Ireland Travel Stories
A Glipmse of Kilkenny, Ireland
 Lonely Planet says that much of Kilkenny's mysterious charm owes a huge debt to the Middle Ages. Since this is true for most old European towns, I was suspicious. But when we entered the outskirts of the Irish city of Kilkenny, it all made sense.
Although rain was pouring down and the noon sky looked as if it were closer to midnight, the first glance at Kilekenny told me that she had aged gracefully. Her narrow crooked streets paved with old cobblestone were lined with the olden fronts of modern shops and hip pubs. The refined buildings of earlier times were still standing looking as young and vibrant as they had in their prime, with their thick dark window frames and heavy doorways. There was an underlying mature elegance to her look, and she carried it with great satisfaction. Kilkenny was still young at heart.
With our travel companions, David and Lucy, we parked the rental car and walked the short remaining distance to Kilkenny Castle. Its gardens were walled but we could see the tips of the castle's towers peaking from above, which already seemed grand. As we followed the walls, we found a little stone entrance which led to the castle grounds. The lawn, which was mowed to perfection, collected the rain water which had been falling all day as we squished and squashed upon it. Suddenly, past the plum colored foliage of a nearby tree, we were in full view of Kilkenny Castle.
 Used to the ruined castles of Great Britain, I was expecting exactly that: ruins. But here I was presented with a powerful building, the kind of architecture that reminds us of how small and insignificant we really are. Its elegance whispered of extravagant banquets and political conclaves, of midnight trysts and quiet rain-filled afternoons, also reminding us of the plain lives we lead in comparison.
We entered the castle and paid our €5.40 entrance fee. We were gutted when we found out that no photography was permitted inside the castle, and that we were to leave our cameras in the cloak room. It's always infuriated me that in a tourist attraction one is not allowed to take pictures; it just seems pointless although I do understand the jealous and overprotective reason behind it.
Our tour started off and we were captivated by the stories and legends that the castle held, but most of all by the rooms, halls, and salons we were led into. One after another, each space had a different personality which shone with the same splendor as in earlier times. They had done such a good job preserving everything that it looked as though the entire castle had been embalmed for posterity.
It is said that Richard de Clare, also known as Strongbow, famous for his leading role in the Norman invasion of Ireland, built the first tower in 1172. The castle was then bought by the Butler family in 1391 after arriving in Ireland with the Norman invasion and becoming the wealthy Earls of Ormonde. James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormonde established himself as ruler of the area, setting precedence for the Butler dynasty which ruled these parts of over 500 years. continue
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