Sept 28th-29th
We wrapped up our trip with one last night in Kilkenny. Our lodgings for the night were in a room above the Pumphouse Pub, which is a historic building located right on Kilkenny's Medieval Mile. Kilkenny was a really cool town, a mix of rows of traditional Irish buildings and homes and stone buildings and cathedrals, aging back as far as 1500 years, including an old bell tower. The streets are quite picturesque and feature many old pubs and boarding houses. I wish we had scheduled more time here to explore!
One of the spots we managed to see was the Kilkenny Castle. It is located right in town and allows both tour guided and self guided tours around the grounds. Unfortunately only part of the castle is accessible but features rooms with preserved furniture and decor that is really interesting to see.
Our evening was a memorable one, starting with dinner at the old Cat and the Fiddle and a bar crawl across historic Kilkenny pubs. Everyone we encountered was very friendly, striking up pleasant conversations with us or buying us Irish Whiskey (which had consequences the next morning, unfortunately). At one point we walked into a pub that was filled exclusively with 40s-60s year old Irish male golfers there for an event, which was the most out of place we had been on this trip but still one of the best times. Guess you never know what to expect on your travels!
Ironically, the very last wake up of the trip was the only one that featured a hangover. We had quite a rough start to the morning (guess it was bound to happen at some point) and slowly made our way out of town, taking the long scenic route back to Dublin through the Wicklow mountains. We weren't able to stop and take as many photos since we had to get back to make our flight, so you'll have to trust us that the views were by far the best of the trip. The route took us through rolling green hills, rocky mountains and lush valleys. We stopped for coffee and baked goods in the quaint mountain resort town of Glendalough, and made it back to Dublin just in time to return our rental car! The sun was rising as we made our drive and the air was crisp; a wonderful way to say goodbye to Ireland.
What a fantastic journey. I don’t think I’ve ever had a trip go off without any issues and all of the clusters and getting lost have turned into life long memories and laughs with my friends. Glad you’re experiencing all of it and can’t wait to hear more about it at work.
Looks amazing! Jealous! My wife would kill to go to that library.
Loving it!!!
What a beautiful places to be. So wonderful that you and your Bestie are soaking up the culture and their beautiful landscape. Can’t wait to hear more stories.
It all sounds wonderful Monica! Enjoy every minute of your time in beautiful Ireland.