Erin Go Bragh - Kilkenny

 

Inside Kilkenny Castle 

At the conclusion of the last installment we were getting back on the road after visiting the Blackrock Castle Observatory, located in Cork. We were off to our penultimate Irish destination, the medieval city of Kilkenny, a roughly two-hour drive away. But at my wife's suggestion, for lunch we stopped at the historic resort town of Cobh (pronounced "cove"), where we parked in a public lot next to St. Colman's Cathedral (snagging the last open spot in the process):

Consecrated in 1919, this neo-Gothic house of worship is huge, and dominates the skyline of Cobh. It was also a great vantage point to see some of the town's brightly-painted Victorian houses:

In search of lunch we headed down from the hill to Gilbert's Restaurant. Being the designated driver I had to make do with a non-alchoholic quaff, and so I ordered this Poachers Wild Tonic with Irish Elderflower. It was different:

Though Gilbert's describes itself as a "modern European-style restaurant" many of the dishes on the menu were local takes on some popular Asian dishes. Shu-E had a bowl of ramen, while I tried the Katsu Curry. It couldn't be described as "authentic" (as much as I hate that term when it comes to dining out), but it wasn't bad. For what it's worth, the sounds of Cantonese being spoken in the kitchen could be taken as an indication someone knew what they were doing:

After lunch we strolled down to the main street that runs parallel with the water. Being a hot, sunny summer Sunday the city was unsurprisingly teeming with visitors:

The natural harbor in Cobh means huge cruise ships frequently dock there:

Though known for being the departure point for over 2.5 million immigrants escaping Ireland for North America following the Great Famine, Cobh is probably most famous as being a port of call for the Titanic on her fateful maiden voyage in April 1912, and the seaport capitalizes on this legacy with the Titanic Experience. However, we gave it a pass, and I was more interested in this memorial across the road, dedicated to the victims of the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. Many of those who were killed in the attack were buried in a church cemetery a short distance to the north of Cobh:

The deaths of 128 Americans on board the ship was one of the sparks that eventually led the U.S. to join the Allies in the fight against Germany in what was at first called the Great War:

The view as we trekked uphill back to the parking lot:

But we couldn't leave without having a look inside St. Colman's:

We were actually battling against time as we made our way toward Kilkenny, but I did take a moment to stop at a roadside cemetery to snap a couple of photos:

The reason for watching the clock was to make sure we reached St. Canice's Cathedral and Round Tower in Kilkenny before it closed at 17:00, especially considering we had paid for entry tickets in advance online. We showed up just after 16:15:

In the churchyard stands the Round Tower, the smokestack-looking structure in the right of the photo above. We were advised to visit it first as entry to the tower ceased at 16:30. This remarkably preserved tower dates from the 9th century. To reach the top 30 meters/ 98 feet above the ground requires a climb of 121 steps up steep ladders, but the views from the top are worth the effort:

Afterward we went inside the cathedral to have a look. The cathedral was built between 1202 and 1285 time, though its spire collapsed in 1332. Oliver Cromwell also took its toll on the cathedral, with his forces leaving it roofless from 1650 until its eventual reconstruction:

The interior of this Gothic structure contains a number of tombstones going back to the 16th and 17th centuries:

This organ containing over 5000 pipes was originally built in 1853 and restored in 2006:

The Church of Ireland cathedral naturally has some impressive stained glass windows, like this one portraying Saints Canice and Kieran:

There are also some interesting marble effigies deserving of a look. This is one of Bishop Richard de Ledrede, best remembered for bringing 13 Kilkenny locals to trial for witchcraft in 1324. His effigy depicts him wearing sandals, in reference to his humble beginning as a Franciscan friar, which doesn't change the fact he was a massive dick:

The cathedral houses Ireland's Memorial Records, a set of eight books listing the names of over 49,000 Irish soldiers who were killed during the First World War: 

Another book records the names of those killed in the Second World War, a more contentious record in light of Ireland's neutralilty during that conflict:

Most of the effigies are connected to the Butler family, a powerful Anglo-Norman dynasty that ruled Kilkenny for over 500 years. James Butler, the 9th Earl of Ossery, was known as "James the Lame", and died in London due to poisoning in 1546. His body is still in the British capital but his heart was returned to the cathedral:

The halos, night stars and lantern in these 1931 stained glass windows apparently are self-illuminating, but as we had to leave at 17:00 while it was still sunny outside we couldn't see this for ourselves:

It was a drive of fewer than five minutes to the Kilkenny House Boutique Hotel, a traditional-style vine-covered building and our home for the night. We had dinner in the pub downstairs, where I had my final Guiness of our trip:

After another night in a room lacking air conditioning in this unusually hot Irish summer, we had breakfast the following morning in Ted's Cafe on the ground floor, where I made myself the world's smallest (some might say saddest) traditional Irish breakfast:

