Ireland-Scotland 2013 - Rock of Cashel & Dromoland Castle

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On Saturday, a week after we arrived in Ireland, we left Tramore on the SE coast to drive back to Ennis, on the SW coast, and halfway there stopped at the Rock of Cashel, one of Ireland's most historic sites.   

The powerful Kings of Munster, rulers of all of Ireland from 300 to 1100, measured the success of their reign on their ability to rule their Kingdom from this natural outcropping, and for centuries clan warfare was the norm, trying to take and hold the high ground, an endless pursuit. 

But Irish clans with their cattle raids & incessant Clan warfare passed out of existence, a long time ago, and visitors today see what's left of chapels built from the 12th century, in Norman times, and onwards.   

note - you can enlarge any part of a picture by left-clicking in and then out again.

pub in Cashel Dahlias &  Japanese Maple first look at Rock of Cashel
  13th century  tapestry listening to the tour guide 
  see note  
  Cistercian Abbey ruin weathered Celtic cross
US Irish descendants Paul

note - Oops, I learned later on this trip that permission from a parent is required (in the EU) before photographing their children. 

Dromoland Castle is not far from Ennis & Shannon Airport, where Mary had to fly out the next morning. Doris & Paul stayed Saturday night at the Castle (it was a Paul surprise) while Mary & I drove to a B&B in Ennis, having seen the first half of the hurling championship between Counties Cork & Clare in the Castle bar. I admit to not watching it but at halftime the game was tied, when we left. 

When we arrived in Ennis, we knocked on the B&B door around 5 pm, and the owner's stand-in host was beside himself, a total basket case, hyper-ventilating & barely able to talk ! He said County Clare was ahead, with only a few minutes to go and invited us in.

We saw the last 3 minutes on TV and County Clare put the game away with a minute or so to go, 27 to 24.  

The host, once calmed down, said the B&B owner Mary & her son were at the National match in Dublin, a two hour drive away. He said he knows almost all of the players on the Clare team, because they are locals, many being firemen.  The MVP of the game has been a long time best friend of the owner's son, and attends College with him at Cork.

The TV showed the MPV's face and our host he pointed at a black leather chair like a madman, and said "He always sits right there !". Mary and I looked at the chair out of with reverence for MVPs & nutty Irish people. But it was a really big deal !

The town blew up as Mary & I drove downtown to a dinner spot, three minutes away. We were surrounded by a sea of sports-crazed revelers, hanging out of car windows, screaming, with horns blaring.   

Inside the subdued-noise restaurant, we toasted to our good fortune to have made it to Ireland, the land of our ancestors. We had great food & shared a bottle of red wine.    

Our initial visit to Dromoland before the game:

Doris & Mary on Saturday  afternoon lodging since the 1500's

The next morning after driving Mary to Shannon Airport, I met Doris & Paul back at Dromoland Castle, and we walked the grounds. 

Sunday am Dromoland Castle Temple to Mercury Doris & Paul
on his daily walk, he said Dromoland Castle links classic walled garden  
    roses in October our last day in Ireland
  unscripted Doris & Paul  

On Sunday evening Paul and Doris and I were on a comfortable turbo-prop flight from Shannon Airport to Glasgow, across the Irish Sea. At 25,000 ft., we were above the cloud-cover & enjoyed seeing the sun again.    

When we landed in Glasgow it was overcast and evening turned to night quickly. We found our way downtown to settle overnight in center city. 

go to day 9 - Glasgow & Stirling

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