Quiet stones tell a story

By ROBERT N. JENKINS, Times Travel editor

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 2, 2000

Ireland's ancient past whispers from its ruins, fallen remnants of war and religion, fragments of communities that flourished centuries ago.

KELLS, Ireland -- Quiet here. So quiet you can hear the sheep tear the grass as they graze. Birds flit about the massive stone walls, chirping and tweeting.

Birds and sheep only, where once hundreds of people lived and worked and prayed here at Kells Priory. But those throngs have been gone for about 450 years. They left crenelated walls encircling the shells of several buildings, with guard towers marking the corners.

Shadows play across the Rock of Cashel, a church/ fortress dating to the 1120s.

Amid the chunks of fallen stone, dandelions and tiny flowers dot the grass. Walls of buildings that may date to the 12th century reach so high that windows have been cut on six levels.

Livestock were kept in a wide courtyard bounded by the outer walls. Archaeologists report that fragments still standing define a mill, an infirmary, a brewery. Over there was a graveyard, here are cellars, above are the arched windows of a large chapel.

Little visited now because of its isolated location, the Kells is almost a ghost town. On this Wednesday in May, I have all the ghosts, their buildings, the sheep and the birds to myself.

It is far different at the dramatic Rock of Cashel, urban Kilkenny Castle and the wooded location that is Glendalough. Also ancient sites, they must have better press agents, for while their stories are different from that of the Kells, the other places are not more intriguing, to anyone with an imagination.

Horses make themselves at home in a pasture by the round tower at Glendalough.

Ireland is filled with such centuries-old places, remnants of successive invasions and notable religious developments. They give us clues to life when inland settlements grew up in the shelter of castle walls and monastery towers, and simple people eked out a living from the soil or livestock bartered among themselves and with passing traders.

These stone walls also protected the inhabitants from the arrows and battering rams of invaders and rebellious locals. A brief look at some other worthy destinations:

• The Rock of Cashel is one of Ireland's most photographed landmarks, for two reasons: The ruins are in an excellent state of partial restoration, with work progressing as governmental funds are allocated, and the site is spectacular.

When construction started early in the 12th century, the bishop-king of the region set Cashel (it means stone fort) atop a limestone hill that suddenly juts about 200 feet above surrounding plains. Cashel's round tower, church and castle buildings make for a striking and much-visited scene.

• An undistinguished village nestles below the Rock of Cashel, but a true city surrounds Kilkenny Castle, making its riverside location less imposing. Originally the site for a castle started in 1172 by the great Norman leader Strongbow, this structure was renovated several times and now resembles a 17th-century chateau. The interior rooms open for touring have been refurbished in a Victorian motif. The No. 1 tourist site in this ancient town, the castle draws about 345,000 visitors a year.
• Kilkenny has grown up all around its castle, but the ruins of Glendalough (GLEN-duh-lock) sit in quiet splendor in a lovely valley. Forests and brilliant yellow gorse form the backdrop, and a swift stream is one of the boundaries for the monastery, founded in the sixth century. It drew thousands of faithful over the centuries, until falling into ruin about the time Columbus was heading toward the New World. Most of the original buildings are gone or are mere foundations, but Glendalough has one of Ireland's great round towers (102 feet high), which were typical of the ancient Christian communities and served as bell towers, lookouts and landmarks for pilgrims. Also at the site, a graveyard contains timeworn Celtic crosses, and nearby paths lead to two lakes, from which the site takes its ancient name. As restful as its setting is, Glendalough suffers from its proximity to Dublin -- less than 20 miles to the north -- and by noon on weekdays, it can be awash in irreverent schoolchildren on field trips and busloads of tourists. Weekends, the site belongs to daytrippers out for a picnic in the country. Not such a bad way to embrace history.

If you go

Monica Monogue pauses from brushing rust off the fence of her cottage, beneath the mighty Rock of Cashel; her husband, his father and his grandfather were the solitary caretakers of that landmark for about a century.

