Day 14: Transfer To Dublin, Lismore Castle & Gardens, Waterford - Sunday, September 27
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: After checking out, we’ll begin our journey from the hotel by motorcoach to Dublin, Ireland’s capital city and our final destination. On the way, we’ll make a stop in the historic town of Lismore, where we will have a short introductory walk led by a local expert, beginning at the Lismore Heritage Centre. After the walk, we’ll have some time for independent exploration of the Lismore Castle grounds. The castle is still a private residence with historic gardens that now feature contemporary sculpture. The first castle here was built in 1185, on the site of a monastery that had its heyday in the 7th century. The castle, which was owned for a time by Sir Walter Raleigh, is home to the Burlington family today.
We’ll reboard the motorcoach and ride on to Waterford City.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: Next on our schedule is the world-famous House of Waterford Crystal on the Viking Triangle. Originating in 1783 as the Waterford Glass House, this distinctive designer and manufacturer has gone through a number of incarnations until the present day. A docent will lead our exploration, during which we’ll see the traditional artisan skills of mouth blowing, hand finishing, sculpting, and engraving that produce incredible crystal glass pieces.
We’ll continue the transfer to Dublin and check into the hotel upon arrival.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: At leisure.
Note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 190 miles, approximately 4.5 hours. Walking about 2.5 miles, periods of standing; paved streets, some cobbled areas, gravel paths, uneven grassy areas.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We put the suitcases in the hall at 7:30 am. We are making a big jump today back to Dublin.
We went down to breakfast in the hotel at 8:00 am. We both had french toast.
Sharon and I were on the bus at 9:00 am. The first stop was Lismore Castle. Perched dramatically on a steep cliff overlooking the River Blackwater, Lismore Castle in County Waterford is one of Ireland's most striking medieval strongholds and historic private residences. Originally constructed in 1185 by Prince John (later King John of England) on the site of a 7th-century abbey, it guards a vital river crossing in Munster.
We did a short guided walking tour outlining the history of the castle. Afterwards, we roamed the upper and lower gardens.
The second stop was Waterford. The group had lunch at the Water Hotel. Sharon and I had caesar salads.
I stayed in the Water Hotel on the 1991 Rugby World Cup trip. It was the site of an interesting story that I outline in my novella.
After lunch, Holly, Van, Sharon and I walked through the Viking Triangle. Next, we did a guided tour of the House of Waterford Factory. Located on The Mall in the heart of Waterford's historic Viking Triangle, the House of Waterford factory brings to life a glassmaking tradition dating back to 1783. I enjoyed the tour more than I expected. AFter the tour, Sharon did some shopping...
Back on the bus, we had a long jump to Dublin. With one comfort stop, it was more than two and a half hours.
After getting settled in the room, we had dinner in the hotel. We both had soup and chicken. I had made reservations for a musical pub crawl in the Temple Bar area, but didn't realize that we were going to get to Dublin so late. By the time we could have gotten there, we would have missed most of it.
Sharon and I crashed hard just before 9:00 pm. Hopefull, we will start to feel better over the next couple of days.
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