Glendalough
( Co. Wicklow )

    In the Wicklow Mountains (2000 ft. high, covered by heather, and pleated by rivers, the Wicklow summits are home to grazing sheep and a few villages).  Glendalough means "glen of two lakes" - beautiful!!  It was founded as a monastery by St. Kevin in the 6th century.

   St. Kevin's tower (100 ft. tall) is part of the ruins that is left of the monastery.  It was built in the 10th century as a watchtower, belltower, and retreat.  The entrance is actually 12 feet from the ground so that when attackers (like the Vikings) approached, the monks would climb into the entrance with a ladder and then pull the ladder in with them. Although, we wonder what would happen if flaming arrows were shot into it?

Kilkenny

Kilkenny Castle (left photo) was erected in the 13th century in place of an earlier moat fortress built by Strongbow.  The town of "Kilkenny" is derived from the Irish Cill Chainnigh, "Church of St. Canice," (right photo). The church also dates back to the 13th century.

Photos of the Black Abbey which got its name from the habits of its Dominican friars. The right photo is a row of stone coffins that used to contain bodies struck by the Black Death.

It's too bad we didn't get to spend more time in Kilkenny as the Smithwicks Brewery is located here.
Mmm....yum.

Rock of Cashel
( Co. Tipperary )

Didn't spend too much time here.  Rain kept bothering me.  The Rock itself is a huge limestone mound 300 ft high, overlooking a large plain, and contains a few medieval structures.  Once the home to the Kings of Munster, it is linked to many stories and legends.

Midleton
( Co. Cork )

We visited The Old Midleton Distillery where Jameson Whiskey is produced.

Alcoholic Certificate #1