Ireland, Part 3

The next morning, we packed up and took off for Cork and Blarney Castle. This was supposed to be one of our longest day trips, but after being so lost the night before it felt like we got to Blarney in no time!

I wasn't sure if I even wanted to go to Blarney Castle. I just thought it would be a stupid tourist trap because everyone goes there to kiss the Blarney Stone. I am so glad we went! It is a beautiful castle on amazing grounds, and it's no wonder everyone kisses the Blarney Stone. It is very exhilarating!

First, we wandered around the gardens, which were very cool. They had signs that explained the magical things that were thought to happen in the garden.

All of the clovers that we saw in the garden had four leaves. Must be a lucky place!

This stone looks like a profile of a witch.


Then it was on to the castle. What remains of the castle is mostly just the keep, which was built in 1446. There are places that you can explore if you are more adventurous than me, like tiny tunnels that go through the castle wall, but just getting to the top is quite an adventure. The winding stair case is so steep, I wasn't sure I was going to make it! When we finally made it to the top, it was time to kiss the Blarney Stone. To reach the stone, you have to bend over backwards because the stone is lower than the floor you lay down on. You are up really high, and even though there are a couple of bars and a man to hold you, I was so nervous!
Then we drove just a few minutes to Cork. Cork is a really neat city. I thought it was really interesting that it is the second largest city in Ireland, but its population is smaller than Corona! We started out by cruising through the English Market, which is an indoor market with local vendors that sell fresh meats, cheeses, fruits, and bread. We bought enough to have a yummy picnic in the park.





Mom and Dad decided to take a bus tour, while Nic, Max, and I opted for a walking tour. The city is very walkable, and we got to talk to quite a few friendly locals. On our tour we stopped at St. Finbarre' s Cathedral, which has been a religious site since St. Finbarre established his monastery here in 606 A.D. The current building was built in the 1865 and has beautiful stained glass depicting bible scenes. Then we headed to the university, which had beautiful grounds and a lively feel. Once we met back up with my parents, we were looking for a place to eat when one of the local college students suggested one of his favorite restaurants. It was casual and delicious. A perfect ending to the day. I loved Cork.I think I could definitely live there.