to artisan workshops. So interesting to poke around in an exhibit of very modern sculpture (all for sale, and averaging around 2200 Euros) right in the midst of this medieval city!
After a light lunch and a stroll around some of the narrow streets, poking into a bookshop and peering into City Hall, we headed back to our bus and embarked for Waterford.
Ireland's oldest city, Waterford was first settled by Vikings. Situated perfectly for defense inside a triangle of two rivers and a stout city wall, the Norse settlement of Vedrafjoror was established in 853 A.D. Morphing into Waterford, the city lost a third of its inhabitants to the plague in the Dark Ages, but has flourished ever since. The inhabitants are proud to claim many superlatives - oldest, best, most wonderful artifacts, and so on. We found it hard to argue as we did a walking tour then a guided tour of the Medieval Museum. In the Oldest Wine Vault in Ireland, we had a tasting. We were awed by the golden vestments that are said to be the second-most valuable artifact in the country (couldn't quite beat out the Book of Kells). And our guide was absolutely delightful - very knowledgeable and noticeably proud to be born and bred in this marvelous city.
Tonight we stay at the Granville Hotel, which was once the home of Thomas Meagher, the man responsible for the Irish national flag. The building dates from the 18th century and was purchased and restored and opened as a hotel in 1979. It is delightful. Our room overlooks Meagher's Quay and the Nore River, with a view of the Gothic Revival clock tower erected in 1863. We dined in the Tapestry Room, with an Irish coffee demonstration to top off a fabulous meal, and of course our very own Irish coffees to drink!
OLLI at FSU trips in conjunction with Collette Tours are always packed with adventures and much learning. This has proven to be the case so far here in Ireland. Tomorrow - Blarney Castle, Killarney, and a boat ride!
Thursday, August 22, 2019
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Shades of Ireland - OLLI at FSU tour, August 2019 - Days 1 & 2, August 20 and 21
Yesterday was our first day in Dublin, and much of it passed in a blur. After 27 hours of no sleep, when we finally got to our hotel room we needed a nap. Even though the afternoon was, technically, free time, we hit the pub next door for a delicious lunch before sleeping, then napped for a couple of hours, then met our group in the lobby to attend the welcome dinner at the Irish Party House.
The Irish, famous for both partying and eating, for centuries have had the party house tradition. Neighbors would gather from afar in one home, bringing food, pipes, fiddles, and concertinas, and eat and make music far into the night.
That tradition continues in the 21st century in the beautiful, welcoming city of Dublin. The Irish Party House is just one of several venues to offer dinner, music, and dancing. We feasted on soup, stew, and chocolate dessert, complete with wine choices and the ever-present Guinness (or other beer, which still looked like Guinness), then proceeded to the basement for the entertainment.
With four very talented musicians, one of whom also demonstrated Irish step dancing and jigs, we learned a few Irish words, clapped along, sang along, then finally got up and danced! Or a few of us did. We have video evidence of some very surprising OLLI friends who turned out to be excellent and energetic dancers. What a craic! What a lovely way to spend an evening!
Arriving at our hotel around 10:30, we showered and collapsed.
Today we were up, at breakfast (and what a spread), and out by 9:00 a.m. for a coach tour of the city. The hubs and I have done a number of tours like this in many iconic cities, but I can safely say that the tour guide for this one was far and away the best we have ever had. The lovely Grainne O'Malley (first name rhymes with Sonia, she told us) seamlessly blended a complete history of the city of Dublin with a running commentary on the sights we passed - we were enthralled. At one point we exited the bus for a tour of St. Patrick's Cathedral, which began its life as a Catholic church in 1220, although early Christian grave slabs on display, over a thousand years old, show that the site was in use long before the cathedral existed. After going through many changes in the 16th and 17th centuries, sometimes functioning as a Catholic church and sometimes as Anglican, it remains Anglican today. It is, in fact, the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland, and reflects Irish history in a very special way. Jonathan Swift was the Dean of the Cathedral, a fact which undoubtedly kept him alive as he wrote outspokenly in opposition to the prevailing practices of the time, most notably in his essay "A Modest Proposal." The reader of this blog will refresh his/her memory and be struck by how very modern Swift's ideas seem today.
Back at our hotel around the noon hour, with a couple of hours of free time, the hubs and I made a quick pit stop, then ventured out for lunch. The day had begun with sunshine (for about an hour), deteriorated into cloudiness, and by this time rain had begun to fall. Undaunted, we struck out complete with rain gear, ducked into Murphy's Pub for a quick lunch, then continued up O'Connell Street and around the corner to the Dublin Writers Museum.
What a find! Occupying a stately old row house (and the ceilings, staircase, and detail work were pretty amazing), this museum is just a few rooms, but what treasures! Given my interest in Irish history, this pretty extensive collection of books, letters, and photographs, accompanied by excellent commentary, added yet another view of Ireland as the land of poets. Particularly powerful to me was a copy of Yeats' "Easter 1916," which pretty much stopped me in my tracks. The multiple monuments and celebrations of the Easter Rising, coupled with so much great background offered by our morning tour guide, then the discovery of this poem which I had never read, was just perfect.
