Leaving Ireland

I’d had an unexpected great ten days in Ireland because no matter where I went, people were friendly. In Cork, a woman joined me in a restaurant, and I heard every detail about her perfect son who never drank. No matter who sat next to me on trains and buses, a conversation broke out. It reminded me of growing up in Australia where, travelling with my mother on a tram, she would always talk with strangers around her.

Last stop – Kilkenny

Although Kilkenny was small, it was lively during the Arts Festival. I visited old sites: I wandered through Kilkenny Castle and lounged on the lush grounds; I went into spooky Rothe House; climbed St Canice’s Cathedral’s tower where I could see farms dotted in the distance; walked along the Butter Slip where maids once sold their butter; and even took in an Australian movie.

Kilkenny’s Thomastown

I bused north from Cork to Thomastown. It was a little hard to find accommodation in this tiny place because, you guessed it, there was another wedding celebration and an entire hotel was booked.

After securing a roof over my head, I wandered the graveyard. At the edge of the town stood a section of the old stonewall dating back to 1373.

Dublin’s time warp

Photo courtesy: Diliff – wikimedia.org

I travelled back hundreds of years in Dublin. Tracing the cobbled stone walkway of eighteenth century Trinity College, I found the Book of Kells. The thousand year old book was displayed under glass within the college. Equally as impressive was its library with books towering from floor to ceiling while my footsteps echoed off the wooden floor.

Dublin City

I hung out in Temple Bar for a while where pubs with brightly coloured doors belted out music and smokers idled near doors puffing. There were the usual tourist shops, so I wandered to Half Penny Bridge, a walkway that arched over the River Liffey.

Dun Laoghaire

Dublin was easy to navigate, especially the train system. I boarded the green train with its green seats and headed south to Dun Laoghaire.

The fishing village of Howth

This seaside-fishing village was where I first thought to stay, away from busy Dublin. I wandered along the pebbly beach after my long hike, arriving at the marina where fishing boats idled in the warmth of the summer sun.

Howth trail, Ireland

I took a ferry from Liverpool to Dublin. On my arrival, a woman approached at the ferry terminal promoting her B&B, sort of near where I hoped to stay. As I hadn’t booked anywhere for the entire Irish trip, I stayed with this friendly couple half way between Dublin and Howth.