Author: Paul Terry

I love to travel. I've been fortunate to visit about 75 countries so far. I prefer to travel independently to get off the beaten path a bit. I also try to find good deals to make my travels more affordable.

Braşov – A Great Base for Exploring Transylvania

Transylvania contains a number of fortified towns, and Braşov is a great example. The fortifications were begun in 1203 and constructed by the Saxons (Germans) as defenses against the Ottoman Empire. Local Romanians were actually forced to live outside the main town. Some of the old town’s walls, towers and gates remain. Located about 170 km north of Bucharest, Braşov is a great place to call home for a few days to explore this part of Transylvania. We spent 3 nights in Braşov and were able to explore the old town of Braşov and Peleş Castle (about 50 km south of Braşov) on our first day, Bran Castle and Raşnov Fortress on the 2nd day, and Harman and Prejmer fortified churches on our way out of town on the 3rd day. For a map of our tour of Romania, click here.

Mt. Tampa rises above Braşov.

The old town of Braşov is set against Mt. Tampa on the south. The path around the outside of the walls on this side of the city is shaded and a favorite place for locals to stroll on Sundays. There is a Hollywood-like sign on the mountain (“Braşov”). If you want to get  a great view of Braşov and the surrounding countryside, take the tram up Mt. Tampa, located outside the old walls. At the top of the mountain, follow the trail to the west (or right) towards the Braşov sign for an overlook of the old town and surrounding area. The tram costs about $6 round trip. Another option is to take the tram up and walk the trail back down.

View of Braşov and surrounding area from Mount Tampa. The old city of Braşov is in the lower right (the Black Church and the main square are visible).

The old city is well-preserved with a number of interesting streets and buildings.  It is a very lively town, with many people enjoying the outdoors on the plaza and open air cafes.

The pedestrian street of Strada Republicii, looking towards the Black Church. It’s lined with cafes and a great place to spend a summer evening.

The main square is the heart of old Braşov, and has an interesting history.  Some claim the Town Council building is haunted, and given its bloody history, maybe there is a good reason!

The Piata Sfatului, with the council house (built in 1420), and Trumpeter’s Tower, where many tortures took place. This square was apparently the site of the last witch burning in Europe.

The Black Church along with the Council House are the main landmarks in old Braşov. The Black Church is the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul. Construction on the church started in 1383 and lasted almost 100 years. It received its name after a huge fire that blackened its walls and swept through the town in 1689.  It has a 4,000 pipe organ and many Turkish rugs hanging from the balconies, which were gifts from merchants–not something you see everyday in old churches.

The old city of Braşov. The Black Church is center-left, while the city walls are in the foreground, and Trumpeter’s Tower is center-right.

Sforii (Rope) Street. The narrowest street in Braşov and one of the narrowest in Europe (1.32 meters wide and 83 meters long).

Braşov fortifications.

The old city retains some of its original fortifications, with a number of towers and some remaining walls.  The outline of the old city can clearly be seen from Mt. Tampa and also there are old drawings of the city in the Black Church. There are several towers outside the city walls which provided early warning in case of attack.

The Weaver’s Bastion is the best preserved of the city’s fortifications; it sits at the southwest corner of the old city walls. Construction began in 1421. The walkway to the tram up Mt. Tampa is located near to this Bastion.

City gates. There are a few remaining gates to the old city, and one of the most scenic is Catherine’s gate.

Catherine’s Gate retains its original appearance and was a main entrance to Braşov from the Schei District. Outside the city walls was a large moat, which was drained just in the 1800’s.

Schei District.

This is where the locals lived, while the Saxons lived in the fortified city.  We took a walk through this section of town, which also has interesting churches and squares.

St. Nicholas Stone Church (a cathedral) built in 1495, is in the Schei district to the southwest of the old city. This church has great wall paintings from the 1700’s.

