Ireland

June 16-24, 2018:

We visited Dublin, Kilkenny, Cashel, Dingle Peninsula, and after returning to Dublin, Newgrange/Boyne Valley.

DUBLIN:

Dublin, capital of the Republic of Ireland, is on Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey.

Walking Tour of Dublin:

Here are the highlights of our self-guided walking tour of Dublin.

Arlington Hotel

Donuts

Ceramic Art

Donald Trump Mannekins

Garden of Remembrance

Gresham Hotel

Ha’penny Bridge

River Liffy

Irish Pub – Dame Street

Jim Larkin Statue

Knobs and Knockers

O’Connell Monument

Ormand Quay – Colorful Building

Parnell Monument

Phil Lynott of Tin Lizzy Statue

St Audoen’s Church

Statues on Grafton Street

Wishing Hand by Linda Brunkner

When in Dublin, you have to try the pubs:

The Temple Bar:

Established in 1840, we had to stop by (didn’t have a drink).

The Temple Bar – Wikipedia – Svein-Magne Tunli

Winner of the James Joyce Pub Award

Porterhouse Temple Bar:

While not as old as the Temple Bar (established 1996), this pub specializes in a large variety of beers.

Partial Beer List

We enjoyed some drinks and delicious hamburgers and fries…

Porterhouse Temple Bar

Brazen Head Pub:

We had to go here while in Dublin (not the same night as the Porterhouse Temple Bar) – the Brazen Head is Dublin’s oldest pub. In fact there has been a hostelry here since 1198. The present building was built in 1754 as a coaching inn.

While not technically a pub, we also tried out a famed pizzeria…

Al Vesuvio Pizzeria:

Romantic Italian bar and dining room in an 18th-century vaulted brick and stone wine cellar.

Al Vesuvio Pizzeria

Dublin has both Anglican and Catholic Cathedrals.

Christ Church Cathedral (Anglican):

Christ Church Cathedral has stood at the heart of Dublin for almost 1,000 years. It belongs to the Church of Ireland – an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion.

Christ Church Cathedral

Crypt of Christ Church

Memorial of John, Lord Bowes

“Homeless Jesus” outside Christ Church Cathedral

St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral (Catholic):

St Mary’s Church, known also as St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral or simply the Pro-Cathedral, the Chapel in Marlborough Street or the Pro, is a pro-cathedral and is the episcopal seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland.

St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral

Dublin Castle:

Dublin Castle is a major Irish government complex, conference center, and tourist attraction. It is a former motte-and-bailey castle and was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin.

Dublin Castle

Kilmainham Gaol:

Kilmainham Gaol is a former prison in Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland. It is now a museum run by the Office of Public Works, an agency of the Government of Ireland. Many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, were imprisoned and executed in the prison by the orders of the UK Government.

Kilmainham Gaol

National Museum of Ireland:

The National Museum of Ireland is Ireland’s leading museum institution, with a strong emphasis on national and some international archaeology, Irish history, Irish art, culture, and natural history.

National Museum of Ireland

Chester Beatty Library:

The Chester Beatty Library, now known as the Chester Beatty, is a museum and library in Dublin. It was established in Ireland in 1953, to house the collections of mining magnate, Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. Treasures from Europe, Asia and The Islamic world.

We were very impressed with the collection of old manuscripts and books…

Chester Beatty Library

Trinity College Dublin:

Trinity College Library also holds a rare old book – the Book of Kells, a 9th-century gospel manuscript famous throughout the world.

Book of Kells

Trinity College Dublin also has a beautiful campus…

Trinity College Dublin

George Salmon Statue – Trinity College Dublin

“Sphere Within Sphere” – Trinty College Dublin

This concludes our tour of Dublin. Our next stop is Kilkenny…

KILKENNY:

Kilkenny is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore.

Walking Tour of Kilkenny:

Here are the highlights of our self-guided walking tour of Kilkenny.

Kilkenny Book Centre

Hurley Depot

Matt the Miller’s

Hurling Shop – A big sport in Ireland!

Hurling Statue

In the stocks for “snoring”

Murphy’s Ice Cream

P. T. Murphy, Watchmaker, Jeweller, Optician

River Nore

The Field Pub

Willoughby’s

Yew Trees

Flowers of Kilkenny:

We saw lots of beautiful flowers on our walking tour.

Kilkenny Flowers

We stopped at the…

Rothe House:

Rothe House is a late 16th-century merchant’s townhouse complex built by John Rothe Fitz-Piers between 1594–1610 and is made up of three houses, three enclosed courtyards, and a large reconstructed garden with orchard.

Rothe House

Giant Irish Deer – Rothe House

We also stopped for drinks at the…

Hole in the Wall Pub:

Hole In The Wall is a bar & former music venue situated in the heart of Kilkenny City. It is housed in the oldest surviving townhouse in Ireland.

Hole in the Wall Pub

Kilkenny’s Church of Ireland is…

St. Canice’s Cathedral:

St Canice’s Cathedral, also known as Kilkenny Cathedral, is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin.

St. Canice’s Cathedral

Kilkenny also has a castle…

Kilkenny Castle:

Kilkenny Castle is a castle built in 1260 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways.

Kilkenny Castle

We had dinner and drinks at…

Langton’s Bar and Restaurant:

We had a wonderful meal here. I was embarrassed in ordering a “Coors Light”…

Langton’s Bar and Restaurant

This concludes our tour of Kilkenny. Our next stop is Cashel…

CASHEL:

Our sole purpose is coming to Cashel is to see the…

Rock of Cashel:

The Rock of Cashel, also known as Cashel of the Kings and St. Patrick’s Rock, is a historical site located at Cashel, County Tipperary.

Rock of Cashel

Sculptures and an Angel

Rock of Cashel Sign

We now headed to our next destination, the…

DINGLE PENINSULA:

The Dingle Peninsula, on Ireland’s southwest Atlantic coast, is ringed by sandy beaches and craggy cliffs. Dingle Peninsula is picturesque, to say the least…

Town of Dingle:

We stayed above a bar in the town of Dingle.

Our place in Dingle Town

The bar below

Town of Dingle

St. Mary’s Church

Fungi the Dolphin and the Dingle Port

Dingle Marina

Dingle Peninsula:

We took a nice drive on the Dingle Peninsula.

Dingle Peninsula

Standing Stone

Paudi O’Se Statue

We visited the Gallarus Oratory (or Beehive Hut) on the Dingle Peninsula.

Gallarus Oratory (Beehive Hut)

This concludes our tour of the Dingle Peninsula. Our next destination (after returning to Dublin) is…

NEWGRANGE/BOYNE VALLEY:

Newgrange is a Stone Age (Neolithic) monument in the Boyne Valley, County Meath. Newgrange was constructed about 5,200 years ago (3,200 BC) which makes it older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza. The mound is ringed by 97 large kerbstones, some of which are engraved with symbols called megalithic art.