Buses and trains
We were up and away early Saturday morning as we had a train to catch.
After schlepping our luggage in and out of a taxi, then finding the hidden elevator since the escalator at the train station was broken, we finally made it to our platform. But wait! Turns out there is an issue, so the train personnel herded us onto a bus and drove us an hour south to Bray, where we were then able to catch a train to Wexford.
Wexford and a Rental Car
You may be wondering why we chose Wexford as our next destination, and I assure you, we had good reason. First, the train route runs along the East coast of Ireland, which is a GORGEOUS trip. For most of the trip there were bucolic scenes on one side of the train and beautiful sea views on the other. It was a very relaxing way to tamp down the rising stress I was feeling for the next activity we had scheduled for the day. Which leads to the other reason we were on our way to Wexford. Wexford, which, by the way, is a very pretty town where the river meets the ocean, also had a Hertz rental office that was not located in Dublin. (I had no desire to practice driving on the left in Dublin!) that was open until 4 on Saturday.
Sweaty hands and a bit of fear
And there is the stress factor. Picking up the rental car. Ya’ll, I watched SO MANY videos about driving in Ireland because I was nervous about driving on the left side, understanding the road signs, and navigating the roundabouts. Of course, the first thing I did was go to the wrong side of the car. But I am pretty proud that I only did that two times during the whole trip!
We loaded up and headed out. Alexa was a great navigator and very good about reminding me to keep left. One of the weirdest things about driving on the left was my perception. I stayed so far off the center line at first that Alexa was afraid I was going to hit something on the left. Anytime I got too close to parked cars and other obstructions, Alexa quietly (mostly) said “curb check” so I knew I needed to move over a bit.
On the Road
Now that we were on our way, we headed to Waterford. After a couple of laps around town looking for parking, we finally found a lot, and set out to explore. Our primary goal was, of course, the Waterford Crystal factory. We grabbed lunch at a little pub then headed to see the crystal.
And wow! Such beautiful merchandise. I had read that you can get Waterford at a bargain at the factory, so I was hopeful. I soon learned that even if you can avoid the US import fees, most of the merchandise is still REALLY expensive! So, we oohed and awed over the beautiful crystal but did not make any purchases.
After a bit more exploring of Waterford, we headed to Mullinavat and the Garrandarragh Inn, where we were booked for the night.
Mullinavat
Mullinavat is a tiny town in the middle of nowhere between Waterford and Kilkenny, and fortunately the Inn also had the area’s best restaurant and pub, so we were set for the evening.
I have to point out here that it’s a really good thing the Inn had these amenities because Alexa is a HUGE rugby fan, and there were quarter finals happening that night. After dinner we were able to post up in the pub with the locals to watch the match. I was prepared to be very bored, but since Ireland was playing, and we were in Ireland with a bunch of locals, it turned out to be pretty exciting. I found myself cheering and jeering along with the rest of the crowd. I was bummed that Ireland didn’t win and wish them all the best next time. I don’t know the rules, had to ask lots of questions, but it was still a rush.
SO MUCH History
After a lovely night’s sleep, we were up and headed into Kilkenny, via Jerpoint Abbey and Kell’s priory.
So, Jerpoint Abbey was not in any of the guidebooks I read, but OH! It is worth the detour. Since it was off the beaten path, we pretty much had the place to ourselves, which was awesome. And, speaking of awesome, this place really is. There is so much beauty and history here! Simply breathtaking.
Our next stop was Kell’s Priory. Holy Moley! Talk about off the beaten path. Driving here was TERRIFYING! So many narrow lanes (L roads). We finally arrived, and again had the place to ourselves. We were able to walk out to the site amongst the sheep and see the ruins of what was once a large complex. Then we were back on the road, headed to Kilkenny.
Kilkenny was pretty but very crowded. We had hoped to tour Kilkenny Castle, but there were so many tour buses, and school buses, and motorcycles, and cars, and bicycles, and pedestrians – you get it.
Just too many people and no parking, so we continued on our westward journey, toward the Rock of Cashel and Kilarney.