Dublin to Kilkenny

 Dublin to Kilkenny

We arrived a little late to Dublin, at about 1:15. I knew there was a bus to Kilkenny from the airport, but it was not obvious how to find it. So, at about 2:20, after asking a few people, I finally found the bus, and the bus was leaving at 2:30, so it all worked out. Two and a half hours later, we arrived in Kilkenny after a bit of a tour driving through Dublin and then traveling over the green rolling hills of the Irish countryside. Gratefully, my hotel was only about a block from the drop-off.

Checking into the hotel (which was very old) was delightful. The receptionist was so helpful. He gave me a city map and helped me prioritize my time. I wanted to lie down and sleep since I did not sleep on the airplane, but I pushed myself to keep going. 

Downtown Kilkenny dates back to the Middle Ages. It was deeply meaningful to think that my relatives saw the same streets and buildings in the 1800’s. I enjoyed wandering around the old castle grounds, looking through shops on the Medieval Mile, and planning what I would want to see on Saturday. 

I visited St. Mary’s Catholic Church, a beautiful old stone church built in the 1300s. As I walked through it, sat, and prayed, I wondered if my great-grandparents had been married in that church. Being here is like reaching through time.

At about 7:00, I went back to the hotel for dinner. The weather was lovely, so I sat outside. I had an outstanding local beer, a seafood pie, chips, and salad. The food was beautifully presented. I wish I had a picture, but my phone was dead. 

The problem with these grand old hotels is that my room was on the third floor with no lift! I was exhausted by 8:30 and decided to get ready for bed and watch some TV. The moment I lay down, I was falling asleep, so I decided to go with it. But I was awake many times through the night. My window was open because there was no air conditioning, and there were people drinking and partying on the streets and in the bars until sometime after 2. 

Before going to sleep, I realized I brought the wrong adapter for Ireland. My phone and watch were both dead by morning. It gets light early here. After waking up a couple of times, I called the front desk to get the time and see if they had an adapter I could borrow. I got a bit of a scolding. He told me after several rings it was 6:30 and wondered if I could wait to get the adapter until 7:30! I said, “Sure, of course.”  It was gratifying to hear that my Irish cousins also prefer 7:30 to 6:30. I think it might take a couple days for me to get on Irish time!

Prayer

God of all goodness, watch over me as I travel. Help me to let go and let the day bring what it might. Help me to enjoy each moment and each small thing. I give thanks for the opportunity to be here and for my ancestors who lived, loved, and died here.