We got up, showered and left our hotel rooms at 8 to go get breakfast at the Blaa Blaa Blaa cafe closer to the castle downtown. I got the breakfast Sambo (egg, sausage, black pudding (another type of sausage) and a mocha. We then toured Kilkenny castle and gardens. It was set up in the original 18th century fashion. We then went back to the hotel to pack up and check out. We kept the car there and walked back downtown passed the Thosel to the St. Canice cathedral and roundtower. We paid 3€ to climb to the top of the 30m tower full of steep ladder stairs. The view was great, you could see all of Kilkenny. We walked to the Black Abbey the outside of the Roth House but didn’t want to pay the 5€ and spend the time to walk around there. We picked up the car back at the hotel lot and headed off to the Rock of Cashel. Or as Brandon was calling it, the Rocks or the Rock of Cashew.

It misted/rained the whole time in Cashel. The castle was neat and it is one of the oldest ones. It us partly under renovation and partly closed off but still cool to see the old graves and grand walls. We then drove to Midleton and checked into our hostel, then walked to the Jameson distillery for a tour about how they make whiskey and the history of Jameson Whiskey. Brad and Brandon got to be in a group to compare Scottish, American and Jameson whiskies. We all got a shot of Jameson reserve and a choice of Jameson cocktail or strait either neat or on the rocks.

We then headed into town to a restaurant for take away fish and chips, though I had a Philly steak. We ate at our hostel and went back to town for our first pub experience. I got a Bulman’s Cider and thought it was pretty good, close to being too dry for me. The pub was pretty empty, but there were a few groups of locals in it too. We then came back and crashed. The wifi at both our hotels has been spotty. Here it only works in the common room. But both are nice and clean and comfortable which is what really matters.