To climb the tower we entered at the bottom and had to climb several tiny ladders. It was actually a bit of a workout to get to the top but once we got up there it was well worth the climb. On the top you could see the entire town of Kilkenny and the farmlands that surround it. This was not someplace you'd want to be if you were afraid of heights. I used to fear heights but I think it's safe to say I've gotten over that judging by the crazy things I've done on this trip already. The tower wasn't crazy because it was safely enclosed at the top but it was still pretty incredible to be so high above the rest of the town and be able to see every inch of Kilkenny.
After checking out the tower Conor took us to his friends farm. His friend Dougie was a 66 year old retired farmer who has his own farm and castle. Yes, I said castle. We didn't get to meet Dougie because he was out but we met his father who also lives on the farm and is 101 years old. He's still VERY with it which was incredible. Dougie has two dogs who accompanied us on the trek to the castle. We had to walk through the cows pasture, which was actually a little scary. One of the cows lunged at me and the dogs, who took their herding jobs very seriously, barked and scared the cows away. After we were walking for a bit they got used to us being there and stopped following us. The castle was incredible. It had tree bark and ivy climbing up the side and loomed over the pasture.
We went inside and climbed the spiral stone staircase to the top. At the top you could see the whole farm and it was peaceful and quiet. The view was beautiful and I could stay there forever. I imagined what it was like when someone lived there. If they looked out the window, or what was once a window that I was so mesmerized looking from. The dogs sat on the edge of the window and looked out over their farm with us.
I wanted to live there forever. To spend every day just sitting in that castle, of course I'd need Riley to be there with me. It was just so peaceful and beautiful. There isn't anything like that at home. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end so after sitting a while at the castle we had to head back. On the walk back to the house Conor showed us that the dogs knew how to climb trees. I found that incredibly amusing. He signaled to the dog and sure enough he scampered up into a tree and perched there like an owl.
Once we left the castle Danielle and I had to drive to the ring of kerry for our next destination. Before we left, Dougie's 101 year old father insisted that we stay for tea/coffee and bickies. Bickies are cookies that go with tea. These bickies were home made and one of the most delicious things I've ever had! We talked with Dougie's dad for a bit and although he was difficult to understand at times with his thick Irish accent he was interesting and sweet.
It was sad to leave Kilkenny after having such an amazing time there and I am so thankful to Conor for being an incredible host and tour guide. He gave us an authentic experience that I never would have gotten without him. Thanks Conor!
The drive to Killarney was insane. The roads were tiny, yet still had two way traffic (you had to pull over into the bushes to let a car pass if one came) and they were windy and sometimes they went straight up a mountain. The views were breathtaking. The ocean was a stunning blue and it spanned out over the horizon as we drove over a mountain to get to Killarney. Nothing looks real here. Everything looks like it came straight out of Google images. It was the type of view you have a hard time believing you are actually seeing when you're seeing it.
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