Intrepid Friends' Ireland Trip Part 3

We are footsore and tired after a day of walking all over Kilkenny's streets.

After another great breakfast, and some fun stories from Phil, our host (who has the real Irish gift of the gab in storytelling) we walked into town to explore the streets.

First up- St. Canice's Cathedral and round tower. St. Canice, from whom Kilkenny gets it's name, founded a monastic settlement here in the 6th century. The tower beside the cathedral dates from the 9th century and is one of only 2 medieval round towers still standing in Ireland that can still be climbed. We declined! Too claustrophobic for me! The cathedral was built in the 13th century and doesn't really show much sign of decay. It is the second longest cathedral in Ireland, second only to St. Patricks in Dublin.

As we carried on in our medieval searches we find "bits and bobs" of the ancient city walls remaining in places. These have been here since circa 1275. They are crumbling and decrepit in many places and covered in ivy and other plants and wildflowers who have found a foothold in the crumbling stone.

The Black Abbey, a short way down the street, founded in 1225 for the Dominican Friars features some magnificent windows. It has some scaffolding set up on one end and men doing some restoration work.

Down a narrow alley, and through the last remaining gate of the old city walls onto The High Street we find a magnificent stone mansion built by John Rothe, a wealthy merchant, in 1594. It is still lovely, with a museum and gardens in the back.

We went hunting for "The Hole in the Wall Pub" . We had been told about it by some guys we met in a Dublin pub, and it was certainly worth the search. It is a 16th century tavern in Irelands oldest surviving townhouse. In order to access it from the High Street to the rear of the inner house, a hole was punched in the wall, thus giving it it's name. It has recently been bought and resurrected by a Dublin Cardiac surgeon, who is slowly renovating it and giving it life. It is so tiny, and so quaint, uneven stone floors, walls, old wooden beams on the ceiling (Hugh had to duck to get in the doorway). The only fella there was the bartender, and we sat and had an Irish coffee and chatted with him. Shortly after we were joined by an American fellow who plays guitar busking, and at the pub in the evenings. An hour later we were still sitting there, a lively, mostly political conversation ensuing. The Irish love to talk politics I have discovered!

Finally headed down the Parade to Kilkenny Castle, a 12th century castle with extensive, and lovely grounds along the river. Across the street is the remains of the stable yards and coach houses of the castle. 

Another stately home on the grounds is the Butler House, once the Dower House to the castle. It is now a lovely (aka expensive) hotel.

After a bowl of soup for a late lunch we headed up the other side of the Medieval Mile to the Medieval museum, set in the 13th century St. Mary's church and graveyard. It covers 800 years of Kilkenny history. A quick peek at Kytelers Inn, one of Irelands's oldest inns,  established in the 13th century by Dame Alice Kyteler, who married 4 times, amassing wealth with each husbands passing. Her husbands all died under suspicious circumstances and she was accused of witchcraft in what is understood to be Europe's first witchcraft trial. She was sentenced to be burned, but because she was of the local gentry , she was allowed to escape to England.

So much history, going back to the Norman times, in this small city. A pleasant walk back to the B and B along the pretty river path with it's many gardens and the day was done. Tomorrow we head on to Cork, from where Hugh's mother's family came.