Kilkenney and Waterford

Saturday, June 1, 2019 -- Today, we left Dublin for the town of Kilkenny. The 'Kil" in the name of Irish towns indicates the town was founded around a church. So Kilkenny is the town near the church of St. Kenneth. We had time to explore the town but Jim and I spent the entire time at Kilkenney castle. This beautiful castle dates back to the early 1200's when it was built by the Earl of Pennbrooke. It later became the home of the powerful Butler family for almost 600 years before it was presented to the people of Kilkenney by Arthur, 6th Marquess of Ormond. An addition was made to the castle in the 17th century and today, it has been restored to this Victorian elegance. Many of the original tapestries, artwork, and furniture can be seen throughout the castle. A Cararra marble fireplace has been meticulously restored as well as the staircases constructed of Irish Wicklow granite.

The details in the construction are amazing, such as these beams, each carved in the shape of a different animal. The children's playroom, featuring a victorian-era piano, was filled with the things that would delight children born into this aristrocracy.

Outside, the rose garden was absolutely beautiful and across the street, the building which had been the stable at one time now houses a series of artisan shops, a bakery and a tea room. We sat at a small table outside and enjoyed some scones and iced tea.

The weather is just beautiful. We had anticipated rain every day, but saw only a little rain earlier this morning.

Today is particularly pleasant, temperatures in the low 70's and sunny with very low humidity. What a pleasant surprise!

Another hour on the bus brought us to Waterford, the oldest town in Ireland which was founded in the 800's AD. It is a beautiful waterfront town, originally founded by Vikings. Our local guide was Jack, an amusing, entertaining Irishman with an unending array of historical facts, mixed with politically-incorrect Irish humor and more than a glint of mischief in his pale blue eyes. I have only seen eyes that color one time -- my dad's. The similarity is striking!

Jack kept us all laughing as he walked us through the narrow streets, point out buildings and historic points of interest. At one point we came to an area where horse auctions had been held. He explained how the process worked. One man would have a horse he wanted to sell and declare to the crowd "Look at this fine specimen I have here." Another man would say "What? That bag of bones?" To which the first man would say "Oh, Johnny, forget about the horse for a bit and walk down the street with me. We must get you to a doctor and get your eyes checked". This banter would continue for a while before finally they would agree on a price. Each man then spit on his hand and they shook --- that bond was stronger than any legal signature we might acquire because it stood for his word and that was everything.

We then headed into the Waterford Crystal tour. After browsing through the impressive showroom, we were guided by Sean, a retired glasscutter for Waterford, through the various work areas where the crystal is produced. We heard how the wooden forms are carved by hand, then we watched a young glass blower at work. He has been working at this craft for five years and is just now progressing to larger pieces. We watched how the initial cuts re made and then the piece progresses to where guidelines are marked according to the pattern desired. Highly skilled artisans then cut in the pattern by holding the piece in their hands and pressing it against a diamond cutting wheel. We had the privilege of talking with one of these craftsman who will soon be celebrating 50 years as a glass cutter. We also watched another designer at work and saw the four-seasons bowl he designed.

Of course, I photographed everything but none of them does justice to the skill and talent we witnessed today. For one picture, Sean posed Jim with a crystal football that is used on a trophy.

We also visited Christ Church cathedral in Waterford, where they have a Warriors Tomb which is a tomb of the unknown knights who died in defense of Ireland's freedom, must as we have the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington.

We are staying in Waterford tonight in another grand old hotel, the Granville. It is an impressive structure and we have a beautiful room with a view of the River Nore. Originally built in the 1700's, the Granville was built as the home of the Meaghers, a prominent merchant. Their son, Thomas Meagher grew to be a very influential figure in Irish history, a member of the famous Fighting 69th and the Irish Brigade who fought with the Union in the American Civil War. He served as a poll bearer for Abraham Lincoln.

The residence served as several commercial functions before in was purchased in 1979 and restored to its former elegance. Tonight we dined at the hotel and were not surprised to learn that the restaurant has received AA two Rossette award. Only about 10% of European restaurants receive one Rossette and about 40% of those receive two. So obviously the critics agree with our assessments of the quality here.

This is definitely the best restaurant where we have eaten thus far in Ireland, and the service is just extraordinary. Jim had the 'bacon and cabbage' which we would call ham and cabbage and I had the roast pork loin. Waiters brought large bowls of vegetables and served each diner as they desired. While we were enjoying a dessert of wonderful fruit crumble, a member of staff entertained us with a bit of history and a demonstration of the making of Irish coffee.

Breakfast the next morning included a stunning array of food on the buffet but particularly featured Irish Porridge (Irish oatmeal) -- this was one of the things I wanted to try while we were here, but I did pass on the Bailey's Irish Cream with which they were topping it. Mason jars held dried fruits, nuts, and seeds as toppings, along with syrups, jams and honey. It was absolutely declicious!

The beauty and elegance of this hotel is surpassed only by its service -- every detail was memorable. And then we said good-bye to Waterford but we won't ever forget our time here.