Ennistymon & Bunratty Castle, Ireland – Day 9

Today, we packed up the car and headed into Ennistymon for breakfast. I had visited here once before with my godparents, my Auntie Debbie and Uncle Jerry. It was really neat to take my wife and kids there and show them the spots we explored on that trip 23 (!!!!!) years ago.

As soon as I saw the Ennistymon Cascades, I remembered taking a picture almost identical to the one below—except it was with my uncle Patrick’s trusty Pentax K-1000 film camera. He had given it to me when I started taking photography in high school.

We had breakfast at Foodie’s Corner, which was quite good. I had French toast, Irish bacon, and several cups of tea. I love that whenever we order tea here, we get our own pot – I grew up watching my Grammy, mom, and Auntie Debbie drink tea, slowly sipping while catching each other up on their lives.

With full bellies, we headed out to explore the town. The first stop was the Salmon Bookshop and Literary Centre. It was everything you’d want a bookstore to be – shelves teeming with books of all kinds and a cozy couch for perusing your selections. Kendra, Veronica, and I all picked out a book, and Vee found time throughout our adventures to read hers.

While I was still picking out a book, Kendra and Evan wandered into Foust Gallery, where they met the artist – Sara Foust. Originally from Georgia, she married a British man, and 22 years ago, they moved to Ennistymon. Kendra texted me that she wanted to spend all of our money there – so I made sure to head over to see the work. I was equally enamored. It was so lovely to listen to Sara explain the motivation and meaning behind her paintings. We decided to purchase one of her pieces and have it shipped back home.

While Kendra was completing that transaction, Vee, the twins, and I headed to the river walk, first stopping at the falls. They were as lovely as I remembered – cascading down to the Inagh River below. We walked along the rocks while we waited for Kendra and Addison to join us.

Once they had caught up, we walked along the river and headed back into town, where we spotted donkeys! We’ve been seeing signs everywhere for a Donkey Museum and Matchmaking – I googled and discovered they were for Willie Daly, Ireland’s last traditional matchmaker who has matched over 3,000 couples. He also happens to have a Donkey Museum. I cannot make this up.

Bunratty Castle & Folk Park

After a bit of a drive, we reached our next destination for the day, Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. It’s very touristy and centered around Bunratty Castle, which was built in 1425 – the fourth castle on that site. The previous three had been destroyed during various battles. Before touring the castle, we had a picnic lunch on the grounds. That in itself was quite an adventure when peacocks strutted into the picnic area. One white, rather sad-looking female peacock was particularly bold, coming right up to the table. The twins were terrified, and Vee was NOT amused.

Upon escaping the rogue peacock, we meandered through the Folk Park. The first farmhouse in the park was originally located in Shannon. In 1959, rather than be demolished for construction of the airport there, it was moved to Bunratty. From there, the folk park grew, and now it is a way to experience a slice of life in 19th-century Ireland.

We explored the gardens and the many, many buildings, learning from “the blacksmith,” “the fisherman,” and others who were dressed in period costumes. The kids sat at the desks in the schoolhouse, and none of them knew what the inkwell was for – they thought it was for holding chalk. We got some ice cream, toured the beautiful gardens, and peeked into the many houses, which ranged from homes for the wealthy to the one-room cottages of the poorest laborers.

Eventually, we went to the castle and accidentally joined a tour group. The guide was very sweet and happily welcomed the “stragglers.” We learned about the castle’s history and defense. In the main hall, we saw the antlers of 15,000-year-old Irish Elks that had been perfectly preserved in a nearby bog. The furniture, tapestries, and artwork in the castle all date from the 17th century.

We climbed several of the castle turrets to see the rooms above the main hall, even reaching the top of two, from which we had incredible views of Bunratty and beyond.

Our day ended with a long drive to our next Airbnb in County Kerry. We had dinner at the local hotel, and now we are settled in for an early night.