Kilkenny, Castle, National Craft Gallery and Pub, Kilkenny Ireland

Kilkenny, Ireland is a very tidy traditional town, overseen by the large historical Kilkenny Castle, a U shaped series of buildings, surrounding one end of Green Park land stretching ‘into the future’ it seemed. Across the road in the Kilkenny castle yard, originally the buildings of the stables and coach houses of Kilkenny Castle, is National Craft Gallery, opened on 2000. All the buildings, beautifully restored, feature static and working exhibitions of modern and traditional Irish Art and Craft. The National Craft Gallery is a beautiful area to stroll around, indulge in shopping and appreciate the creativity of Irelands best crafts people.

As one tends to do towards as the end of a busy shopping and touring day, we all visited in interesting looking Irish pub, The Left Bank, situated in the former Bank of Ireland Building. As with several pubs we visited in Ireland, the 4 floors inside the pub as well as outside area, were stunningly and eclectically decorated and we spent much time admiring the different areas of the pub.

Kilkenny, even though we only had a glimpse of the historical houses and buildings looked a very interesting town, ideal for visitors to spend more time there and indulge in a local Irish adventure.

Kildagan Stud Kildare, Ireland - a glimpse into the world of Horse Breeding

I guess we realized we were in for something special when we were greeted by security staff at what looked like an entrance to a country manor estate, for our tour or Kildagan Stud. We drove along an asphalted driveway surrounded by immaculately groomed green borders, passing a very old cemetery and pulled up outside a red brick elegant office building. Formerly the land was known as O’Rielly Farm and covered over 4 and a half thousand acres – today it is a modest 1600 acres of beautifully kept farm and pasturelands bordered by luscious hedgerows, ideal for nesting birds. Since its creation as a stud farm in 1927, Kildagan Stud has bred many famous racing winners around the world. Kildagan Stud has the facilities to hotel 400 horses, and its studs are kept very busy in the specially designed mating buildings during the mating season. Mares may come just for the coupling, or stay until the birth in most luxurious surroundings. We were introduced to some of the most valuable horses at Kildagan Stud, valued at around $20million each.

These are very much in demand and command very high stud fees. Kildagan Stud is very environment conscious and we were very impressed with the recycling and compost plant and machinery which ensures that nothing goes to waste. Tours at Kildagan Stud have become so popular a visitor information, exhibition centre and cafe are to be constructed.

NewGrange, Slane Castle and Mellifont Abbey, near Slane, Ireland

Today was our historical sites of Ireland adventure. We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the NewGrange mount as bookings need to be made months ahead and visits are strictly controlled.The largest of 12 mounds in the area, and only discovered in 1969, until recently people could drive up to it at their leisure. As it’s significance and mystique grew, so did its visitors, so much so that 10 years ago a visitor center, 10 kms away was contstructed, and today visitors are bussed to the site. It was quite awe inspiring to stand inside the perfectly dry, igloo shaped 5000 year old space inside the mound and experience a reconstruction of the sun passing though a slit in the mound as it has always done in the winter solstace. Then it was on though the Battle of Boynes area to visit Slane Castle, built in 1701 and still in use today. Each year it plays host to concerts of up to 80,000 people performed by musicians such as Madonna, Queen and U2, who stayed there for six weeks. Very plain inside by most castle standards, and rebirbished after a fire in 1991, the castle could be best described as ‘shabby chic.’ Today one can hire the whole castle for weddings and stay in tastefully refurbished bedrooms originally occupied by various dukes, rock stars and servants. After invading a restaurant in a quaint village nearby we travelled to the pristine ruins of Mellifont Abbey. Founded in 1142 on the orders of St Malachy, this was the first catholic monastry in Ireland adapted from St Benedicts cisterism in Burgundy. Becuse the austere lifestyle became so popular, many similar abbeys were constructed arount Ireland. However they also became very wealthy, so much so that they were closed down in 1539 by Henry v1111. Today the Abbey is very much alive offering people who prefer the monastic way of life opportunities to work on its extensive land area, on the farm, garden centre, or in the printing press. This site was excavated in 1954 and today all the monasteries are protected.

