Kilmainham & Rock of Cashel
Today we met our bus driver Dennis from Monahn in the Republic of Ireland near the Northern Ireland border. Our first stop was the Kilmainham Gaol (jail) It is a classic Victorian Prison. Ciaran Berry led our tour. The jail was occupied from 1796-1924 with several prisoners of interest. The first political prisoner of note was Henry McCracken. He wanted to make Ireland into a republic. Joseph Plunkett was part of the Irish Citizen Army . He and 14 men were executed here. However, the night before his execution he was allowed to marry his fiancee, Grace Gifford. She remained in jail for 5 more months. In her cell she painted a picture of the Madonna and child. Prisoners were given a blanket and 4 inch candle that was to last a week. Since it was a reformed jail, the prisoners were supposed to be 1 to a cell; however, during the great famine in 1845 there were 5 to a cell as well as people in the narrow hallways. It was frequently overcrowded because people stole so they could be jailed and have food and shelter.
We traveled on to the Rock of Cashel in the county of Tipperary. We stopped and ate at Granny's Kitchen. Our guide at the Rock of Cashel was Julianne Slattery. This area was ruled by the O'Brien's and the McCarthy's. We saw the original round tower which was the first stone building built to commemorate the McCarthy's handing over the area to the church. The door was 12 feet off the ground and a ladder was used to enter. The last one inside pulled up the ladder to keep intruders out. St. Mary's Abbey was just down the hillside where young boys were trained to be monks. There was the Hall of Vicars that housed the 7 choir men and an organist. They sang in the cathedral. The inside was burned in 1647. Outside is a replica os St. Patrick's Cross which is a Latin cross not a Celtic Cross.
As we traveled to Kinsale we learned several Irish songs--Molly Malone, Johnny Jump Up, Foggy Dew, Will You Go Lassie Go, and Fiddlers Green. Always entertainment!
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Kitty O'Shea's provided a great dinner for the group. I had fish and chips and Chuck had pan seared Halibut. Quite delicious as well as enjoying the Irish music and pints of Guinness.
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