I Remember Ireland During Leap Year

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It struck me the other day that this is Leap Year... so

I rewatched  the film Leap Year this weekend and  I actually  cried because  there were so many things  I  saw  last year in Ireland  that  were  referred to in the  film..

There  was one  shot where  the couple was driving  along narrow  stone wall lined roads  but  more than that..  the yellow gorse  was  growing prolifically...  just like in this   ad for the film.

We saw gorse everywhere  in mid April

 So  I  found some gorse like  flowers in my  stash and created  a bit of    Blarney  in my living room  

Another favorite scene  of the film was  filmed here  over the  arched bridge of Stephen's Green in Dublin....We walked a few extra   kilometers  to stand  there, as well...  there were so many people there  I waited until we  got past the bridge to  take this shot of hubs!

I wish I could find the still of those magnificent swans  flying up off of the pond..  Im sure  you remember from the film (below is from images)

  but we did see the swans as we stood on the bridge

Also,  Im pretty sure  that the scene  where  the thugs steal    Louie Vitton.. the couple  was walking into  this area

and we were  just right there... almost..  our bus wouldnt make the trip,   we were here  at Moriarity's  and you can see the gap oin the background

 I  bought the painting there to bring home with me..

 this area is right near  Killarney which would be on the way from Dingle to Dublin!

And, of course, the end of the film ... so  romantic.... Im sure shot  on  the   Dingle Peninsula 

 but we saw   this in Northern Ireland..

 The cliffs Of Moher!

Southward to Waterford, Ireland

So  midafternoon saw us back on the bus heading  southeast  to  the  land of my forebears.. Waterford.

Waterford (from Old Norse Veðrafjǫrðr, meaning "ram fjord"; Irish: Port Láirge, meaning "Lárag's port") is a city in Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is the oldest and the fifth most populous city in the country. 

Viking raiders first established a settlement near Waterford in 853. It and all the other longphorts were vacated in 902, the Vikings having been driven out by the native Irish. The Vikings re-established themselves in Ireland at Waterford in 914, led at first by Ottir Iarla (Jarl Ottar) until 917, and after that by Ragnall ua Ímair and the Uí Ímair dynasty, and built what would be Ireland's first city. Among the most prominent rulers of Waterford was Ivar of Waterford.

In 1167, Diarmait Mac Murchada, the deposed King of Leinster, failed in an attempt to take Waterford. He returned in 1170 with Cambro-Norman mercenaries under Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (known as Strongbow); together they besieged and took the city after a desperate defence. In furtherance of the Norman invasion of Ireland, King Henry II of England landed at Waterford in 1171. Waterford and then Dublin were declared royal cities, with Dublin also declared capital of Ireland.  I share this   history   because upon our arrival     our  historian guide    had some of our troop   act out this saga  and  he chose  my husband, Lynn to play the part of  the hero, Diamait...  which, by the way was the same said Diarmait  in the  love triangle   that  Declan  shared with Anna  in the  film, Leap Year...  I was loving this! But I get ahead of myself!

 Waterford lies along the River Suir.. 

 as we crossed over to  the  quay side of the river....    the  personality of  Waterford  took more shape...

 Below  is our hotel,   The  Tower Hotel....

 right  at the  center  square  which  is home to  a  fabulous statue of Thomas Francis Meagher..

Thomas Francis Meagher was an Irish nationalist and leader of the Young Irelanders in the Rebellion of 1848. After being convicted of sedition, he was first sentenced to death, but received transportation for life to Van Diemen's Land in Australia.

  and is right across from Reginald's   Tower.

Reginald’s Tower was built in 1003, as part of the city wall, by Reginald (or Ragnall), son of Ivar, the Norse king of Waterford. It was originally built of wood, but was later replaced by the stone structure that exists today. The Norsemen of that period did not commonly use stone as a building material. However, excavations made in the 1990s have revealed that part of Waterford's defences were built in stone prior to the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1170. The present tower is likely to have been built in the 13th or 14th century; it may have been constructed between 1253 and 1280. In 1185 Prince John of England landed in Waterford and organised the rebuilding of the city's defences, including the tower.

The tower is 54 feet high; its horizontal cross section is circular. It is 42½ feet in diameter and is surmounted by a conical roof. A spiral staircase ascends within the thick walls - these are 10 feet wide at the base, tapering down to 7 feet at the top. It was part of the ancient city walls of Waterford and could be considered the apex of a triangle formed by three structures – Turgesius Tower on Barronstrand Street, St. Martins Castle on Lady Lane, and Reginald’s Tower at the quay and the mall. It was strategically located on the high ground between a branch of St. John's River on the southeast (since drained, and now known as the Mall) and the River Suir to the north. It is also very close to the historic French Church. The site is sometimes called Dundory (an Irish word which means "fort of oak"), and hence the tower is occasionally called the Dundory Tower. It is also known as the Ring Tower. It was one of seventeen towers which encircled the city of Waterford in medieval times. Today it is the largest of the six surviving towers, which are considered the finest examples of medieval urban defence in Ireland. I relate this history  because  of  my family line (Higgins) connection with Waterford...

We  enjoyed the  walking tour provided   by our guide, Jack!

 He led us up and through the  protected and  set apart  historic  section of town..  that  revealed the  Nordic  and    English   influence!

A replica  of a Viking  longship  that  would have sailed into these waters so long ago.

 I wish I could have  taped  Jack's accounts   but alas,   just to be there  was  enough!

 The guys in our group seemed   more interested in the  story....    I   was  too busy taking photos..

   and then   aha,  who is that  dashing  warrior    hiding behind that    shield!

   the day was waning and  we had  far to walk...

