Category Archives: Travel

Irish Castles

Our Ireland trip was billed as ten days of Pew & Pubs.  It was all wonderful, but I thought I would share a few castles with you today.

Blarney Castle, near Cork, Ireland.  Yes, the place where you kiss the stone.   No, I didn’t, although I did climb the stairs to the top.  If you want to know why I passed on this opportunity, click HERE.   I decided to risk not being eloquent.  The original castle on this site was built in 1200, but this particular version was built in 1446.

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Powerscourt Castle, Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland.  This castle has fabulous gardens, a small lake, and beautiful wooded grounds totalling 47 acres.  The original castle was built in the 13th century, then extensively altered in the 18th century.   A fire in 1974 left the castle as a shell until 1996 when it was completely renovated.

Powerscourt Castle side

The Rock of Cashel, in Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland.  They are doing renovations on part of this fortress.  The tower dates from around 1100.  The chapel was consecrated in 1134, and the cathedral was finished in 1270.  The grounds are walled, with an extensive cemetary within the walls.  It was interesting to see that it is an active cemetary, with new graves among the ancient ones.

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Ross Castle, in Killarney National Park, County Kerry, Ireland.  This stronghold was built late in the 15th century.  When we were there, they were preparing for a celebration at Ross Castle later in the day.  This castle was the ending point for our buggy ride through the mountains, followed by our boat ride through several lakes, then we landed in front of this castle.  Very impressive!

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Bunratty Castle, in Bunratty, County Clare, Ireland.  This is a large, 15th century tower house.  This is the fourth castle built on this site, built in 1425.  We had a dinner at Bunratty Castle, sort of a little dinner theater, with musicians and actors in costume.

Bunratty Castle

Castle builders are just like builders nowadays…it’s location, location, location.  They either chose a high look-out point, a river or lake site.

Sue

Design-Wall Monday

I completed another one of DesignAndBeMary candle mats this week.  (This exact pattern may not be available yet, but browse through her other tabletop patterns.  They are all wonderful!)

It is made from National Nonwoven’s woolfelt.  (Make sure you wet the woolfelt thoroughly and dry it in the dryer, then press it flat, before using.  It makes the wool more beefy.)

Candle Mat Tan full Candle Mat Tan

I am now working on some Cosmic Coasters by One Wing Wool.  They are layered together, but will be fused, blanket stitched and other decorative stitching added, as well as a bit of beading around the edge:

Coasters

I just returned from 10 wonderful days in Ireland, so I am posting a few photos a day as I go through the hundreds of pictures I took.

Dunloe Gap 6

Here are some shots of our trip through the Gap of Dunloe.  We rode in traps (small carts) on the narrow roads,  pulled by Irish cob ponies.

Dunloe Gap 3Ireland is such a beautiful and welcoming country, it was a lovely experience.

Linking to Judy L’s Design Wall Monday

Sue

Forty Shades of Green

I just wanted to share a couple of photos of the most beautiful and interesting place you could ever visit. . . Ireland!

Ireland Powercourt

Above is a tower in Powercourt castle and gardens.  Below is a shot of the gorgeous countryside.  It’s another kind of patchwork!

Ireland landscape

I’ve only begun to go through my photos, so more to come in the days ahead.