Back at the hotel, we boarded the bus at 3:00 p.m. for the Guinness Storehouse tour. "Storehouse" in this context just means the place where the beer is fermented - another fun fact. And what an amazing place! We learned how Guinness is made and even had a taste. I am not a beer drinker, but I will admit that it didn't make me gag. I even had a glass of a concoction called Black Velvet, which is half Prosecco and half Guinness. It tasted like a pretty cheap white wine, so I was okay with it. Of course the majority of our tour group was just fine with the Guinness itself, which everyone assured me did taste quite different from what is available in America.
After the brewery tour, we were off to Cleaver East, a lovely restaurant in the Clarence Hotel which is partially owned by U2 and Bono. Boasting a Michelin chef, Cleaver East was really a treat - starter, entree, and dessert, with wine/beer/soft drink option. Delicious food, lovely presentation, superb service, and we were back in our room by 8:30. This is a good thing. We are still jet-lagged, and must be up, dressed, fed, and checked out by 8:00 a.m. Tomorrow: Kilkenny and Waterford! But now to bed.
The Irish, famous for both partying and eating, for centuries have had the party house tradition. Neighbors would gather from afar in one home, bringing food, pipes, fiddles, and concertinas, and eat and make music far into the night.
That tradition continues in the 21st century in the beautiful, welcoming city of Dublin. The Irish Party House is just one of several venues to offer dinner, music, and dancing. We feasted on soup, stew, and chocolate dessert, complete with wine choices and the ever-present Guinness (or other beer, which still looked like Guinness), then proceeded to the basement for the entertainment.
With four very talented musicians, one of whom also demonstrated Irish step dancing and jigs, we learned a few Irish words, clapped along, sang along, then finally got up and danced! Or a few of us did. We have video evidence of some very surprising OLLI friends who turned out to be excellent and energetic dancers. What a craic! What a lovely way to spend an evening!
Arriving at our hotel around 10:30, we showered and collapsed.
Today we were up, at breakfast (and what a spread), and out by 9:00 a.m. for a coach tour of the city. The hubs and I have done a number of tours like this in many iconic cities, but I can safely say that the tour guide for this one was far and away the best we have ever had. The lovely Grainne O'Malley (first name rhymes with Sonia, she told us) seamlessly blended a complete history of the city of Dublin with a running commentary on the sights we passed - we were enthralled. At one point we exited the bus for a tour of St. Patrick's Cathedral, which began its life as a Catholic church in 1220, although early Christian grave slabs on display, over a thousand years old, show that the site was in use long before the cathedral existed. After going through many changes in the 16th and 17th centuries, sometimes functioning as a Catholic church and sometimes as Anglican, it remains Anglican today. It is, in fact, the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland, and reflects Irish history in a very special way. Jonathan Swift was the Dean of the Cathedral, a fact which undoubtedly kept him alive as he wrote outspokenly in opposition to the prevailing practices of the time, most notably in his essay "A Modest Proposal." The reader of this blog will refresh his/her memory and be struck by how very modern Swift's ideas seem today.
Back at our hotel around the noon hour, with a couple of hours of free time, the hubs and I made a quick pit stop, then ventured out for lunch. The day had begun with sunshine (for about an hour), deteriorated into cloudiness, and by this time rain had begun to fall. Undaunted, we struck out complete with rain gear, ducked into Murphy's Pub for a quick lunch, then continued up O'Connell Street and around the corner to the Dublin Writers Museum.
What a find! Occupying a stately old row house (and the ceilings, staircase, and detail work were pretty amazing), this museum is just a few rooms, but what treasures! Given my interest in Irish history, this pretty extensive collection of books, letters, and photographs, accompanied by excellent commentary, added yet another view of Ireland as the land of poets. Particularly powerful to me was a copy of Yeats' "Easter 1916," which pretty much stopped me in my tracks. The multiple monuments and celebrations of the Easter Rising, coupled with so much great background offered by our morning tour guide, then the discovery of this poem which I had never read, was just perfect.
Back at the hotel, we boarded the bus at 3:00 p.m. for the Guinness Storehouse tour. "Storehouse" in this context just means the place where the beer is fermented - another fun fact. And what an amazing place! We learned how Guinness is made and even had a taste. I am not a beer drinker, but I will admit that it didn't make me gag. I even had a glass of a concoction called Black Velvet, which is half Prosecco and half Guinness. It tasted like a pretty cheap white wine, so I was okay with it. Of course the majority of our tour group was just fine with the Guinness itself, which everyone assured me did taste quite different from what is available in America.
After the brewery tour, we were off to Cleaver East, a lovely restaurant in the Clarence Hotel which is partially owned by U2 and Bono. Boasting a Michelin chef, Cleaver East was really a treat - starter, entree, and dessert, with wine/beer/soft drink option. Delicious food, lovely presentation, superb service, and we were back in our room by 8:30. This is a good thing. We are still jet-lagged, and must be up, dressed, fed, and checked out by 8:00 a.m. Tomorrow: Kilkenny and Waterford! But now to bed.
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