References: Lonely Planet Romania, 2010; Braşov by Romghid Press, 2010

A Tour of Romania – The Europe of Yesteryear

We just completed a great vacation to Romania. Most of our friends were asking “Why are you going to Romania? “or even “Where is Romania?” Admittedly, Romania is not the first place one usually thinks of for a European vacation, but that’s because many people don’t know what the country has to offer rather than it not being a good place to go. We flew into Bucharest and traveled north to Transylvania, where we made a loop for about 9 days. This part of Romania has beautiful snow-capped mountains, with green valleys and thick forests, fantastic little villages with fortified churches (which are unique to Transylvania), great castles and medieval towns. We visited in May, and ran into very few tourists in most locations.

Central Romania and the main sites we visited. Transylvania is in the heart of Romania, north and northwest of Bucharest.

The Transylvanian countryside of Romania

The fortress and town of Rupea in Transylvania.

Romania is in a time warp; modern cars are zipping by on roads, passing horse-drawn carts carrying families into the village or hay to the barn. We saw some folks sitting in their horse-drawn cart talking on a cell phone! It is an agricultural society, with huge fields being planted by hand, and horse-drawn plows tilling the fields. And then you have the ugly years of communist rule under Ceauşescu, and a number of burnt-out old factories blighting some of the towns, but luckily these do no mar most of the historic sights.

Typical road – cars, trucks and horse-drawn carts all sharing the lanes.

A typical Romanian village scene.

Women on their way to their fields – working the land is a family affair.

Here are a few things to know if you’re considering this country as a vacation destination. In future posts we’ll describe in more detail the sites we visited.

Cost. Go now. Romania is quite cheap compared to Western Europe. It is not yet on the Euro which keeps costs more reasonable. The cost of gasoline is on par with Western Europe, but accommodations are much less (most rooms were an average of about 35 Euros per room, which is about 1/3 of what you would pay in Western Europe). Food was another bargain; a good meal in a nice restaurant for 3 people was typically around US $35 total, not including alcohol. Entry fees to most sites were $2-3, with a few exceptions.

Roads.  We rented a car, which is the best way to get around, since many of the interesting sights are in little towns. Our guidebooks warned us about the roads, and yet we found most of them to be in good or better condition. Yes, there were a few roads with numerous potholes and lots of patches, but those were really pretty rare, even on the small backcountry roads. Some roads to little villages are still dirt or gravel, or a combination of gravel and some pavement. It was not uncommon for many village roads to be dirt. Everything is well sign posted. We never bought a map and just followed road signs and used Google maps on our iPhone for some directions (although we did discover Google hadn’t mapped some little villages). I found Romanian drivers to be similar to other places in Europe–driving pretty fast, but also highly alert and reasonably patient. I would say they were actually less crazy than places like Italy.

A dirt/gravel road in the village of Viscri, Transylvania, Romania.

Our rental car in Romania.

B&B’s. We found our accommodations through Booking.com. There are not many large hotels, especially in the smaller towns. Our rooms were clean, many were recently remodeled, with good showers and decent beds. Every place we stayed had free wireless internet, a very handy feature.

Our B&B in Horezu, Romania

Inside our B&B room in Brasov.

Food. Another thing we’d correct about our guidebooks (Lonely Planet and Rough Guide) is regarding the food. The books did not rave about most of the food dishes, and yet we thought the local cuisine was very good; many high quality meats served with savory sauces, good salads and soups. Good pizzas and pastas are also available. As mentioned above, you can eat a very well for about $10 per person per meal.

One of our many excellent meals in Romania. (those are bread bowls with tasty soup inside!)

Ireland Day 8 (of 8): Glendalough and Dublin

On our last day in Ireland we visited the scenic Glendalough monastery ruins and Dublin.

Glendalough

Glendalough is 58 kilometers south of Dublin. It is an early Christian monastic site found by St. Kevin in the 6th century. It sits in a beautiful valley with two lakes. The historic ruins include a round tower, stone churches and decorated crosses; most of the buildings date from the 8th to the 12th centuries. Although attacked by the Vikings and English over the centuries, this site survived until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII in 1539. Since our time was limited, we visited only the lower ruins (near the Lower Lake) and did not make it to the Upper Lake and few remaining ruins there. We enjoyed the beautiful natural setting as well as the historic aspects. Glendalough is part of the Heritage Ireland system. For a map of these locations click here.

