Cashel and Kinsale

Cashel and Kinsale, Thursday Oct 23 Left Kilkenny and spent most of the day at the Rock of Cashel before leaving for Kinsale. Eventually found "The Olde Bakery" in Kinsale and was met by Chris who showed me where to park before we entered the B&B. Easily in her mid seventies, she was the wife side of the owners, Chris and Tom. It was a very narrow street and I was parallel parking along a wall, trying to get as close to it as I could after letting Cindy out. Trouble was, Chris was standing on the wall side directing me in and didn't quite realize I would crush her if I moved closer like she was suggesting. Finally we got it all figured out and she said "Beautiful parking job, I couldn't have done better myself and I haven't driven a day in my life." And thus began our two night stay in Kinsale. At one point the Olde Bakery was actually a bakery but hasn't been so since 1921. Seems it supplied the bread to the english army and when the war ended no irishmen would buy bread from them so they had to close down. Many many years later Chris and Tom, who were then retired and living in Dublin, bought the place so they could be near their daughter, who had a job in Kinsale at the time. As it usually goes, the daughter moved away to Barcelona and Chris and Tom are still running the B&B, though they are trying to sell it. They are wonderful hosts, and at the kitchen table every morning she never spoke to me without first putting an arm around my shoulder. She also told me more than once that my red curly hair was such a waste on me. I offered it to her if she would do the cutting but she declined. That night we walked into town and at Tom's suggestion went to the "White House" pub for dinner and music. Dinner was excellent but the music was even better. This was not like the music to please the tourists that we heard in Kilkenny (Although that was great music!!). Rather this was their once a week traditional music night and it seemed all the locals came out to listen and participate. Especially memorable was an older gentleman, white hair, who without rising from his seat sang a soulful ballad of love and loss a cappella. It was a very special treat. Later on that same night after a few beers he stood and again sang a cappella, although this time is was a baud, rousing tune that had the whole place laughing. Friday, Oct 24 - After breakfast and catching up on some much needed rest, we went to the Tourist Information building to see what there was to do in town. "Oh, you will enjoy Kinsale" said the young woman, "You just need to be careful at night." Cindy and I looked at one another, this surprised us. "It's dangerous at night?" Cindy asked. The young woman explained with a smile. "The biggest danger at night is tripping over someone who has just come out of a pub and fallen asleep on the sidewalk. Just step over them, that's what we usually do." She suggested Charles Fort which we visited and then back to town for fish and chips ands then to the White House again for a beer and a bit of music.