Embedded Files
We started the day with a relaxed breakfast in our cozy Airbnb in Fethard and were on the road by 9:00 AM. The drive to Kilkenny took us through more arable farmland and scattered roadworks (Slide 1), but we arrived in town just as the streets were coming alive.
Kilkenny was bustling with activity, and traffic near the castle entrance slowed us a bit (Slides 2–3). We found parking and made our way to Kilkenny Castle, entering via the historic moat entrance (Slides 4–5).
Inside, we wandered through rooms that transported us back to the grandeur of Irish aristocracy:
The restored wallpaper and dining room were elegant and richly decorated (Slides 6–7),
We saw massive ancient elk antlers recovered from a peat bog (Slide 8),
and admired the impressive main staircase (Slides 11–12).
Rebecca was especially taken by the Tapestry Room (Slides 13–14), and we both paused to appreciate the thick stone walls visible in the wooden panelling (Slide 15). We even snapped a mirror "ussie" for the memories (Slide 16).
From there, we entered the library (Slides 17–18), wandered down the guest hallway (Slide 19), and took in views from the guest rooms overlooking the courtyard (Slides 21–22). In the children’s room, toys and period furniture gave insight into noble family life (Slide 23).
We were captivated by the exotic Moorish Staircase, a true architectural gem (Slides 24–29), before reaching the stunning Picture Gallery, where we took our time admiring artwork and the vaulted ceilings (Slides 30–34).
In the kitchen, old copper pots and utensils reminded us of the scale and bustle of a working estate (Slide 36). We exited to the east side of the castle and captured a final wide-angle view of the magnificent structure (Slide 37-38).
After exploring the castle, we wandered back into Kilkenny town, where medieval streets and bright shopfronts added to the charm (Slide 39). We browsed a quirky sweet shoppe (Slide 40) and passed local character sculptures and a knight enjoying his lunch hour (Slide 42).
As a light rain shower swept through, we ducked under a canopy in the town square near the river (Slide 41), where we enjoyed a simple lunch from a nearby café. Once the rain let up, we did some window shopping (Slide 45), then returned to the car just in time before our parking expired.
Heading north toward Balbriggan, we rejoined the motorway (Slide 46) and passed through Swords, where we stopped at ALDI for coffee where they had a very fancy coffee machine (Slide 48) and took note of an unusual modern church nearby (Slide 47) as we shopped in thrift stores for some mementos.
We arrived in Balbriggan by evening, settling in for our final night in Ireland. For dinner, we found a cozy local pub (Slides 49–51) and ordered some comforting Irish fare (Slide 51). With full bellies, we ventured out to Skerries, where the coastal air was refreshing and the views westward across the bay were bathed in golden light (Slides 53–55).
We spotted the island where St. Patrick once lived (Slide 57), admired more local birds (Slide 56), and reflected on the journey as we stood looking south along the shoreline (Slide 59). The town’s bathing facilities and public spaces were clearly well-loved (Slide 60), on the way back to Balbriggan we popped into a nearby supermarket for final supplies (Slide 59).
Our last bit of trivia for the day? We found that a bottle of Irish whiskey costs just $24 USD in Ireland (Slide 60)—tempting, but we were already pushing it for room in our suitcases with all the irish snacks and candy we were bringing back for the children to enjoy.
We returned to our room to pack for the flight home, feeling deeply grateful for the memories we had made over the past nine days.
Google Sites
Report abuse