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Terrible flooding in Yorkshire and Gloucestershire
Tony Blair officially steps down Gordon Brown becomes British Prime Minister
British Henman loses second round against Lopez at Wimbleton
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BELFAST - DUBLIN - KILKENNY!
Kilkenny, Ireland
Home of Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde!!!
Yeats wrote the most beautiuful love poems....and i couldn't resist buying his book....one poem being so GORGEOUS...'The Arrow'...awww...so gorgeous, it's about his first meeting with his great love, Maude Gonne.
Not that I'm a romantic or anything. Greg sings me lullabies every nights and is penning his poetry right now.....which is of course why i fell in love with him!!!
Actually, he's organising another comedy night..we can only but dream...
Anyway! Here we are..in the 'real' Ireland!!!!
Beautiful rainy Ireland!
But it's beautiful. After leaving Belfast by bus, to Dublin and straight on to Kilkenny where Greg's maternal grandmother has a history we realised how nice it is to be in one spot for a while..and we're staying put for a few days!!!
As we approached we saw the Kilkenny Castle. We got quite excited crossing the bridge. It's awesome.
This wonderful building was built at the end of the 12 century by William Marshall, Earl of Penbroke and the Ormondes (Butler family) owned this maginficant castle until 1967 when it was given to the trustees for the people of Kilkenny by the 6th Marquess for £50 because he didn't have anyone to pass it down to!!!
We really wanted to go and see this castle...and it's grounds, which are spectacular. And when we got there we found there's a Balloon festival on! (hot air ballooning) so there were markets set up with stalls etc...yummy local produce.
A 12 minute video was shown and then we saw through the rooms. It's quite grandiose. Norman architecture. Victorian furnishings.
The Polish guide with an Irish accent, who took us through asked if anyone was a Butler and the Butlers put up their hands..and he said, 'Well, you're not a Butler from THIS castle!'
Later we read a history of the Butler family and realised because there were no family to take over the castle, and it was given to the Kilkenny Trustees, there was an opening for claim..and he was, in his spiel, making sure no one claimed..
Which brings me to think...
There must be 'some' Butlers, from the ancesteral tree, out there that are related and are living in their little houses not knowning there's a castle that's theirs..!!
We had lunch at Matt the Millars...and tried the 'kilkenny beer'...ew.
And we intend having a few days rest...so when i see you again, we'll be back in Dublin!
PS
Why did the Irish man fall out the window? (He was ironing his curtains!!)
Why did the Irish guy break his leg? (Cause fell off the sink while he was tap dancing!)