St. Kevin’s Kitchen (11th century) and round tower at Glendalough.

The Cathedral and graveyard at Glendalough.

Dublin

We then drove north to Dublin, and tried to make the most of our short time there (we had an unplanned overnight stop in Graiguenamanagh due to a rental car breakdown). Dublin is located on the east coast of Ireland (almost directly west of northern Wales), and the River Liffey goes through the heart of town west to east, not unlike the River Thames in London. I would not call Dublin a beautiful city like Paris, but it definitely has its own character, and interesting neighborhoods. Many of the historical sights are on the south side of the river.

The River LIffey in Dublin, looking east.

Street scene in Dublin.

Our main interest was seeing the Book of Kells, housed at Trinity College (on the south side of the River Liffey). Trinity College was founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592. The Book of Kells is a richly decorated artistic masterpiece. The manuscript (680 pages) dates from about 806 AD and contains the Four Gospels of the New Testament. It is considered the most important piece of art from the Dark Ages. The Book is kept in a small room in the Treasury of the Library at the University under special glass and lighting to preserve this marvelous work. Next to the Treasury is the Old Library—a 210 ft. long room built in 1732 which contains 200,000 texts on two levels. Unfortunately I could not get pictures of either of these gems.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. “The people’s church” dates from 1270. The Protestant Church of Ireland’s national cathedral.

This cathedral of the Church of Ireland dates from 1186, but was heavily restored in the 1870’s. Lots of interesting historical features, including a huge crypt.

We also walked around the town, visiting Temple Bar (famous pubs and restaurant area), Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral (shown above).

Dublin Castle, with the Record Tower (on right – built in 1226) and Chapel Royal (center – built in 1814). The Record Tower is all that remains of the original castle.

Reference:  DK Eyewitness Travel Ireland 2006

Ireland Day 7: Kilkenny Castle, Jerpoint Abbey and Graiguenamanagh

One of the best towns in Ireland for tourists is Kilkenny. It is considered the loveliest inland city, and is located in the southeast part of the country (for a map showing the location click here). It is a well-kept town with a variety of painted buildings and narrow alleyways. The town has two main historical treasures, Kilkenny Castle at one end of town and St. Canice’s Cathedral at the other.

The 18th century Tholsel (city hall) with a clock tower is the main landmark on the High Street in Kilkenny. It is still used by city councilors today.

Kilkenny Castle sits above the River Nore, and dates from the 12thcentury although it’s been heavily remodeled and restored over the centuries and now is decorated in the finest fashion of the Victorian era (1830’s). It has some great paintings, furnishings and wooden ceilings. It was owned and occupied by the Butler family until the 1930’s (a very influential family dating back to the 1300’s who also owned Cahir Castle, discussed in another post, click here). Access to Kilkenny castle is by guided tour only, which lasts about 1 hour. No video or cameras are allowed inside.

Kilkenny Castle from the north side, which faces the town.

View of Kilkenny Castle from the south side.

At the other end of High Street is St. Canice’s Cathedral. The cathedral dates from the 13thcentury and sits on a hill top above the town. I was impressed with the views of Kilkenny from its hundred-foot high round tower. The cathedral is intact and is considered one of Ireland’s key medieval treasures.

A view of St. Canice’s Cathedral, with the round tower which can be climbed.

A view of Kilkenny from the tower at St. Canice’s Cathedral. There are many old churches in this great city.

We also visited Black Abbey in Kilkenny. A Domincan abbey founded in 1225, and a working monastery today.

About 30 kilometers south of Kilkenny are the medieval ruins of Jerpoint Abbey, a large Cistercian abbey founded in the late 12th century that for some reason is not mentioned in Rick Steves’ Ireland book. The tower and cloister date from the 15thcentury. The sculptured cloister arcade is unusual and quite interesting.

A view of the tower of Jerpoint Abbey from the cloister.

The sculptured cloister at Jerpoint Abbey.

Both Kilkenny Castle and Jerpoint Abbey are part of the Heritage Ireland system, which means you buy a membership card once and don’t have to pay individual entry fees at each site which is part of the system.

