IHS in Limerick

Today was fun!

But let's start with some pictures of our travel:

Jaci and Noah

Gus, Calista, Crystal

Emma and Hannah

Trevor, Benjamin, and Jacob in London

Molly, Victoria, and Audrey

Our plane was named Brighid

We checked out of Limerick and headed to the Bunratty castle and folk village.  We got a brief guided tour of the castle, which was mostly used in the 1400s-1600s before being abandoned and then restored in the 1950s.  Our tour guide Elizabeth explained the defensive features of this imposing stronghold, including the spiral staircases and the entryway traps.  We were then free to explore the castle and its furnishings.  These included a beautiful carved wardrobe from Germany, tapestries from France and Belgium, and prehistoric antlers of an extinct Irish deer species found in bogs.  We took a look in the dungeons, climbed up to the battlements, and even sat in the Earl's chair. Then we explored the village.  There were crofter's cottages and blacksmith shops that were restored and spanned several centuries in style.  We watched a lady make an apple tart, then continued on to the Village Street, past the Travelers' wagons (Roma), goats, Irish red deer, donkeys, a little chapel, and of course sheep.  Then it was back to the tea room, where we got to try the apple tart.  We even had some time to goof around on the playground.  Oh, and murders.  Not the scary kind--a flock of crows is called a murder, and there were several here!

The tables at which we are sitting as Elizabeth speaks are over 500 years old.  In the stones at our feet is the demarcation line, which separated the officers from the foot soldiers guarding the castle.  The chair I am in was carved and said 1537.

The 6m single slab oak table was impressive, and we headed up a tight spiral staircase from here.

Tapestry, furniture, and 10,000 year old antlers in the great hall.  Next to the tapestry is a small window, and women, who were not allowed in the hall, watched the proceedings from here.

Close up of a Flemish tapestry

Looking at the impressive carved ceiling 48 feet up

Seth and Noah have spotted the Stucco while Jaci and Erika listen to the explanation of the stained glass.

Listening to Elizabeth

Pictures of the Great Hall

Gus sits in the earl's char.  We always knew he had a high opinion of himself.

A beautifully carved wardrobe served as a dowry.  It took 14 years to carve, and indeed that was the age of the bride.

View of the Irish countryside from the battlements

At the top

Enjoying the view

Audrey and Victoria admire Bunratty Castle

Erika, Jaci, and Seth take in the grounds

Cottages and castle

Thatched roofs

Callista

Molly in Village Street

Seth and Audrey watch apple tarts being made in a traditional way in a traditional cottage

More impressions of Bunratty

These stone wall fences are also typical--and impressive as well as cute.  No mortar!

The little chapel

And its front yard residents

Insert Monty Python jokes here.

Then we met up with the other group fresh off the plane.  They are from a private school in Connecticut and seem pretty nice.  We got back on our bus (our driver's name is Joe, and he is Irish--and able to drive on the wrong side of the road in a big bus) and headed to Adare, where we stopped briefly to explore the village and get some snacks.  We did have time to explore the local cemetery.  Then we headed off to our hotel outside Killarney in County Cork.  We drove the entire way on back roads, where we saw gorse bushes and hedgerows neatly outlining the fields on the farms.  Frolicking lambs, thatched roofed cottages, crumbling medieval monasteries, and villages with little pubs are not just in post cards.  It was lovely!

Homes along the main road in Adare

And shops on that same road

The church in Adare.  In the back is the cemetery, where we did not take pictures, and in the front a column with the Celtic cross

Park in Adare

Downtown shops in the other direction.  This town was quaint beyond belief.

We had a bit of time before dinner, so a few of us headed outside to walk along the river behind our hotel (most of the kids have a river view).  Unfortunately I left my camera upstairs.  Callista, Crystal, and I worked on how to cartwheel, and we we spotted an otter in the river.  After dinner, Jacob produced tablets that turn sour foods sweet.  We all let them dissolve on our tongues, then bit into lemons.  It was really fun!  Our waitress Aine (pronounced Anya) joined us.  We also tried vinegar, which somehow tasted surprisingly good.  Lots of laughs--thank you, Jacob!

Laughing as the pills dissolve on our tongues

Emma was bold and went first

Cheers, Seth!

Yumm!

Gabe, Molly, Crystal, and Jacob enjoy sucking on lemons.

All smiles

Benjamin got a bit of sour with the sweet

Trevor enjoys the vinegar

Aine gets in on the fun.

We have returned to our rooms now, and we suspect there may be a few more taste tests with some of the snacks they have along before we head out to do room checks in a few minutes.  Tomorrow will be a lot of drive, stop and see, and drive some more as we head around the famous Ring of Kerry.