We started today at the Kilkenny castle. The Butlers owned the castle and were very close to the English crown throughout the generations. Charles II gave the title and area to the Butlers to begin with. One of the grand-daughters was Anne Bolin- King Henry the VIII’s beheaded wife. The Butlers gave the castle to the city for 50 Pounds Stirling. Rumor was that Mick Jagger wanted to by it but that the Butlers felt that it should be returned to the city. Prior to that the Butlers had a huge auction in 1935 so that they could go into exile with some money and the goods would not be left behind to be destroyed during the civil war. We had a lovely visit in the castle then walked the high street, had lunch and visited a church before seeing the cathedral at 2 pm.
The cathedral was very pretty but most of it was reproduction because Cromwell ruined it when he tried to corner the area. The most intersesting thing about the catheral was that it was not right next to the castle as most English fortresses were set up but a mile or so away. It had a 101 foot tower that was used by the monks to keep a watch on the town and the river for fear of Vikings invading the area.
After the cathedral we drove over to the Dunway Caves. We climbed at least 732 steps by the time we were done with the tour. It was formed during the ice age by an underground river. Eventually the earth top fell in and the cave was found but the river was blocked up in both directions. It was very neat..
From there, we were directed to the St. Augustine’s Monastery ruins in Kells (not of the Book of Kells). It was great except we know nothing about it. So I will have to learn more another day.
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