Rock of Cashel, Cashel, Ireland
Saturday, December 7, 2013
* Cashel, Ireland *
The adventurers had quite the adventure – it took forever for them to escape Cork even as they exited the city they took an off ramp to the shopping mall to grab a Chai Crème Frappuccino® only to get caught up in mall traffic for hours and not successfully getting to stop for chai. Tromping along the countryside in search of magical wells they got lost several times, driving round in circles as this journey they were without GPS or maps. One such magical well was the Toberanouraun/Toburneglory Well (Well of the Song / Mermaid’s Well) in Cahir. It had to be in the farmer’s field they kept driving past Sir Thomas Leaf thought, but could not spy it from the road. He was being a bad cartographer hunting without maps. He blamed it on the Daddy’s brain syndrome, the same affliction that made him lose 4 cell phones in 3 months. Now only if they had a well with a cure for that he wished.
The adventurers made their way to the town of Cashel, Ireland in search of fabled lore atop of the Rock of Cashel and the legends of Ladyswell alongside the Famine Wall. Along the way they got lost trying to find Ladyswell, and through twists and turns with a brief visit to the The Cashel Fountain that commemorated the railways coming to town. Finding a city map they were on course properly for Ladyswell, stopping again at another magnificent waterworks piece called the Back of the Pipe with beautiful lion-looking Gargoyle fonts through which the water poured. Unfortunately this once source of drinking water for the town has decayed into a non-drinking water monument. Enrout Sir Thomas Leaf passed the Pearl Garden Chinese Restaurant which he remembered frequenting during his participation in an excavation of a ring fort just outside of Cashel when he was staying at the local hostel. They finally weaved their way around, past the Famine Wall, to the Ladyswell. Sir Thomas Leaf was quite disappointed with it as it was closed up, not flowing, and while well preserved in a limestone construct wellhouse, could not partake of its waters.
As they climbed the slope with the stroller charioteer’ing the young prince of Endurance, they came to an absence of a ramp or handicap access … Sir Thomas Leaf thinking he was a he-man of might, lifted the stroller holding young Cian and began to climb the stairs … slip, flop, crack, ouch. Luckily the prince of Endurance lived to his namesake and was not hurt, however Sir Thomas Leaf wounded his knee, leg, and arm … leading to the next few weeks hobbling along in pain. They got into the information center with the help of other visitors behind them, and then purchased admission to see the cathedral and fortress. Walking through the chapel was awe-inspiring, and as they approached that Statue of Saint Patrick, whom if you hug and touch fingers around within can cure a toothache. Sir Thomas Leaf however was not able to due to his recent injury and Lady Etain gave it a try. In addition, Sir Thomas was contemplating that perhaps Saint Patrick might of had it out for him – a legendary grudge from the time of Oisin for he was grudging a toothache and could have used the cure. In addition it was just all the start of a very unlucky day. In awe inspiration of the sights from atop the Rock with good memories of his 2010 and 2012 visits to the Hore Abbey, Sir Thomas Leaf was inspired again with the landscape. After an interesting experience wandering the ruins and the graveyard the adventurers made their ways back down the hill, past the Dominic’s Abbey and Folk Village.
The trio searched for a Dairy 99 to no avail as the last known place to get them in Cashel had closed down. On the road again the adventurers headed off to Dublin to discover more bad luck – Lady Etain’s mom gave her the wrong keys to her brother’s place and being so late at night as it was they needed shelter. The closest keys they could get was an hour and a half drive away. A long drive through wind and rainy Eire, they secured the keys and got back to Dublin by midnight. Exhausted after a simple four hour drive turned into 7 1/2. Sleep fell upon the Lord and Lady, but the young prince of Endurance felt he was all of a sudden charged with laughing playful energy not allowing them to sleep until 3:30 am. Late night was had with a treat of Kinder Chocolate made it bearable.
These tales don’t come cheap … if you enjoy them, please consider buying the adventurers a chai, a meal, a tank of gas, or lodging so they can continue on their quest … you can do so via paypal to [email protected] or via the link below …