BLARNEY CASTLE (Stone) & GARDENS (May 25)

Consistent with the history of the UK, Ireland along with eastern and western Europe, surviving structures such as Blarney castle has age in common with it's counterparts. The early development of Blarney traces back to 1210. Also like it's counterparts, one needs much more than a humble travel blog post to paint a picture, suffice to say war, intrigue, treachery, conspiracy and manipulated family ties are the common thread. Whats changed you may ask? 'The King is dead, long live the King!'
But Blarney castle does have one unique feature, it's famous stone. In stereotypical Irish fashion a bus driver expressed his opinion to us accordingly along the lines; how the f--k do people believe that a f--king stone that you have to hang yerself half upside down to kiss can bring you luck or whatever it is it's meant to bring? Nothing but a load of shite! But oh well, whatever rocks yer boat. 
I have to confess, my boat got up a bit of a rock. Or as Ngaire responded to him very succinctly; when in Rome--.

Aprox 100 ft straight down from the grate.

 I will keep all posted on the life changing effects!

                                            THE CASTLE

                     THE GROUNDS AND GARDENS

So if ever you get a chance it is worth a visit and hanging upside down, despite what the bus driver said.

                   CLONMEL Co TIPPERARY (MAY 22-23)
Was not fully aware of my direct connection with this town. When doing family research prior to this trip was aware of family connections on both sides of the family in Co's Tipperary, Kilkenny and Cork. I picked Clonmel as our base in the south as it was accessible by rail, central to where we wanted to go and small enough to get a feel of 'Ireland'. Low and behold once having booked, I then discover that 2 great grandmothers on mum's side were born in Clonmel. Once arriving here our hotel is directly across the road from the Catholic Church where one of these births were registered in 1839 in the church records.
Apart from this personal link, the town, like the rest of Ireland, has a turbulent past not only through the centuries of English domination in it's various forms but in the aftermath of the 1916 Easter uprising and the ensuring civil war through to 1924. 

                   CLONMEL 1916 and Familiar Names.

Barron

O'Dwyer

Ryan (White is coincidental- we would never rebel)

                                            OUR DIGS   

                                    FAMILIAR SIGHTS

                                 AROUND THE STREETS

                             

 
  

                                            HISTORICAL

                                                   CHURCHES

                                                                          AMEN                                

                       A WALK AROUND DUBLIN (May 20)

Our Neighbourhood

                                               CITY SCENES

Major works on tram network

                                                STREET ART

                                    1916 EASTER UPRISING

On a pub wall

Dublin GPO commemorative plaque

                THE HEART of DUBLIN

                                                      TRAMS

                     LAST BUT NOT LEAST-CHURCHES

And one put to good use