Kilkenny

 Today we headed off towards Kilkenny. Trent spotted Shelaigh on the map and joked, we should stop there as this is where the walking sticks originated and lucky for him, it was on a route. Well, now we have a stick!


Onward to Waterford to see some crystal. There is an island golf course there with a castle overlooking it. We booked a tee time and played, it’s a beautiful day and everyone comments on how lucky we are with the weather! Very nice course, well treed and quiet. 



What a nice town, not at all like Kilkenny. Quieter and more normal seeming. There is a lot here, Vikings, castles, a harbour and of course the crystal factory. We found a nice, quiet B&B just out of town with a wonderful view. You can see the island course from here! 

Today (May 11) we see the crystal factory. Pretty amazing. Almost all the work is done by hand for the higher quality products. They do a lot of custom work as well, trophies, art and whimsy.



To the road and off to Cork. When the hunger pangs hit we screech to a stop at a roadside pub, the Marine Inn. There was a small tour bus full of eastern Canadians and live music. A nice surprise for lunch.

One of the drivers told us that a cruise ship was coming to Cork tomorrow, that sounds ominous so we decide to get there first, there is Jameson’s to drink! Once in Cork we go to the distillery for a tour and taste. We both tour but only one tasting as Jane isn’t a whiskey fan (still isn’t). They do Redbreast as well. I prefer it to the cheaper stuff.



Off to the Talbot hotel for the night.

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