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World Tour of England, Ireland and Wales

The Irish bit.

The view from Michelle's Parents back verandah.  Different Michelle to the first bit, by the way.

Look at that cold, misty landscape.

Then we went to watch Michelle's brother Patrick play a game of hurling, Templederry vs. Shannon Rovers..

Now, the way to tell that this is really Ireland is by how white everyone's legs are.

Except Patrick who had just been on holiday in Australia.

Hurling is an ancient sport and unchanged for, oh, probably a good while.  I guess when they invented the game everyone was armed with clubs and they probably used a bunny rabbit instead of a ball back then.

Except the club is called a hurley and the ball is called a sliothar.

Notice how everyone is armed.  Everywhere I go I like to see at least one violent sport.

Templederry won (yay!)

By the time we got back for lunch it looked like this.

Now how good is that?

Here is what's called a fairy fort, or possible faerie fort.

Far from being wonderful creatures like Tinkerbell that help you out, they are actually mischievous supernatural beings who really don't like us at all.  To interfere with a faerie fort is to invite bad luck.

I was also told that this was all superstitious nonsense.

I asked the person telling me this if they would every disturb a faerie fort.

"What, and bring bad luck on me self?  Of course not."

No one could tell me who or what a borris is, but I reckon this one is pretty big.

There was also a Novena going on in Holycross, which as far as I could ascertain is a week long prayer session.

And I'm supposed to be catholic.

Here is a Guinness brewery.  Not THE Guinness brewery, just A Guinness brewery.

This one is in Kilkenny and brews Kilkenny beer, appropriately enough.

Here's me outside Kilkenny Castle whilst an unknown dawdler with trailing child takes a passing interest in my posing, or possibly my Welsh Rugby Top.

I had just finished a marvelous tour of Kilkenny Castle, guided by Ireland's Neatest Tour Guide.

The Rock of Cashel, seat of the Ancient Irish Kings.

I didn't go in because I'm told there's bugger all inside.

Here's me hamming it up in the Lord's throne at Bunratty Castle.

Here's the throne again with two Americans in the foreground.  Apparently you aren't meant to sit in the throne.

Bunratty Castle is a top day out, you can clamber all over the turrets, etc and there is a recreation of a 18th century village right next to it.  Stop at the Post Office there and try the boiled lollies.  Trust me.

Isn't this a patriotic photo?  This photo is available from the gift shop.

The black sheep.  Not interested in doing sheepy (sheepish?) things.

Poppies just grow wild by the road side here.  When I asked if we could stop and take a quick photo of them I was given a look that made me think I had grown a second nose.  Horses for courses.

And here is a dream fulfilled for yours truly.  

Here I stand outside the Parochial House from the TV Show 'Father Ted.'  It's now a private house in County Clare not far from Kilnaboy.  Email me for directions.  You drive for what seems like hours but is probably only about twenty minutes, saluting the magpies as you go when suddenly it appears in front of you as you crest a rise.  You stand outside the gate and have your photo taken while the children behind you cry and run inside the house.

Brilliant.

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