![\"\"](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Ireland_Ancient_East_map.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Before I share with you the next two days of this exciting trip, here\u2019s a brief recap of Part 1:<\/em><\/p>\n On arrival, we spent our first night at <\/em>O\u2019Callaghan Hotel, St. Stephens Green <\/em><\/strong>in Dublin<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 The next day, we were regaled with stories about Hurling, Ireland\u2019s<\/strong> national sport, at The Marble Bar,<\/strong> <\/em>followed by a visit to Kilkenny Castle<\/strong> and the Medieval Museum<\/strong>. \u00a0Next stop was a tour and beer tasting at <\/em>Smithwick’s Ale Experience Visitor Centre, <\/em><\/strong>with Day 1<\/strong> ending with drumming and dinner at Kyteler\u2019s Inn, Kilkenny\u2019s<\/strong> oldest pub, followed by an overnight stay at The River Court Hotel.<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n DAY 2<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0 At the top of the morning, we were off to Jerpoint Park \u2013 Lost Town of St. Nicholas,<\/strong> located outside Thomastown, County Kilkenny<\/strong> \u2013 and thought to be the final resting place of St. Nicholas,<\/strong> known as the Patron Saint of Prostitutes.<\/strong>\u00a0 Next stop was Woodstock Gardens and Arboretum<\/strong> in Kilkenny\u2019s Inistioge County<\/strong>, followed by a short drive to New Ross in County Wexford<\/strong> for our visit to the reconstructed Dunbrody Famine Ship<\/strong> or The Irish Emigrant Experience<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 The day was topped off by a fabulous meal at the Dunbrody Country House Hotel & Restaurant<\/strong> located in Dunbrody Park,<\/strong> where we also spent the night.<\/em><\/p>\n PART 2:<\/strong><\/p>\n DAY 3:<\/strong>\u00a0 Well rested and raring to go on yet another exciting day, we were off to visit the Hook Lighthouse,<\/strong> a building located at the tip of the Hook Peninsula<\/strong> in Churchtown, Hook Head,<\/strong> County Wexford.<\/strong>\u00a0 Along the way Tanya<\/strong>, our very knowledgeable, and most entertaining guide, (she even sings) gave us some insight into the proper manners accompanying being invited for tea.\u00a0 When offered a cup of tea, you must first say, \u201cNo. No. No.\u00a0 Ah.<\/strong>\u00a0 Don\u2019t go through any trouble.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 After about the third or fourth \u201cno,\u201d you would relent and graciously accept that cup of tea.\u00a0 She also told us that Halloween<\/strong> was originally the Celtic <\/strong>festival of Samhain <\/strong>(pronounced sow-in), a pagan festival going back 2,000<\/strong> years.\u00a0 On November 1,<\/strong> people would light bonfires and wear costumes and masks to chase out roaming ghosts.\u00a0 Of course, over time Halloween<\/strong> morphed into how it is celebrated today \u2013 kids wearing costumes going door-to-door asking for a treat.\u00a0 Last year, my friend and I gave out over 3,000<\/strong> pieces of candy.\u00a0 I tried asking a couple of kids to show me a trick, which totally threw them.\u00a0 They just wanted the treat, and who could blame them.\u00a0 Tanya<\/strong> also explained the symbolism of the 3-leaf Shamrock<\/strong>, which represents the Father,<\/strong> the Son <\/strong>and the Holy Ghost,<\/strong> which I believe is now the Holy<\/strong> Spirit.<\/strong>\u00a0 She also told us words the Irish<\/strong> use such as runners for sneakers, or jumpers for sweaters.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure you wouldn\u2019t want to say a word that would offend our Irish<\/strong> friends, so please, please do not ever, ever say \u201cfanny pack\u201d as it\u2019s meaning is quite different from the American <\/strong>definition and it will be quite offensive.\u00a0 Enough said.\u00a0 You must trust me on this.<\/p>\n But I digress and so it\u2019s back to the Hook Lighthouse.<\/strong>\u00a0 The day was slightly overcast as we arrived at the Lighthouse,<\/strong> said to be the oldest operating lighthouse in the world. An imposing sight to behold, it was built in the early 1200s<\/strong> by Knight William Marshal<\/strong> to safeguard the entrance to Waterford Harbour<\/strong> and provide assistance to ships heading for the newly established port of New Ross<\/strong> on the River Barrow.<\/strong>\u00a0 This tour is a virtual step back in history as we heard tales about medieval times and life as a light keeper.\u00a0 One interesting factoid about this region: \u201cSaving<\/strong> Private Ryan\u201d<\/strong> was filmed on the beaches of County Wexford.<\/strong><\/p>\n Following a short introduction and a look at some of the apparatus, most of the group opted to climb the 115<\/strong> winding, narrow, uneven steps to the top for a panorama view of the ocean.\u00a0\u00a0 I suppose I should confess that being claustrophobic, I respectfully declined the trek up those stairs and instead headed for the gift shop where I purchased a few souvenirs for friends.