Oh Waterford: The Woes and Whees! of the Last Few Days
Perhaps it was the initial jet-lag of a worn body or the thoughts of distance between myself and home; the first day of Waterford was a woe indeed. I would love to say the first few hours of Waterford views erased the exhaustion, but that would be a fabrication far from the truth. While I enjoyed the welcoming arms of locals and the quaint beauty of both the city and dorms, my mind seemed numb as we set off on historical tours of both the Medieval Museum of Waterford and Reginalds Tower. It wasn't hard to find myself belonging in this program as day two and three unfolded. I had the opportunity to travel to the grocer alone and experience first-hand the walking ways of the locals. To summarize my impressions of Waterford thus far: respectable, remarkable, and memorable. The architecture is "grand" (Oh how I love their use of this word here). Walking through the city is truly a stroll back in time, with almost every building holding some sort of history on it's walls and foundations. And the locals? Well, they are truly wonderful people that have all welcomed us with loving arms.
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| Oh stain glass, how beautiful you are. |
A Woe of the Trip This Far (casual): Our cab ride from town. Our driver was so very patient with me as I scrambled through euro coins trying to figure out which confusing piece of metal would pay my debt. His patience was a blessing!
A Whee! of the Trip (casual): Meteor Phone Company--yeah, you! This is a shout out to the most difficult phone company ever built on this green land. You have frustrated me to wit's end and after a journey of dead-ends, u-turns, and broken American english, we have finally found our relationship at peace.
Group Trips
I. Adventures with Jack
Saturday afternoon, my group had the pleasure of receiving a far-from boring tour from the infamous Jack of Waterford. Shifting us from point to point, an hour seemed like ten minutes. Not to mention, this lad knew his history!
destination of discussion: Catholic Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity of Waterford
Designed by famous Waterford based architect, John Roberts, this church was built in 1793. It is the oldest Catholic church in Ireland today- (and only, if I heard correctly). Inside hangs 10 Waterford crystal chandeliers uniquely copyrighted to the design of the church. Breathtaking portraits of the crucifixion line the columns of the building. Still in session today, this church stands as a historical point of change that brought about the richness of Catholic faith and planted the roots of the faith in the center of the city.
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| Still a working cathedral today, this church offers mass and refuge daily to locals. |
II. Woodstock Estate- A Legend Resurrected
Today, we set forth bright and early towards County Kilkenny, Ireland. Hidden in the hills of southeast Ireland stands the Woodstock Estate bursting with organic richness and present pictures of the past. Flourishing in the late 1800's, this site stood as a social headpiece for the Tighe family until the overtaking of the land by the Black and Tan Army. In 1921, the house was burned. The grounds then became overtaken by shrubbery and poor upkeeping. In the late 1970's the property was once again placed in the hands of a new owner. In 1999, refurbishment of the gardens began and the estate began to return to it's old glory. The rose garden, main garden, and pathways all were rebuilt. While the house remains unstable, the grounds will forever tell the story of days of ladies in gowns strolling through the gardens of Woodstock Estate.
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| The back of the estate |
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| The "creamery" where ladies of the Estate pretended to make dairy products in order to produce a sense of "usefulness".
III. Hook Lighthouse: The Coast Revealed
Known as the oldest functioning lighthouse in Europe, the Hook Lighthouse of Coastal Ireland stands tall as a beacon of light perched on top of the cliffs of the ocean. Just over 800 years old, this lighthouse was a tool of safety for shipmen traveling into the peninsula where the three rivers (Barrow, Nor, and Suir) meet. Made of sturdy limestone, the tower has flourished for years and stands as a point of heritage for lighthouses all over Europe.
Hook Lighthouse of County Hook Head, IE
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| Waters of the coast |
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