The Long Trip Day 6: Bunratty to Louisburgh

Last, but most certainly not least, the day we journeyed home!

The first order of business: touring Bunratty Castle when NOT feeling the effects of mead :)

What an imposing structure! I'm going to be really complimentary of Bunratty because it's got a strong history within the O'Brien clan, AKA the surname of the Irish ancestry we know about. That and it's a cool castle.

Part of the tour turned into a game of 'how many O'Brien crests can Sam find?' The answer was: MANY.

The banquet hall we were in the other night

The throne Taylor got to sit in as the Earl of Thomond. In reality, this would've been for the captain of the guard, but it's still an impressive chair.

Blurry friends! My camera hates me. Katie M, Calla, Katie K, and Taylor

German dowry chest: from the time of the girl's birth, a carpenter would be carving and constructing this for her eventual marriage, usually around age 14. But, it had to be made to get through tiny doorways in castles, which means lots of furniture looked like Ikea-type assemblage.

The throne Kyle's sitting in would actually be for the Earl. Katie is here acting as his adviser, not his wife -- women were in a different room than the one where important things were discussed.

View from the top

The cottage in the folk village that I would not mind living in / stealing the color of...

Actual blacksmith forge. FULL OF WIN!

Katie and the friendliest stray cat I've ever met in Ireland

Isn't (assumed to be a she) she adorable?!?!?

She didn't necessarily like being held. I was in cat withdrawal. I think I won, for at least a few minutes :3

Next stop: Coole Park, home of Lady Augusta Gregory!! Love her :) had a leisurely, chilly lunch in the picnic area, along with several shrieking sprinting children

The entire estate is pretty much a garden now -- very beautiful

Very cool part of the estate -- Lady Gregory was a patron for many of the notable artists and writers/poets/playwrights of the time, all of whom signed this Autograph Tree

A list of some of the most notable names

Taylor modeling some of the blooming garden flowers :)

Kyle being a ninja?

Beaner actually being a ninja!

I love that the Irish paint doors bright colors -- such cool contrast!

Most of the buildings on the estate of Coole Park have been burned down for a while. Now, those tiny tan specs that are actually deer run around here

Ruins of the stables? I think?

Last stop: W.B Yeats' castle home!

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of castles -- but the castle I would want to live in would have to have to be a little more horizontal than just vertical... pretty river, though :)

And now, for something completely unexpected: not a Fia, but a Bailey riding piggyback! :D

Fia migrated over to me instead :)

 And that, good friends and assorted family, was our Long Trip. It was, as the name suggests, a very long trip/adventure, but well worth it. Since getting back, we've been back in class, looking forward to Easter break, and gearing up for our next trip to the Northern portion of Ireland! I'll most likely post something about Easter before we leave for Northern Ireland -- so until then :)

-S