5 Jul 2024, Friday

July 05, 2024

5 Jul 2024, Friday

Prioritized Daily Task

Visit Kells Priory, 1183; Jerpoint Abbey, Dunbrody Famine ship and Kennedy Homestead

Travel the Copper Coast - The Waterford Copper Coast is now a UNESCO Global Geopark. It extends along the County Waterford coastline for 25km and is named after the 19th-century copper mines that lie at the heart of this spectacular stretch of cliffs.

Debbie and I were up early, had prayer together, and had breakfast the John Joe cooked for us and another couple staying here from England. He had a nice Irish breakfast for us before we left for the day. I took a picture of his small honey jar. It had honey bee encased in clear epoxy on the lid. They have two college girls from Austria working here during the summer. John Joe also runs the farm. He raises cattle and hay as well as operates the B&B. We took the scenic route on the UNESCO Copper Coast Road in Waterford County. We passed some very expensive and private homes. Two on the Coper Cost Road had gates and a security guard. The drive along the scenic coast was incredible. I learned about copper mining and took a picture of the mine shaft and building that operated in mid 19th century. We stopped at the visitor's center and picked up a couple of maps. One we will give to John Joe to show other guests who stay at his B&B. We followed the road and visited more places before getting off the Copper Coast Road.

We stopped at Kells Priory and met a nice couple from Canada. Kells Priory (Irish: Prióireacht Cheanannais) is one of the largest medieval monuments in Ireland. The Augustine priory is situated alongside King's River beside the village of Kells in the townland of Rathduff (Madden), about 15 km south of the medieval city of Kilkenny. The priory is a National Monument and is in the guardianship of the Office of Public. Kells Priory was founded by Geoffrey FitzRobert most probably in 1193.

We crossed King River and had dinner at the Kings Mill Restaurant before driving to Jerpoint Abbey founded in the 12th century. The town was formed, and named after, the bridge that crossed the River Nore at the junction with the smaller River Arrigle. The name Jerpoint itself means Nore Bridge. Jerpoint Abbey (Irish: Mainistir Sheireapúin) is a ruined Cistercian abbey, founded in the second half of the 12th century in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located 2.5 km southwest of Thomastown on the R448 regional road. There is a visitor center with an exhibition. It has been declared a national monument and has been in the care of the Office of Public Works since 1880.

Scholars believe that Domnall Mac Gilla Pátraic (d.1176), the son of Cerball Mac Gilla Pátraic was possibly the founder of Jerpoint Abbey. Jerpoint Abbey may have been in existence since the 1160s but was only formally affiliated to the Cistercian order in 1180. It was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Jerpoint is notable for its stone carvings, including one at the tomb of Felix Ua Duib Sláin, Bishop of the Diocese of Ossory. The abbey flourished until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by the English king Henry VIII.

When we got back to our B&B Debbie talked to Margo, John Joe Ronayne's wife. Debbie washed and dried clothes while I wrote some in my journal. Later we had prayer together before going to bed a little after midnight.

Bee encased in clear epoxy in the lid to a honey jar at B&B

Hedges are encroaching on both sides of the narrow road covering a rock wall. Some of the hedges are as high as the power poles. The government will fine every owner who cuts back the hedges when wildlife are living and raising their young in the hedges

Grass marks the centerline for two-way traffic because cars going in both directions straddle the grass centerline.

Hedges that had grown over the rock wall have been cut back at the location revealing the rock wall on both sides of the narrow road. Some places on the two-lane roads we drove on were so narrow Debbie and I could roll down our windows and touch the weeds and hedges. Some of the two -lane roads are narrow for one-way traffic.