We visited Kells Priory this morning.  The priory dates from 1193 and is a ruin.  We walked through grazing sheep on our way to the ruin, which meant we needed to clean our shoes before getting back in the car.  Our second stop was the Rock of Cashel, an amazing castle/church dating from about the same time period.  Our last stop of the day was Blarney Castle.  Tom kissed the Blarney stone, so watch out!  We ate another dinner of "pub grub" before driving a ways along the Ring of Kerry to our B&B, the Old Cable House.  The building served as the County Kerry Station for the Transatlantic Cable of 1866. (For you engineers in the crowd - our B&B has an IEEE announcement of a ceremony for the completion of this cable in the lobby!)

The Priory was the major fortification in the area.  It was attacked and burned three times - lastly by Cromwell.  It is now just a ruins.

The main tower and the cloister were orignally built in 1193

The view from the castle at Cashel's Rock is outstanding.  The earliest remains here date from 370!  The first building was a hunting lodge for the Irish "king" in 474.  The castle first apears with Strongbows work in the 1100's.

 The castle was added to and rebuilt several times - most recently it was burned by a local Earl who said he was after the Bishop (who was in fact not here)

Standing on this hill the castle was too cold for the last Bishop so he moved into a mansion in town!

These small winding roads make us feel like we are back in Britain!!

Blarney Castle is very pretty.  It was besieged but not taken until Cromwell came with his canons.  Supposedly he first sent some men to beg for shelter so that he could take it by stealth.  Unfrotuantely for his plan the Lord was in goal (jail) in town at the time and so they were not admitted!

Yes-Tom realy did kiss the Blarney Stone - I sure hope it helps him get over his shyness and makes him speak up a bit!  (By the way I kissed it too - so look out!)

By the end of a LONG day we got to the start of the Ring of Kerry.  Beautiful scenary coming up!