The town of Graiguenamanagh was NOT on our itinerary, but a rental car breakdown (my first ever) in this town caused us to spend the night here. We actually enjoyed our overnight stop in this little town on the Barrow River. This was a chance to experience a quiet little Irish village, just a little ways east of Jerpoint Abbey.

The town of Graiguenamanagh on the Barrow River.

Ardennes (Belgium) American Cemetery – In Honor of our World War II Heroes

Not far from Liege, Belgium in the village of Neuville-en-Condrozis is the Ardennes American Cemetery, which is located on land liberated by Third Armored Division on September 7, 1944. The bodies of 5,328 Americans who died in Europe in WWII rest here, some from the Battle of Ardennes (also known as the “Battle of the Bulge”). Among the grave markers are 792 unknown soldiers, with the statement “Known Only to God” on each. The names of 462 Americans whose remains were not found are included on stone plaques around the base of the monument at the entrance to the cemetery.

The neat rows of over 5,000 grave markets in the Ardennes American Cemetery

I’ve read a little about the Battle of the Bulge, and know that it was a terribly bitter battle during the extremely cold winter of 1944. Many of the U.S. Army personnel in this battle were new recruits, who had to learn quickly how to fight and survive. This was Hitler’s last major offensive before his war machine began to collapse. Had Hitler succeeded, this world would be a very different place, I’m sure.

The monument at the Cemetery. It overlooks the actual graves, and around the base are the names of over 400 soldiers whose bodies were never recovered (you can also go inside the monument--see below).

Inside the Ardennes Cemetery monument. There are maps showing the Allied invasions, major battles, along with a short history. There is a small chapel in the monument also.

I had the privilege of visiting this cemetery recently during a business trip. It was sobering to view the thousands of grave markers of those who gave their lives in this great conflict. My own father served in the Navy in the Pacific Theater during WWII.  Tom Brokaw dubbed this generation “The Greatest Generation” and I agree with his observation. I honor those who have served and currently serve our country in the Armed Forces.

The cemetery was constructed by American Battle Monuments Commission, and is supervised by an U.S. superintendent. The cemetery is open at 9 am every day of the year.

Ireland Day 6: Waterford, Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle

From Kinsale we drove to Waterford. Waterford is the oldest town in Ireland, located on the River Suir, near the southern coast. Our main reason for visiting Waterford was to go to the world famous crystal factory located on the edge of the town. The factory provides a one-hour tour of the crystal-making process and has a large store. Of course we had to buy something; Robyn bought a crystal nativity set. We also visited Reginald’s Tower, the oldest surviving civic urban building in Ireland.  Reginald’s Tower was part of the old town’s defenses, built in the late 1100’s. It was used as a mint, prison and military store, and now houses an exhibition on the history of the area. For map of sites visited in Ireland, click here.

Reginald's Tower in Waterford. Dates from the 1100's.

From Waterford, we drove northwest 80 kilometers to the medieval site of the Rock of Cashel, standing over the town of Cashel. It was extremely windy and rainy that day (in mid-March), with the rain coming at us horizontally on the Rock, but we enjoyed our visit nonetheless.  The Rock contains a collection of buildings from the 12th, 13th and 15th centuries.  It was the seat of the Kings of Munster who ruled much of southern Ireland from the 5th century to the 12thcentury. St. Patrick baptized King Aengus here in 450 AD.

Cormac's Chapel from the south side. The first Romanesque church in Ireland, consecrated in 1134. There are a few faint frescoes inside.

The site was turned over to the Catholic Church in the 1100’s as a strategic move to favor the Church and keep the site out of the hands of rival clans. The buildings and ruins include a Romanesque chapel (Cormac’s Chapel), a Gothic cathedral, archbishop’s house (or castle), round tower (the oldest stone structure on the site, 92 ft high), graveyard and other stone monuments. The dormitory building (Hall of the Vicar’s Choral) contains a restored medieval wood roof, visitor’s center and museum.  If you like medieval history and buildings, this is one of the greatest sites in Europe.

The imposing Rock of Cashel as viewed from the north.

A view of the graveyard and round tower on Rock of Cashel.

