Our Ireland Trip from U-Z

United Dioceses of Cashel and Ossory: Couldn't figure out a "U" entry until I saw that the St. Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny was in this diocese. I didn’t visit this Cathedral and round tower, but my husband went with Joe and Pam and they climbed it together--what a challenge. But a fabulous view of the city.



The stairs to climb the tower

View of Kilkenny from the top of the tower

St. Canice's Cathedral

Vikings: The Vikings destroyed or pillaged many monasteries and churches, taking slaves and booty, decimating those communities of learning in the late 700s. Eventually over a few hundred years they stayed and established towns, intermarried with the Irish, and became Norse-Irishmen, contributing to Ireland's economic growth and trade. Placenames left by the Vikings in Ireland include Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, and Wexford. Brian Boru, High King of Ireland (Rock of Cashel) was supposed to have united the Irish against the Vikings, but they were probably just Irish by then (11th century).

Waterford Crystal: On Monday September 17 we had a very interesting tour of the glass factories. We saw every step in the processes and heard about the long training and apprenticeships. We spent some time in the gift shop, but I stood firm.







X: Mark your calendar for a trip to Ireland

Yeats, William Butler, John Butler, and Jack Butler: W.B. Yeats was a famous Irish poet, and we visited his home, Thoor Ballylee in County Galway. His father was the artist, John Butler Yeats, and his brother Jack was also an artist.

Yeats study in Thoor Ballylee

The copper beech at Coole Park where W. B. Yeats and other Irish carved their initials

Zip:We still had plenty our last night for our graduation party . . . it was the trip home that zapped us.