Tullamare and Barberstown Castle

Thursday, June 6, 2019 -- This morning we left Limerick and drove into Ireland's Ancient East. We crossed the river Shannon and arrived in Tullamare, in the heart of Ireland's whiskey territory. Similar to when we toured the Guiness plant in Dublin, you don't have to drink whiskey to appreciate the craftsmanship involved in making it. The process goes back hundreds of years -- we toured a distillery and learned of the incredible amount of science involved in the production.

After our tour, we walked through the town and had lunch at a little coffee shop. It's raining off and on and a delicious bowl of cauliflower soup, accompanied by brown bread, made a delicious lunch. This soup, like several we've had here, is a pureed vegetable soup -- all have been delicious and I must learn to make these. I've checked a number of cookbooks since I've been here, but haven't found exactly what I'm looking for. We do a little shopping and I bought a beautiful piece of Irish lace for our table at home. I always like to take back a souvenir that we can use and remember our trip.

We walked by the canal that runs through the town. Here, as we have seen all over Ireland, everything is decorated with flowers. Baskets of flowers hung from the handrails along the canal. We have been baskets of flowers along bridges, walkways, and streets of towns. The gentle Irish climate allows everything to grow beautifully and many of the flowers are the same ones we use at home, but this climate really lets them flourish.

At one point, we were walking through a park and it started to rain, so we took cover under a large gazebo. The roof was patched, like a cottage. Under the big thatched roof, everything was dry and so quiet -- the thatching not only diverts the water but it muffles all sound, so it's so cozy under there.

We then drove to our destination for the night -- Barbourstown castle. The 13th century castle has had some additions in the 1800's and one a bit more recent, but one end of the building is the original castle. All of the new additions have maintained the original grandeur -- I've never slept in a room like this. A huge antique canopy bed with drapes was the centerpiece of the beautiful room. Antique furniture was everywhere. Even the bath was so beautiful and luxurious I could hardly believe we got to stay here. It looked like something on an elegant house tour where you look but don't dare touch.

During dinner, we talked about what we liked most, what we would most remember. I think what I will most remember is the wonderful, warm people we met. The Irish have had a difficult history -- fighting for centuries to gain their independence from Great Britain, and for much the same reasons that we fought the Revolutionary War -- religious freedom, freedom from taxation without representation, freedom to live and prosper in their country and enjoy their lives and heritage. And yet they remain friendly, warm, funny (often referring to the British as their naughty neighbors). They love their homeland, their families, and their animals.

Today, the Irish economy is booming and the population is starting to increase. Young people are staying in their country, thanks to a robust job market with such tech giants as Google and Microsoft locating their European headquarters in Ireland. Johnson & Johnson contact lens also has their European headquarters here, and with all of that comes jobs and opportunities.

Friday, June 7, 2019 -- We arose early this morning in the luxury of our castle room, showered, dressed and boarded the bus headed for Dublin. We said farewell to Tom, our driver for the past 8 days, and headed into the usual security and check-in. We settle in with a cup off coffee to wait for our flight. The coffee is one thing I will not miss -- it's too strong for our taste, even though we order "Americana" coffee.

Once on board our aircraft, we are checking out the amenities when I happen to look out the window to see a large hare on the taxi-way. These large cousins of wild rabbits are extraordinarily large and have a method of propulsion that is almost a gallop up on all fours. This one makes his way down the tarmac then off into the grass. A moment later, a second hare comes following after, much to our amusement. What on earth are these hare doing at this busy international airport?

We taxi down the runway and make a smooth take off into the beautiful sunny morning. We fly over green fields and hedgerows that comprise a beautiful patchwork quilt - a study in green. Some patches are dotted with white sheep, barely visible as we climb higher and then suddenly, we are into the white puffy clouds and we've had our last glimpse of beautiful Ireland. But we're leaving with so many memories of the rolling hills, lush landscapes and warm, friendly people. We will always carry this knowledge of Ireland and remember fondly that we had this time together -- time spent in castles and cottages, boats and jaunting cars; strolls thru rose gardens, sheep farms and village streets; we listed to fiddles, harps, whistles and Irish tunes; and talked, laughed and loved every minute of it.

Goodbye, Ireland -- you will forever remain in our hearts.