A view of the round tower and north transept of the cathedral on Rock of Cashel.

From Cashel, we drove to Cahir, to visit Cahir Castle, located 17 kilometers south of Cashel. Cahir is one of Ireland’s largest and best preserved castles, and yet seems to be somewhat unknown to tourists. It is located on a rock island in the River Suir, in the heart of the town of Cahir.  It was built in the 13th century, and expanded in the 15th and 16thcenturies. It was granted to the Butler family by the English crown in 1375, and stayed in the ownership of the family until 1964. There are lots of rooms to explore in this castle.

Cahir Castle on the River Suir.

View of Cahir Castle.

Reginald’s Tower, the Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle are all part of the Heritage Ireland system.

References: Rick Steve’s Ireland 2007 and DK Eyewitness Travel, Ireland 2006.

Ireland Day 5: Blarney Castle, Kinsale and Charles Fort

Blarney Castle is near Cork, in southwest Ireland.

From Kemare and the Ring of Kerry, we headed southeast to Blarney Castle (for a map of Ireland see my post “Eight Day Tour of Ireland”). This castle is famous for the “Blarney Stone” which is supposed to endow the “gift of gab” on anyone who kisses it. The stone is at the top of the keep (up 127 steps), and one has to lean backwards over the edge of the wall (see picture below) to kiss it. We didn’t bother to kiss the stone, but everyone else seemed to be doing it! The castle was built in 1446. Underneath the castle there are some tunnels that were interesting to explore, perhaps old secret passages. This castle is not part of the Heritage Ireland system, and so a separate fee is required. There are lovely gardens and well-manicured grounds around the castle. The little village of Blarney is also well-kept.

The lovely grounds of Blarney Castle.

The Blarney Stone is located above the top window, in the parapet wall.

From Blarney, we headed to the south coast of Ireland (via Cork) to the town of Kinsale, known as one of the prettiest towns in Ireland. Kinsale was an important shipping port and naval base, from Middle Ages and through the 1800’s. It was known for making top quality wooden (oak) casks (there used to be plentiful forests of oak in this area), and the wine trade was a major driver of the economy. Desmond Castle is a fortified Norman customs house, and was used to house prisoners in various wars and also American Revolutionary War “rebels” captured at sea—they were chained to the outside of the building as a warning to local Irish who also might want to rebel against British rule. There are some interesting exhibits in the Castle about the wine trade and the history of the area. It is part of the Heritage Ireland system.

A view of Kinsale harbor.

Desmond Castle in Kinsale.It once housed 600 prisoners during the Napoleonic wars (where did they all fit?).

Just two miles from Kinsale is Charles Fort, a massive star-shaped fortress built in the 1670’s which was modified over the next couple of centuries. The fort was meant to protect Kinsale from naval attack, but was vulnerable to land attack, which happened in 1690. The British occupied this fort until Irish independence was achieved in 1922. This fort was really a mini-city, and feels like a “ghost town” with many buildings still standing. The fort is also part of the Heritage Ireland system.

A view of the coast from the massive walls of Charles Fort.

A view of the barracks and other buildings at Charles Fort.

Another view of Charles Fort and Kinsale harbor.

Close to Kinsale is the town of Cobh, which we did not have time to visit. The Titanic made a last stop at Cobh before heading across the Atlantic on its fateful voyage to America.

References: Rick Steves’ Ireland 2007 and DK Eyewitness Travel, Ireland, 2006.

Ireland Day 4: Ring of Kerry

The rugged Atlantic coastline of the Ring of Kerry, Ireland.

Located on the southwest coast of Ireland, the famous Ring of Kerry is one of Ireland’s most popular attractions (it’s called the “Ring of Kerry” since Iveragh Peninsula is part of County Kerry). Like the Dingle Peninsula, it provides the tourist with a great combination of historical sights and natural scenery. On our fourth day in Ireland, we took the 120 mile drive around the peninsula.