About Newport Rhode Island

Having travelled by bus to Newport Rhode Island, we arrived on a hot Sunday afternoon, into a end-of-summer resort! Lots of shops, and tanned people strolling around. After lunching we walked, lugging our cases - on wheels, of course, down streets of 2 - 3 storied wooden houses with steeply pitched roofs and window boxes, to our home for the next 7 days. Many of the houses had plaques on them stating their age which was around 200 - 250 years old and the people who lived there - pewterers, silversmiths, etc. Ours was built in around 1750 and was occupied by a famous cabinet maker, John Goddard and his son Thomas. The house was moved to its current site from one nearer the water, because someone wanted the land, but not the building. The current owners refurbished the 3 storied house - 3 bedrooms, a huge attic room - ideal for grandchildren and for a crew of yachties, and numerous bathrooms. They often let the house out to visitors and would holiday on their boat. It was ideal for boating people like us - much better than a hotel!

Newport, as the name suggests was a port town situated at the beginning of Rhode Island Sound. It ends well inland at Providence, the area's current port. The sound is not as we New Zealanders are used to - high mountains, deep water, but instead, low bush and tree covered hills and about 30 islands amnd peninsulas. Apparently the land, like that in Sweden, Finland and around the Baltic Sea, is very slowly rising as it no longer bears the weight of glaciers.

At the beginning of the sound is Fort Adams - one of two ports built to keep the British out. However the British laid seige and stayed out to sea, so there was no battle and subsquently not a shot has been fired from the fort. This area is steeped in history, much of which had a profound effect on the direction of the United States which, of course, can be found out in great detail, on Google!!

So here is a very very brief outline about Newport Rhode Island in no particular order;
- People came to this area to escape religious persecution
- The rich came here to spend their summers - resulting in the erection of many huge beautiful and opulent palace like mansions - many of which can be visited today.
- There was a huge Sanitorium here - started by somebody who used electricity to cure everthing then discovered that there was more money and less responsibility in making the place into a 'health retreat' to which people came and did not want to leave
- The houses are very quaint and disctinctive
- The Navy's main base was here for many years - as it has moved its base elsehwere most of its many buildings are now Naval Colleges
- The area is quaint and beautiful and very cultural - art, crafts, music
- the (only) Main Street has heaps of pubs, cafes and touristy resort shops
- Around the waters edge are hundreds of holiday apartment blocks built around 20 - 30 for the huge summer population - part or a revival plan for the area after the Navy and America's Cup trophy relocated
- There are hundreds and hundreds of boats here - all of which have to be taken out of the water for the winter
- The loss of the America's Cup had a huge impact on the ecomony as well as the New York Yacht Club which owns a mansion donated to it by a former Commodore.

All in all Newport Rhode Island is a beautiful area - very hot in summer and very cold in winter. Apparently when the water froze over around 150 years ago, a large home was built on a very small rocky island as the materials could be brought out over the snow and ice by sled. Then one winter there was a severe blizzard lasting for several days. After it abated, the lady of the house departed to the mainland and swore never to go back again... Today the house has that rather neglected air about it.

Now I will sign off this item and write something about the sailing.....

Qantas International Airlines Best Kept Secret

Ever sat, slumped in your airline seat when travelling overseas and wondered how you can eat your airline food without it spilling down your front?

Qantas have a solution, and it seems, from observing other flying passengers, that very few people know about it.

Next time you fly on Quantas have a look at your serviette, or table napkin. You may find that it has a small button hole in one corner.

The purpose of this button hole is so that you can put your top shirt button through the hole. This means that the serviette or napkin covers the whole of your front and any food accidentally spilled does not land on, and ruin your clothes.

Oh, and don't forget to wear a shirt or top that has buttons....


Have a happy, safe, and no spills journey!!!

Rae