Soon it was time to check out and head off to our final reserved-in-advance sightseeing destination:

The stately Kilkenny Castle is located on a strategic height that commanded a crossing on the River Nore, dominating the High Town of Kilkenny City. The original Anglo-Norman stone castle was built by William Marshal, the 4th Earl of Pembroke, in the early 13th century. It was purchased in by the 3rd Earl of Ormonde, James Butler, in 1391 and became the principal residence of the aforementioned Butler family for almost the next 600 years. Surviving a seige by Cromwell's forces in 1650, the family built the grand entrance gateway soon after, and developed the surrounding parklands that extend to the southeast of the castle. The medieval exterior was enhanced starting in 1826, while the interior was redone in a more contemporary country-house style. The Butlers, however, fell on hard times and sold off almost all of the castle's contents in a ten-day auction  in 1935 before selling the castle to the people of Kilkenny in 1967 for a token payment of £50. The buildings have been under the control of the Irish state since 1969:

The restored rooms and halls within are suitably grand, like the Chinese Withdrawing Room, named for its hand painted Chinese wallpaper. The room has been restored to its original 1830s decorative state. It was here the ladies withdraw after dinner, while the gentlemen smoked cigars and drank port and brandy:

The State Dining Room, the formal dining room until the 1860s when it became a billiard room:

The 19th-century mahogany Grand Staircase:

The Tapestry Room is protected by the thick 12th century walls. The room gets its name from a series of tapestries woven after 1616. Entitled the Story of Decius Mus, they depict the story of Publius Decius Mus, a Roman Consul who legend has it sacrificed himself in battle to enable the Romans' victory over the Latins:

The Library, decorated in how it might have looked during the mid to late 19th century:

An intricately inlayed walnut table made in the Georgian breakfast style around 1800:

The Drawing Room:

My daughter stands in the Blue Corridor. It was used as a gallery in the 16th and 17th centuries:

 

The 19th-century Victorian Nursery:

Shu-E was particularly interested in the Chinese Bedroom, decorated with a modern reproduction of a hand-painted Chinese wallpaper:

The Moorish Staircase:

The most impressive part of the castle was the Picture Gallery Wing, built during the early 19th century:

A marble fireplace:

After exiting the castle building:

Looking out over the River Nore:

From the castle we strolled into the Kilkenny city center, where we had lunch at the Yard Café:

The latest edition of Classic Tractor, "the cult magazine for the farming community", available at a local bookshop:

Amber posing in Pudding Lane:

I'm not proud but before leaving Kilkenny I went into a Sports Direct, a low-cost retailer where I bought an Irish men's national soccer team jersey. After that we left Kilkenny and headed for the last time into the Irish countryside. We made a stop at the Dunmore Cave, a series of underground chambers noted for their beautiful crystals, stalactites and stalagmites. Or so I'd read - once there we learned the only way to go inside was to join in a 90-minute-long tour, and unfortunately our rental car needed to be returned at Dublin Airport before 17:00. So we had to take a pass on spelunking, but at least the scenery en route was nice to look at:

Eventually we reached our final stop in Ireland. I dropped Shu-E off at the Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport, while my daughter joined me in returning the car, and then taking a courtesy bus back to the hotel. I was hoping for one last Irish meal, but there was only an Italian restaurant onsite, but the salmon was good:

Modeling my new jersey while Amber and I took a walk around the Clayton:

One of the souvenirs purchased at the airport before our flight from Dublin to Beijing 北京, and from there to Guangzhou 广州:

Our time in Ireland was too short, and we only saw a very small part of what is a very beautiful country to visit. But it was a wonderful chance to get a taste of a place that was home to some of my ancestors. I don't know if I'll ever have the opportunity to return and see more of the Emerald Isle, so even a small bite is better than starvation. And at least I can confidently state I did nothing to reinforce the stereotypes the Irish have of American tourists:

Also too short were the remaining ten days of our daughter's visit from Oregon to us here in Guangzhou. We actually didn't do very much during that time due to several health-related reasons - Amber had to undergo a minor (scheduled) surgical procedure almost as soon as we landed at Baiyun Airport 广州白云国际机场, while I somehow returned from one of my ancestral homelands with infections in both my ears and nose. My wife also came down with a nasty cold around the same time I was getting back to normal. Still the three of us were healthy enough to take our daughter out for some dim sum on her next to last night in China:

It isn't easy having to see off your child at an airport while she returns to the life she's been making for herself since starting college. But it was great during the month she joined us both here and in Paris and Ireland. And hopefully it won't be that long before we meet up with her again:

Sinead O'Connor and the Chieftains performing "The Foggy Dew":