Bye Bye Dublin! Hello Blarney!

So eager was I to set out on our road trip round Ireland, I was up, all packed and ready to go at 5.30am! Which was completely crazy as Lorelle couldn't pick up our car until 10! I have decided I have to cut down on the spending if I am to last for 4 months travelling through Europe so I had a breakfast at an aptly named coffee shop around the corner named Insomnia which everyone, except Rhys, suffered from last night. The Dublin Council (whom I am assuming was the culprit) decided to make a new road right outside Lorelle and Dale's room. I cannot even imagine the noise level they suffered because was up high in our loft room, the vibrations were so bad, we thought they were demolishing our hotel, either that or we were living through a 6 hour earthquake, but I don't think earthquakes are quite that loud! But I digress.

Everything in our hotel was oversized...not complaining though!

Insomnia ( the coffee shop) had a 3.50 euro special of any pastry and any hot drink so I chose a large latte and the biggest Danish pastry out of the basket on show and sat down in the small cafe to enjoy it by myself. I am definitely more observant when I am alone.

Back in the room, I collected all my bags with help from Kiryn and Keeley because my belongings are breeding and I now have 5 bags not 2, and went to wait in the lobby. ( I will post photos of the amazing lobby later.) Lorelle, Dale and Rhys arrived back with a big red 9 seater van, and we managed to fit all of our luggage and us in quite comfortably. 

The Rock of Cashel

Looking out from the Rock of Cashel

Dale was driving which was fortunate as I was having kittens just sitting behind him. I was sooo pleased I didn't have to drive although I wouldn't have minded driving once we got out of the city.  We had a really pleasant trip down to the Rock of Cashel, which isn't a rock, it's  a castle/church. Back in those days, the local Irish king who had been converted to Christianity by St Patrick became the bishop as well. Our lovely, easy-to-understand tour guide explained why Cashel is undergoing a conservation process so we didn't get to see the frescoes on the ceiling, but other than that was an extremely interesting place to visit to learn some more less modern history than I learnt at the Gaol.

On to Jameson's Distillery on a very windy road! Had to wait 18 minutes for an hour tour so decided to give it a miss and just do the tasting but after finding out the price, (17 euro!) had an irish coffee and banoffie pie instead for less than 10 euro! It was delicious! Lorelle had a coffee with me, and Kiryn and Keeley went off to find food in the village of Midleton. Drama of the day- Kiryn and Keeley had disappeared and no amount of texting or calling could locate them. Eventually they came strolling back to the car without a care in the world as they had found a little French bakery and then a little pub where they drank a relaxing pint of Bulner's ( what else?) while the rest of us were panicking!

Care for a whiskey?

Eventually we arrived at Blarney Woollen Mills Hotel where we stayed last time we were in Ireland, but all scored rooms with a view of the castle instead of the derelict woollen mills. We all had a celebratory drink in our room, Bailey's and Jameson's of course, before heading down to dinner where the Irish salmon was the best meal I've had so far! And at only 13.45 euro, I had stayed within my budget for the first time this trip. We all crashed early and I slept until 5.40am. O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!