It has been a morning of the ‘alarm clock snooze button routine’ without the actual alarm clock or snooze button; abruptly waking every fifteen minutes or so since three, watching the sky change from darkness to the bright light of day, as my internal struggle for more sleep and the need to be awake, alone, in the quiet waged war with each other. I have since, given up the notion of getting any more quality rest this morning, taking my usual place in the living room, to peer out the windows, enjoying the morning nature show outside. The cause of this restless sleep can be attributed, I am sure, to the fact I am in quite a bit of pain this morning; the sunburn obtained at the beach a couple of days a go, is a bit more severe than originally thought. It is, unfortunately, reminiscent of a burn sustained on a trip to Cedar Point in my youth, quite painful, and directing my thoughts to a time much better left in the past. Pro tip, do not forget to put on sunscreen.

Despite the sunburn, yesterday was a delightful day. We left the cottage in the early light of morning, surrounded by walls of thick white fog and made our way to the Dunmore Caves. The caves are a series of limestone chambers that have slowly formed over millions of years and we began our tour with a short video explaining how they formed and the dark history attributed to them; a massacre of a thousand people. Guthfrith of Ivar, the Viking king of Dublin in the tenth century and descendent of Ivar the Boneless, was headed to Waterford to fight the Viking clan that resided there, raiding villages along the way. According to legend, the women and children of the nearby villages took shelter within the cave system and were subsequently murdered when the Vikings lit large fires to smoke them out, with the intent to sell them as slaves, but instead filled the cave with so much smoke, the shelter seekers all perished from smoke inhalation and suffocation. Although multiple sources recorded the massacre in 928 A.D, archeological investigations have yet to prove the events that took place in and around the cave. All that has been discovered thus far is evidence of the Vikings within the cave as well as the remains of forty-four bodies of mainly women and children with it its walls.

We walked up and down a series of roughly 700 steps and explored some of the most impressive calcite formations found in Ireland, learning about stalactite and stalagmite formations. The area is known for its limestone and suspected to have many more cave systems in the area but there is no current search for their whereabouts. Between the history and the visuals in the caves themselves, some part of the visit appealed to everyone. After the climb out of the cave we headed into the town of Kilkenny for another climb.

Both this year and last, after many trips to see a variety of round tower structures throughout the country, Ellery has always hoped one would have a ladder at the base for people to climb into and journey to the top. At literally every single one, she has lamented the lack of ladder. After some searching, I located the only current round tower in Ireland that allows visitors to climb inside and by using a series of ladders connecting each floor, climb to the top to admire the views that surround it. St. Canice’s Cathedral has been an important site of Christian worship since the sixth century, with the current structure built between 1202 and 1285 and is still in use for worship today. It is an impressive structure surrounded by a cemetery and just outside its welcoming doors sits the thirty meter high round tower. Originally, it would have included a conical top but today’s lack of it provides a panoramic viewing platform for visitors. The tower is believed to have been built in the middle of the ninth century and is the oldest structure still standing in Kilkenny.

The climb to the top of the round tower was challenging as there were people climbing up and down at the same time and the platforms on each level were very small to maneuver about, but despite a few hiccups, we all made it to the top. The views of Kilkenny along with the surrounding countryside were incredible and the cool breeze was very welcome after our long climb to the top. After an equally challenging climb down, we made our way over to the street next to Kilkenny Castle, and ate a quick lunch of sandwiches, outside in the rain, at a restaurant called Blaa Blaa Blaa Sandwiches and followed it up with a quick stop at a gift shop to pick up souvenirs. We had initially planned to see the interior of Kilkenny Castle, as it is one of the most impressive in Ireland but instead took a thankfully, rain-free, boat tour, with a guide named Cliff, up and down the River Nore where we learned more about the city’s current local color, heard amazing tales from the past, and experienced the grandeur of Kilkenny Castle from our view on the river. I am sure the interior is marvelous, but it will remain a mystery for us until our next visit.

Cliff was a most exceptional guide, very knowledgeable about the area and its history and its wildlife. He let Ellery try her hand at steering the boat and at the end of our trip was given a boating certificate to congratulate her on a job well done. She was elated and I am sure will cherish the memory for many years to come. After saying our goodbyes to Cliff and to Kilkenny we drove to Kells Priory, Ireland’s largest enclosed ecclesiastical site founded in 1193. Due to current reconstruction efforts and the lack of signage we toured merely half of the priory as we walked amongst the sheep taking in the sights of the monastery ruins. Although there was plenty more to see, we were unsure of where to go and after a day filled with walking and climbing decided to pack it in, head for home, and locate food.

We stopped in Dungarvan at a restaurant called the 360 Cookhouse and ate our meal in their outside beer garden area. It was a beautiful room with long tables and a quaint little fireplace. High above each table, hung long heaters to keep warm under and eventually, we had to turn ours off; as more people filled the room, it got a bit too toasty. Kevin and I opted for our normal of fish and chips, Audra had a pizza, and Ellery ordered chicken goujons. After driving back to the cottage in the same blankets of fog we left in, Kevin and I concluded the evening with a walk down to the bay and we all went to bed early.

It is hard to tell what today’s weather will be. It began sunny and now appears quite overcast. Regardless of its outcome, we have plans today and will follow through no matter the weather, but only after I finish my cup of tea.