Day 9. October 4, 201

Today we left the southern part of Ireland and headed north of Dublin.

Our first stop, and the #1 thing that I had wanted to see in Ireland was the Hill of Tara.  It isn't flashy, but it is the history of the place that I find so interesting.  Irish tradition says that the Hill of Tara was that seat, or sacred place, of the High Kings of Ireland.  It is said that 142 Irish kings reigned during this time.  The Coronation Stone was, and still is, standing on this site.  It is believed that much of the structures located here are still under the ground.  St. Patrick himself intentionally came here to spread Christianity not only to the High King, but also to the heart of the ancient Celtic religion.  It is said that St. Patrick pulled a shamrock from this exact site and used its three leaves to explain the Holy Trinity to the High King - aiding in his conversion to Christianity.  Many of the pictures and statues of St. Patrick here in Ireland show him holding a shamrock leaf in his hand.  I have attached a photo of the St. Patrick statue from the Hill of Tara and of the Coronation Stone (The Lia Fail).  From atop of the Hill of Tara, legend says that on a clear day, you can see half of Ireland.  (Not sure about that - but a beautiful view in all directions for sure!)

After visiting the Hill of Tara, we were off to the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site at Bru na Boinne.  We figured that if we were going to look at history, we may as well do it right.  These sites at Newgrange and Knowth are believed to be temples/tombs, and are over 5200 years old.  To put this into perspective, they are older than both Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids in Egypt.  There is too much history associated with these sites, and the many civilizations that utilized the area for me to mention here.  We entered both, and it is interesting to actually see how they were constructed to align with the sun.  Newgrange in December for the shortest day of the year, and Knowth for both the Spring and Fall Equinox.  To look at 5000 year stone carvings (neolithic art) was interesting and a little older than what we see back home.

We then headed west to the Town of Trim.  We knew that there were the remains of a castle here, but did not realize how impressive it was.  It is the largest Norman castle in Ireland, and was built around 1172.  It seems to be in relatively good shape and we hope to visit it tomorrow.  There are huge grounds/park around the castle with excellent paths.  Everyone here seems to run or walk their dog.  These trails were very busy.  A side note, this castle was used in the making of Mel Gibson's movie Braveheart.  (I remember from last year how impressed the Scots are about that fact!)

That was our day.  Things that we learned.

1.  The Irish take cleaning up after their dogs seriously.  Even the RAP line pales in comparison.  Thats like $5000!

2.  I think I heard a kitty cat meowing in a 5000 yr old tomb today.  And Sara blamed me?!?  It was a delightful distraction for the entire tour group.

3.  Driving through the country, the homes and yards are all absolutely gorgeous.

4.  We met the nicest, but exasperated, Irish Grandmother on our walk tonight.  She had two young grandchildren with her who had way too much energy.  She kindly asked if I'd like them.  Im not sure what the protocol is here - and I hope I didn't insult her - but I kindly declined.  Sherry would have been so surprised!

5.  Sara is a terrific navigator.  She has an intuitive sense of distance and direction.  Seriously.  I definitely know where that skill came from!  She may get the shotgun seat for life after this trip.

C.K.