Kenmare

Our B&B in Kenmare

Our base for exploring this area was the little town of Kenmare, south of Killarney, and a good jump-off spot for touring the Ring (see map below). Many people stay in Killarney to visit this part of Ireland, but if you prefer a little quieter location, try Kenmare. We stayed in a great B&B, just outside the town. No problem finding good food here. We found an excellent Italian restaurant right on the main street. In the town of Kenmare, just off Market Street is “Druid’s Circle” a prehistoric stone ring of 15 stones associated with human sacrifice.

The Druid stone circle in Kenmare. Note the altar in the middle right.

Ring of Kerry

Since we were visiting in late March, crowds were not a problem on the Ring road, but from what we understand, there are LOTS of tour buses in the summer, so be prepared for slow driving and a lot of people. Rick Steves recommends going clockwise on the Ring (against the tour bus flow) in order to avoid the crowds if visiting in the summer, and this is probably a good idea.  We went this way even though the traffic was light during our visit.

An old castle-home off the road on the Ring of Kerry.

Below are a few of the sites we saw on this road trip.

Ring Forts

We visited Staigue Fort (on the south side of the peninsula), and the Cahersiveen forts (on the north side of the peninsula, near the town of Cahersiveen). These forts were built between 500 BC and 300 AD.  Not much is known about the builders, but apparently they were defensive shelters in times of tribal warfare.  They were built without mortar, and are large structures—walls are 12 feet thick at the base and up to 20 feet high. All of these forts are just a mile or two off the main route.

Exterior view of Staigue Ring Fort.

Inside Staigue Ring Fort.

The huge ring fort near Cahersiveen.

Skellig Michael

At the western end of the Ring of Kerry is the jump-off spot to Skellig Michael, one of the three prominent “St. Michael” monasteries in Europe (the others being Mont St. Michel in Normandy, France, and St. Michael’s Mount in Penzance, England). St. Michael is the patron saint of high places, hence why these three sites are named after him. The downside of visiting Ireland in March is that no boats were operating out to Skellig Michael (about 10 miles off the coast). They do not begin service until after Easter, and even then, getting a boat is iffy, and dependent on the weather. Monks lived on Skellig Michael from 600 AD to the 12thcentury. If you are going to Skellig Michael, you will need to stay in Portmagee overnight, or awake VERY early and drive approximately 60 miles from Killarney or Kenmare  out to Portmagee.

Skellig Michael in the distance from the western edge of the Ring of Kerry.

Ballycarberry Castle

Close to Cahersiveen is this ruined, ivy covered castle, which is a fitting symbol of Ireland.  We just happened to see a sign pointing to the castle and decided to check it out, one of the benefits of having our own car.

The ivy covered ruins of Ballycarbery Castle.

Ross Castle

Near Killarney is Ross Castle. It has an imposing setting right on the shore, on an isthmus in Lough Leane, which separates this large lake into two parts. The castle was built in 1420.  Inside the castle several rooms provide great examples of medieval construction methods for ceilings, showing the use of wood lath, plaster and the curvature of the wooden frame to provide strength.

Ross Castle, hear Killarney.

Killarney is in such a unique perfect setting with mountain peaks (over 2000 feet high), lakes, Killarney National Park, and the Ring of Kerry.  No wonder this is such a popular tourist destination.

References: Rick Steves’ Ireland, 2007, and DK Eyewitness Travel, Ireland, 2006.

Key sights on Ring of Kerry, Ireland.

Ireland Day 3: Dingle Peninsula

The narrow road that winds around Dingle Peninsula.

The farming country of Dingle Peninsula. There are more sheep than people in this remote part of Ireland!

From the town of Dingle, we drove around the peninsula counter-clockwise.  We had most of the road and stopping points to ourselves (we were there in late March), and enjoyed the great views of the rugged coast and the now uninhabited Blasket Islands (the village on the main island is now a ghost town). The government thought it best to move the last of the residents from the Blaskets to the ‘mainland’ in 1953. There are also some interesting historical sites in this remote and windswept part of the Emerald Isle, which provides a feel for the Ireland of yesteryear.  A drive around the end of the peninsula with stops will take about 3 hours, although it is only about 30 miles. This part of Ireland is Gaelic-speaking (yes, English is spoken too).

