Kilkenny, Ireland
We caught the bus and took a daytrip to Kilkenny. Kilkenny is known as the Marble City because of its distinctive black marble. The city has a medieval feel with well-maintained and preserved old buildings.
After arriving in town we started by exploring Kilkenny Castle. The castle grounds are a huge park that runs along the River Nore which splits KilKenny in two. The Castle built in 1195 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways. It was a symbol of Norman occupation and in its original thirteenth-century condition it would have formed an important element of the defences of the town with four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, part of which can still be seen today.
The castle grounds are beautiful for walking around and the exterior of the castle looks right out of the pages of a King Arthur story.
The castle interior has been restored by the City to its original splendor. Some of the highlights of the interior include the first time we have seen a plumbed indoor toilet.
The portrait room, which is unlike anything I have ever seen in a castle. is lined with portraits of the Butler family, the roof is hand painted in a nature theme and there are beautiful carvings of game animals on the wood beams. Connecting the two sides of the roof is a glass ceiling that allows light into the room.
Our next stop was the Black Abbey which is a Catholic priory of the Dominican Order, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Black Abbey was established in 1225 as one of the first houses of the Dominican Order in Ireland.
The name Black Abbey derives from the use of the term "Black Friars" to from the black cappa or cloak which Dominicans wear over their white habits
Mary Kay admiring the amazing stained glass
We enjoyed walking the streets on our way to St Canice’s Cathedral. There were many old medieval styled buildings along the way. We also passed the Kilkenny Market with the entry alley lined with colorful umbrellas.
St Canice’s Cathedral and Round Tower was founded in the 6th century and named after St Canice the church that originally stood on the site in the 6th century. The Round Tower is the oldest standing structure in Kilkenny
We took a break from the city and took a 3 mile hike on Lacken Walk along the River Nore and the Castle park. It was so peaceful hearing the birds in the trees and the soft sounds of the river flowing by, and the splashing of small falls as the water traveled down stream.
