Ireland - June 7, 2012

Another day we awoke to rain.  So another day Jim elected not to golf and take me sightseeing instead.  Thus we headed first to Lismore...  

Lismore Castle on the Blackwater River.  This is the Irish residence of the Duke of Devonshire; however, we were not permitted to tour the inside.

Jim waited in the car while I ran around in the rain having a look at things in this town...

The Lismore Heritage Center, pictured behind
the monument above, gave respite from the rain.  It
offered an excellent history of the area and included
an ancient Irish manuscript.

Heading back to the car through the drizzle, I walked
through the Millenium Park.

From Lismore, we headed to Cahir and followed an extremely scenic road--I can only imagine how much lovelier it would have been with blue sky and sunshine!

The rhododendron were in full bloom...

...all along the road...

...covering the entire hillsides...

...so I was pretty awestruck--never have I seen such
beautiful rhododendron in such profusion!

Arriving in Cahir (pronounced like "car"), we had our picnic lunch in the car since it was still misting.  We were at the visitors center and went in seeking information.  To my amazement, I discovered there is an entire "Butler Trail" of castles since this area was a stronghold of the Butler Clan for over 600 years.  It seems that one of the early Butlers was the Chief Butler for the English monarch in London.  At that time, the term "butler" (from which the surname is derived) meant that this person was in charge of the wine cellars.  It also meant that this person tasted all the wine that the king was to drink, thus preventing the king from being poisoned--now how's that for a job!!  Up until rather recently, the Chief Butler served wine to the king at his/her coronation.  So it was that one of the sons of this first Chief Butler was sent to Ireland to protect the king's interests here.

Cahir Castle on the River Suir was built in the 13th century.  Acquired by James Butler in the 15th century, it was this family's stronghold and held by this dynasty for over 600 years.

We were given a tour and then time to look around on our own....

Butler coat of arms at the entrance
to the Castle....

Jim wandering around looking at the inside of the castle
walls...

A working portcullis!

The Great Hall--notice the Great Irish Deer mounted
on the far wall; these deer have been extinct for over
10,000 years.

The garderobe--aka toilet!

Another room inside the castle.

Our next stop on the "Butler Trail" was a visit to the "Swiss Cottage", also on the River Suir, and not far from Cahir Castle....

The path from the parking lot led to a bridge that crossed
the River Suir...

...and there was the "Swiss Cottage", built by Richard Butler in 1810.

Back of the cottage is as charming as the front...

While waiting for the inside tour, I roamed outside.  We were not permitted to take pictures inside; however, I could easily look through the downstairs windows and take the pictures seen below:

The Salon--decorated with Parisian wallpaper.

Another picture taken from outside--this one of
the Music Room.

This spiral staircase led to the second floor...

A 1,000-year old Ewe Tree next to
the Swiss Cottage.

Leaving Cahir and continuing on the Butler Trail of castles, we headed for Carrick-on-Suir.  Here was Ormond Castle, the best example of an Elizabethan manor house in Ireland.  Ormond was built by Thomas Butler in the 1560's.

Jim's walking up the path to the entrance of Ormond
Castle....

After a guided tour--no pictures inside!--, we were free
to roam outside.  Here is an interior courtyard.

These ruins, which adjoin the manor, are part of the
castle dating from the 14th century.

Since it was getting late in the afternoon, our castle visits came to an end and we headed back over the mountains to Dungarvan...

The Comeragh Mountains in the mist--a view from the road
between Carrick-on-Suir and Dungarvan.

A sheep on Comeragh Drive--a very narrow,
winding road off the main road.

Mahon Falls--seen from Comeragh
Drive.

Comeragh Drive--as we descend from the hills and
overlook the valley.

Back in Dungarvan, we pass this horse and buggy on the road leading to our "cottage"....