We're Cahir!

Fáilte go hÉireann!

On Wednesday morning, Josh and I arrived bright and early on the Emerald Isle – and it was quite easy to see how this country got its nickname.  As soon as we left the airport, the countryside spread out before us and everything looked unbelievably lush.  It was hard not to be excited when we were surrounded by so much beauty.  We had decided to save Dublin for the end of the trip and instead headed southwest out of the city.  Rowers take note: on our drive, Josh assessed the waterways here as remarkably straight and therefore perfect for rowing.  Good thing I didn’t let him pack any oars, or we’d never get to explore the land.

Our first stop was Holy Cross Abbey, which provided a humbling reminder that “old” suggests a very different time period when used in Western Europe.  

A grant from King Donal endowed an abbey for Cistercian monks in the land of his mother’s people, the O’Fogartys (just wait, more awesome Irish names to come).  The Abbey was well-known for supposedly holding a piece of the cross on which Christ was crucified; this relic inspired pilgrims to visit the abbey for centuries.  Unfortunately for the monks, the abbey’s existence depended on the favor of those in power, and by the 1500s, abbeys were no longer in vogue.  Henry VIII decreed that monasteries were either too wealthy or not wealthy enough – the guy was hard to please – and therefore they should be closed.  The Holy Cross Abbey managed to survive a bit longer by handing over its ownership to a married layman, but this was not a permanent solution.  The monks retreated to private residences for 15 years, and when they returned, the abbey was in ruins.  They soldiered on, but the abbey was again plundered in 1690.  Eventually, in the late 1800s, Holy Cross was transferred to the state as a national monument.  

While it continues to provide a cool, quiet respite from the troubles of life, the lesson of its history was clear: in any age, it’s pretty terrible to be at the mercy of those in power.

Next, we journeyed to the Rock of Cashel, which is really a cathedral atop a hill and not just a rock, as I initially assumed.  (Hey, there are a lot of famous rocks around the world.)

At least, that’s what currently remains.  At first, it was another residence for Cistercian monks, just like Holy Cross Abbey, but its use evolved over the years.  When the Norman knights stormed through the country, they destroyed what was originally there and a new stone cathedral in the Gothic style was erected.  

When the Plague decimated the local population, this site eventually fell into disrepair.  The paintings on the ceilings and walls wore away and stone crumbled.  What remains, however, is still magnificent.  And since it’s on a hill, the views are beautiful!

Our last tourist stop of the day was Cahir Castle.  

This castle was the site of a major siege, which is outlined step-by-step in a dedicated room.  They even have a model with buttons for each notable battle stage that light up that part of the model.  Thousands of tiny British soldiers march in formation towards the river, across the river, and into the castle.  Eventually, the castle was given up and its guarding garrison was spared.  Much of the castle remains, making it was easy to imagine the banquet hall getting rowdy or the occupants crowding around the massive fireplaces during the cold winter months... and, of course, defending themselves using the dropping gates, murder holes, and arrow slits.

With the long day catching up to us, we headed to Kilkenny for the night.  Our hotel parking lot was – amusingly – filled with all Dooley rental cars, suggesting that many of the guests were using the same deal as us.  However, since it is still the off season, both the parking lot and the sites that we had visited were remarkably empty.  Similarly, when we headed out to Café Sol for some fine dining, we were able to walk in without difficulty.  Café Sol was wonderful.  My praise for it can be summed up as: they not only made me realize that beets can be edible, but that they can be exquisitely delicious.  I spent the walk home craving beets.  Surely witchcraft was involved.

Our first day in Ireland felt like it had a dusting of magic.  The landscapes were achingly beautiful, the lilting accents made you want to eavesdrop, and everyone was so kind.  Plus, a place like this really makes you love history.  Can’t wait for day two!

Spotted: A “Visit Baltimore” sticker.  Probably the last thing that Josh and I expected to see our first day on the road.

Spotted #2: Josh being a pro driver on the wrong side of the road almost instantaneously.  Thank god he learned to drive a manual transmission car.

Spotted #3: Thatched roofs!