\u00a0 My colleagues did share that at the top they were greeted by a life-size hologram of St. Dughan,<\/strong> who talked about the nights he spent with his fellow monks in the 5th<\/sup> <\/strong>century, warning sailors against dangers with a beacon they kept shining on the headland.\u00a0 But don\u2019t let me stop you as the Hook Lighthouse<\/strong><\/a> was voted one of the top ten places to visit\u00a0in Ireland,<\/strong> so definitely put this experience on your itinerary.\u00a0\u00a0 Families love the games on the lawns and fun activities offered year round, plus the annual calendar of special events and festivals.<\/p>\n Once more, we climbed back into our van and headed to Tintern Abbey,<\/strong> a Cistercian Abbey until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII<\/strong>.\u00a0Our guide at was James Mahoney,<\/strong> who told us the story about the construction of the Abbey,<\/strong> which dates back to the 13th<\/sup><\/strong> century.\u00a0 William Marshall,<\/strong> Earl of Pembroke,<\/strong> was caught in a violent storm and vowed to God <\/strong>that if he made it ashore safely, he would build this monastery in his honor, and so he did.\u00a0The Abbey <\/strong>was home to monks and sisters, who had a separate chapel.\u00a0\u00a0 Do check out the\u00a0 famous 17th<\/sup><\/strong> century restored Walled Garden<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Our next experience was the beautiful Colclough Gardens.<\/strong>\u00a0 Restoration work began in July 2010<\/strong> resulting in the recreation of the original layout of the garden back in 1838,<\/strong> when the walled garden was built by the Coclough<\/strong> family. One of the journalists, Angel Valera,<\/strong> volunteered to plant a seedling.\u00a0 We all watched as he dug a small hole and carefully placed the seedling in it.\u00a0 We applauded as he did a splendid job.\u00a0\u00a0 Do take a peaceful stroll through this bucolic setting and enjoy the gorgeous selection of plants, flowers, and trees.\u00a0 Soon your worries and cares will slowly drift away.<\/p>\n Being a travel writer is a privilege.\u00a0 It is generally fun but do understand that you are introduced to myriad tourism destinations, offering wonderful travel opportunities to share with your readers.\u00a0 The days are long and compacted and sometimes you just get tired, so with the next destination a little less than an hour way, it was a golden opportunity for a little shuteye, which my friend Angel so beautifully captured.\u00a0 At least my mouth was not open.<\/p>\n We arrived at the Irish National Heritage Park in<\/strong> Newtown, Ferrycarrig, Wexford<\/strong><\/a>, often referred to as the \u201csunny south east.\u201d\u00a0 Located on the banks of the River Slaney<\/strong>, the Park<\/strong> is an outdoor museum situated within natural forestry and wet woodlands and spans over 35 <\/strong>acres.\u00a0\u00a0 Depicting 9000 <\/strong>years of re-created Irish<\/strong> history, the museum is said to be the cornerstone of Ireland\u2019s Ancient East<\/strong>, covering the prehistoric through Norman <\/strong>periods, featuring buildings or structures germane to each period.<\/p>\n I suppose I should fess up to another potentially claustrophobic experience.\u00a0 One of the small buildings was an old grain mill and the group was guided into that very tiny space.\u00a0 I decided to sit this one out, as did my colleague from Denmark<\/a>.<\/strong>\u00a0 We chatted away about this and that waiting for our group to emerge.\u00a0 After a while, we realized that too much time had passed and the group should have been out of the building by now.\u00a0 So, we walked around to the back and lo and behold there was a rear exit and clearly our group had left quite a while ago.\u00a0 Now the challenge was to reconnect with our colleagues and off we went in search of them.<\/p>\n We walked through winding paths and up and down small hills with no sign of the other journalists anywhere.\u00a0 We were quite certain they wouldn\u2019t leave us there although there was a replica of a 1,500-<\/strong> year-old Irish <\/strong>house with stonewalls and a thatched roof in the ringfort which offered sleepover services.*\u00a0 No water.\u00a0 No electricity.\u00a0 No heat.\u00a0 No thanks!\u00a0 Cooking is done in an open fire outside the big house.\u00a0 My idea of roughing it is sleeping with one pillow instead of two at a 5<\/strong>-star hotel.\u00a0 Anyway, eventually our guide retrieved us and we finished the rest of the tour with our colleagues.<\/p>\n Happily, our day was not over yet as we were off to South County Wicklow<\/strong> where we checked into the BrookLodge & Macreddin Village<\/strong><\/a>, a beautiful luxurious country house which combines rustic charm with state-of-the-art facilities.<\/p>\n Just when you thought food could not get any better than previous meals, we were in for a major taste sensation at the famous, multi- awarding winning Strawberry Tree Restaurant<\/strong><\/a> located in the BrookLodge Hotel,<\/strong> where chef\/owner Evan Doyle<\/strong> created an elegant dining room.