 The Norman and    English   occupation was      interesting    but again,  I had to  get this photo of King  Gordon and  Queen Marie!

 That bench was looking   pretty good to me...  but on  we     trudged...  uh, I trudged!

 This cathedral was    so    amazing in its   design and  details...  Many thanks to  John Roberts.

 Being  a lover of all things medieval I  was enthralled with this tomb of the unknown Knight!

 from here the tour    continued to  the House of Waterford Crystal!!.I have to be honest.. I was  just too tired and I  own all the Waterford that I   wanted...  so  I  returned to the hotel,  but Lynn  saw some of the  factory..

I get just as excited  when I think of my  few  goblets I  have at home.  And  it was  good to get to the   hotel  room and open the windows to  beging airing  it out..   Very little a/c in Ireland  so   the fresh  air coming in the windows  was    really important  since we had taken  our  warm sunny weather to Ireland with us!

We  passed right through  the   bar area to the  dining room....

Lynn had  a Pork Terrine and  pork roast

 I had a caesar salad and  delish Irish Stew

 We  both  enjoyed   creme  brulee'

 others at our table had    a medley of ice cream and fruit..

 But the best part of the evening  was   provided by Jonus... Our  server... he was a  hoot and  so charming!!!

Kilkenney, Ireland Day 3

ON day 3 of our Ireland   trip  it was   an early  breakfast and bags in the halls    for John of Cork  wanted the  bus out of  Dublin  as soon as   possible....    the morning  traffic is crazy in Dublin....  so many tour  buses...  regular  buses,   bikers, on their way to class and  to work  and  then the   multitudes of cars..  remind me never to think I could negotiate  that  traffic on the  left side of the road....at any rate,  we   were  heading south out of the city...   On our way  John  drove us through  Phoenix  Park  which  is  a huge  greenway  through which we did see  grazing stags     but they were too far away to capture   at the far entrance to the  park we drove past the Prime Minister's home...   looks rather familiar doesnt it!

We  drove past  Christ's  Church 

   and it's cemetery....    I  am  sort of fascinated with Irish graveyards...    they each had their own personality!

 Smaller communities     lined  the  main road south 

   smaller  villages  that  for me remain nameless   but  quaint!

 Many times the     roads were very narrow..  stonewalls lined the pavement..I  was  sure to keep my arms inside the coach!  and then a   lovely castle  came into view... We were in Kilkenny!




Kilkenny Castle (Irish: Caisleán Chill Chainnigh) is a castle in Kilkenny, Ireland built in 1195 by William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways. It was a symbol of Norman occupation and in its original thirteenth-century condition it would have formed an important element of the defences of the town with four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, part of which can still be seen today on the Parade.


The property was transferred to the people of Kilkenny in 1967 for £50 and the castle and grounds are now managed by the Office of Public Works. The gardens and parkland adjoining the castle are open to the public. The Parade Tower is a conference venue. Awards and conferring ceremonies of the graduates of "Kilkenny Campus" of National University of Ireland, Maynooth have been held there since 2002.

 Kilkenney has many    lovely  decorative  details that  give it almost a fairy tale quality

 clear  delineations of  turrets and battlements

 towers and  arches  outlined in    gorgeous trims

  Love this door that leads down into a ditch... perhaps a long ago moat  of some  kind

 a walk around the  castle  offers   many  points of interest

   and this  backside   view    offers a rather menacing  loook   in the shadows   of its  grandeur




But onward we hike to the bottom of the hill and the lovely vilage of Klkenney set on the river Nore! Ancient cathedrals dominate the skyline of the town. It is built on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster. Kilkenny is a popular tourist destination. In 2009 the City of Kilkenny celebrated its 400th year since the granting of city status in 1609.[4] Kilkenny's heritage is evident in the city and environs including the historic buildings such as Kilkenny Castle, St. Canice's Cathedral and round tower, Rothe House, Shee Alms House, Black Abbey, St. Mary's Cathedral,Kilkenny Town Hall, St. Francis Abbey, Grace's Castle, and St. John's Priory.

 it was a coolish day  and in  order to see it all,  we took a tram ride,  but alas,  the  side  windows of each compartment were  rolled down plastic  through which we cojuld see  but   photos   were  very blurry so  no photos...   albiet  through Klkenney did ahve a turbulent early history...  complete with witches and  witch hunts!

From below  the  castles  stands proud  in its  loveliness!

  But my  clock saie it was  afternoon so   we were  told lunch would be our own... so  lunch it was...

 We found a  very fine  if  small   tearoom on the corner...  They offered    their  irish breakfast tea ,   raisin scones with  homemade strawberry jam and  their   delicious    Derry  gold  creamery butter...  Lynn had   waffles.

 We found  friends form our  group inside and joined them... Marie and Gordon
and    so marie and I decided to light out  on  adventures of our own and leave the guys to teir own  interests.A quick look back to  take one final shot of the place    and I caught   maire  getting alls et to make the  climb back up the hill with me  to see the  Kilkenney shops.

  KIlkenney is a  fair mix of  ancient and modern with  rather narrow streets for a town of its size.

We had passed the shops  on the right coming into town  and we knew exactly  where to go...  each shop offered a taste of everything to be found in Ireland.

A shoppers dream...I bought one thing here...    a  green  knitted  shamrock  with  homewoven  tweed center to  pin onto my  green hat I wear  in the winter....  I thought that would be a grand  token to remind me of our  spring trip even in the dead of  winter!