The Dingle Peninsula, Ireland

The Ring of Kerry to the south is more famous and well-traveled, but the scenery on the Dingle Peninsula is beautiful and a bit less touristy.

Here is a pictorial tour, driving west from the town of Dingle…

The "Beehive Huts" on Dingle Peninsula - thought to be early Christian huts built for pilgrims visiting the area.

The beautiful coastline, with the green manicured hills and very blue waters of the Atlantic:

Coming up to Dunmore Head, the westernmost point in Europe.

Dunquin Harbor, on the Dingle Peninsula coastline. In the right side of the picture there is a ramp for a ferry that goes out to the Blasket Islands. Farmers from the Blasket Islands would dock here (until residents were moved off the islands in 1953), and hike 12 miles to the town of Dingle to sell their produce. This area (but not the Blasket Islands) was affected by the potato famine of 1845.

Some interesting historical sites include the ancient churches:

The Church of Kilmalkedar, a 12th century Irish Romanesque church, with a very old cemetery that pre-dates this church.

The vertical stone (below) that Robyn and I are touching is called an ogham stone (900 years older than the Church of Kilmalkedar), and has a script carved onto it that was used in the 3rd to 7th centuries. The stone marked a pre-Christian grave, and a hole in the top of the stone (where Robyn and I are touching thumbs) was a place where people would come to covenant with one another, standing on the graves of their ancestors.

The ancient ogham stone.

The Gallarus Oratory, which is 1,300 years old, is a marvel of watertight stone construction. The stonework is dry-stacked (no mortar).

The Gallarus Oratory, built about 700 AD.

Historical information references: Rick Steve’s Ireland 2007 and DK Eyewitness Travel, Ireland, 2006.

Ireland Day 2: From Limerick to Dingle Peninsula

On our second full day in Ireland we visited King John’s Castle in Limerick, the Village of Adare (and  Desmond Castle), and Ardfert Cathedral, before making our way to the town of Dingle on the Dingle Peninsula.

Our stops on Day 2

Limerick is not a real tourist destination; it’s more of working city, and the third largest in Ireland. King John’s Castle near the center of town looks better from the exterior than the interior. The interior is mainly set up for modern exhibits. The castle was built in 1200 by King John (of Magna Carta fame). It does have a great setting on the River Shannon.

King John’s Castle on the River Shannon

From Limerick we drove south to the little village of Adare, which is considered one of Ireland’s prettiest villages. It is a quaint village with thatched roof houses, with Desmond Castle (often called Adare Castle) on the outskirts, in addition to the famous castle-hotel of Adare Manor, which is one of the “1,000 Places to See Before You Die” in the book by Patricia Schultz (she actually lists 29 sites in the Republic of Ireland, a pretty good share of the 1,000!).

Desmond Castle, Adare

Looking at the Great Hall, Desmond Castle

Ardfert Cathedral is part of the Heritage Ireland system and the Cathedral ruins date from the 12th century, although a monastery was believed to have been founded here in the 6thcentury by St. Brendan the Navigator, who legend says visited the American continent (there is actually some evidence of this in Connecticut, in an archeological site called the “Gungywamp”). There are three medieval churches on the site today, and a short walk away you will find the very substantial ruins of a Franciscan Friary. Ardfert is good for quick stop if you like medieval church buildings. As with many other locations, this site is completely ignored by Rick Steve’s book on Ireland, although he does share some information on St. Brendan.

The intricate Romanesque doorway of the Ardfert Cathedral

Ardfert Cathedral

Franciscan Friary near Ardfert Cathedral

From Ardfert, we drove southwest to the Dingle Peninsula and the town of Dingle, on the southwest side of the peninsula. This drive is quite pretty, with the rolling hills, sheep grazing in the green pastures and views of the sea coast as you get closer to Dingle. A few miles east of Dingle and off the road a mile or so to the south is the little ruin of Minard Castle, a jump-off point in medieval times for sailing to the pilgrimage destination of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. This castle is in a cow pasture, and we treaded lightly to avoid any trespassing issues. The castle sits above a beautiful beach (Storm Beach) and bay.

Minard Castle near the town of Dingle