Nearly there!

On our last day in Ireland what would be better than visiting another castle! We thought it would be terrible to leave Kilkenny and not to have visited Kilkenny Castle, especially seeing that it was right across the bridge from our hotel.

The castle was originally built in the 1100s, surprisingly like most things in Ireland, following the Norman invasion! Strongbow built a wooden castle on the site which was replaced by his grandson in the 13th century. The castle was owned by the Butler family from the 1390s until they sold it to the 'Office of Public Works' (they manage a great number of historical buildings in Ireland) for the grand sum of fifty pounds!! Bargain!!

The Butlers were connected to royalty with the fourth Duke of Ormond being Elizabeth I's cousin. He once showed his affection for his cousin by presenting the head of one of her rivals, his arch-enemy, picked in a jar! I hope he gift wrapped it!

After our visit to the castle we jumped in the car and headed for Dublin, said goodbye to Noreen (our navigator for the past few days), caught a cab to the ferryport to board the Jonathon Swift. It might have been a swifter journey across the Irish Sea, only an hour and a quarter, but it was rougher with moderate conditions! I'd hate to take the journey on a rough day! We then caught a train to London ready for our flight home which leaves at 10.15pm tomorrow night. We arrive in Melbourne very early Friday morning!

 

Posted with Blogsy