\u00a0\u00a0 In our honor, he put together a 10<\/strong>–Course Tasting<\/strong> Menu<\/strong> using locally sourced, totally organic ingredients from the land or the sea.\u00a0 As the wine began to flow, we said, \u201cLet the eating games begin.\u201d\u00a0 And so they did and out came an array of exquisitely prepared dishes.<\/p>\n DAY 4:<\/strong>\u00a0 After the unbelievable meal last night at the Strawberry Tree Restaurant,\u00a0<\/strong>luckily the first adventure this morning would be an early-morning 6km (3 \u00bd miles)<\/strong> walking tour of the village through charming winding paths and slight inclines, offering a breathtaking view of the countryside.\u00a0 The exercise felt great.<\/p>\n Filled with vim and vigor, we were ready for our next destination and departed for Rathnew <\/strong>for lunch at the Hunter\u2019s Hotel in County Wicklo<\/strong>w<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Ireland\u2019s<\/strong> oldest coaching inn, it has been under the ownership of the Hunter\/Gelletlie<\/strong> family since 1825.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Their Victorian<\/strong> kitchen garden and stable yard have been unchanged for centuries so they have retained their original charm.\u00a0 With yet another delicious meal under our belts, we were treated to a pleasant stroll through its lovely award-winning gardens overlooking the River Vartry.<\/strong><\/p>\n The final destination on our packed itinerary would be Powerscourt Gardens<\/strong> and House in Enniskerry, County Wicklow.<\/strong>\u00a0 Voted the third most beautiful garden in the world by National Geographic<\/strong> magazine, the sprawling gardens cover 19<\/strong> hectares, or almost 47 <\/strong>acres. It is a magnificent blend of formal gardens, terraces, statues, and beautiful lakes, all of which you can reach through the meandering walks.\u00a0 The gardens are also home to Ireland\u2019s<\/strong> highest waterfall.\u00a0 Having had the pleasure of experiencing many of Ireland\u2019s<\/strong> amazing gardens, and interviewing some of the head gardeners, it became crystal clear that gardening is truly part of the Irish DNA<\/strong> and touring these gardens a travel experience you absolutely must put on your itinerary.<\/p>\n Our extraordinary official journey had concluded.\u00a0 Our last night was spent at the Trinity City Hotel<\/strong><\/a> on Pearse Street<\/strong> in Dublin City,<\/strong> where we our group got together for one last time for a leisurely dinner.\u00a0 Tomorrow we would all be traveling home to different parts of the world with hopes that someday we would re-connect on another press trip.<\/p>\n Before I close, here are a few more factoids given to us by Tanya.<\/strong>\u00a0 No beeping of horns is allowed other than to greet each other, and vehicles containing a driver-in training have an \u201cL\u201d<\/strong> on the license plate signifying \u201clearning.\u201d\u00a0 In saying goodbye to us, our parting words from Tanya,<\/strong> was \u201cDon\u2019t cry because it\u2019s over \u2013 celebrate that we met.\u201d And, indeed we will\u2026<\/p>\n *Ringforts or ring fortresses, dating back to the Early Medieval Period, are circular fortified settlements built up to about the year 1000 by Gaelic nobility.\u00a0 They are one of Ireland\u2019s most common field monuments with an estimated 30,000-40,000 scattered throughout the country. <\/em><\/p>\n For travel information visit Tourism Ireland\u2019s website: http:\/\/www.ireland.com\/<\/a> or\u00a0www.discoverireland.ie\/<\/a><\/p>\n More places to stay and places to visit from Part 1:<\/p>\n Stephens Green Hotel<\/a> PART 2: Before I share with you the next two days of this exciting trip, here\u2019s a brief recap of Part 1: On arrival, we spent our first night at O\u2019Callaghan Hotel, St. Stephens Green in Dublin.\u00a0 The next day, we were regaled with stories about Hurling, Ireland\u2019s national sport, at The Marble Bar, followed …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":2261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[315,366,364,368,138,367,369,365],"class_list":["post-2257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-travel","tag-ancient-east","tag-colclough-gardens","tag-hook-lighthouse","tag-hunters-hotel","tag-ireland","tag-irish-national-heritage-park","tag-powerscourt-gardens","tag-tintern-abbey"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/travelingboy.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Hook-Lighthouse.jpg\")
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\nMarble City Bar and Tearooms, Kilkenny<\/a>
\nKilkenny Castle
\n<\/a>Medieval Mile Museum, Kilkenny<\/a>
\nSmithwick\u2019s Experience Kilkenny<\/a>
\nKytelers Inn, Kilkenny<\/a>
\nRiver Court Hotel<\/a>
\nWoodstock Gardens<\/a>
\nDunbrody Famine Ship Experience and Restaurant<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"