GETTING THERE: At least a half-dozen U.S. carriers plus Aer Lingus, the Irish national airline, fly to airports in Dublin or Shannon or connect to them through London. I flew British Airways from Tampa to London, connecting to Dublin; despite having added a 10th seat across in coach, the British Airways 777 made for a smooth flight

GETTING AROUND: Train service in Ireland is far less convenient than in Great Britain and Europe, making a rental car preferable. Do make your reservations on this side of the Atlantic, to save considerable expense. Note in the accompanying story that even many U.S.-owned rental companies will not accept your U.S. auto insurance coverage. Instead, they will levy thousands in charges against your credit card as a guarantee against damages, or you can buy their insurance and pay premiums that are outrageously high compared with similar coverage offered by those companies in America.

STAYING THERE: I booked hotel rooms in advance for just three nights during my trip; all of these rooms were excellent and were booked through the consortium called Ireland's Blue Book, which represents more than 30 quality country houses and small in-town hotels. The U.S. representative is Josephine Barr, 519 Park Drive, Kenilworth, IL 60043-1082; call (800) 323-5463 or (847) 251-4110. E-mail to bluebook@iol.ie; the Web site is http://www.irelands-blue-book.ie.

Each of these recommended hotels has an excellent restaurant and charming staff:

Irish idyll Southern Ireland has many charms among its craggy shorelines and rolling terrain, not the least of which is its people. 'All the seasons in one day' There's more to Cork than its capricious weather. Which way do you go? In Ireland, the signposts won't help much, even if you're driving on the correct side of the road. Be prepared to be confused by them -- if you can even see them. Getting to know the Irish You'll find out more about the Irish if you visit their "locals" -- the corner pubs that toast their sociable nature. Quiet stones tell a story Ireland's ancient past whispers from its ruins, fallen remnants of war and religion, fragments of communities that flourished centuries ago. Riding an economic boom Unemployment is down and incomes are up as industry invades Ireland. Drinking in the culture A personal pilgrimage to the pubs of Dublin.

Aherne's Seafood Bar, a restaurant popular with the locals, also has 12 guest rooms. Married couples John and Katie Fitzgibbon and David and Gay Fitzgibbon (John and David are brothers) are splendid people; when I ordered salmon one night, Gay told me that chef David would not prepare that entree because he felt the quality of the farm-bred salmon in the kitchen would not provide the proper taste. Contact Aherne's at 163 N Main St., Youghal, Co. Cork, Ireland; e-mail to ahernes@eircom.net; the Web site is http://www.ahernes.com.

The King Sitric, whose restaurant has been operated for 29 years by acclaimed chef Aidan MacManus, last year added eight spacious guest rooms. The King Sitric is directly on the harbor of the north Dublin suburb of Howth, about 15 minutes from the airport. Mail to King Sitric, East Pier, Howth, Co. Dublin, Ireland; e-mail to info@kingsitric.ie.

The WaterSide in Graiguenamanagh has 10 rooms above the restaurant in a former corn warehouse. The granite-walled building is on the banks of the River Barrow, tucked away in the rolling countryside 17 miles southeast of Kilkenny and about 70 miles southwest of Dublin. Inn and restaurant are operated by Brian and Brigid Roberts, who will happily lead visitors on a mountain trek or an evening's outing to one of the pubs. Contact them at WaterSide, the Quay, Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland; e-mail to info@watersdie.iol.ie; the Web site is http://www.watersideguesthouse.com.

FOR INFORMATION: Online and printed sources of information are easy to find. I thought these books particularly useful:

• Ireland From $60 a Day, 18th edition, by Mark Meagher; Frommer's, $18.99. Written in a conversational style by a series of contributors who clearly know the nation, this 578-page paperback has no pictures but lots of maps and an inexhaustible supply of practical tips and recommendations.
• Insight Guide Ireland, Insight Guides, $22.95. Warning to amateur photographers: Do not thumb through this lavishly illustrated paperback, because it is likely to create feelings of inadequacy. The 384 pages are crammed not only with beautiful photos but also thoughtful essays. Practical advice -- where to stay, how to narrow your destination choices -- is less important, which makes this a good cross-reference with the Frommer's guide.
• Signpost Guides Ireland, Driving Guide for the Independent Traveler, by Donna Dailey. Thomas Cook Publishing, $22.95. Worth its weight to carry, the 286-page paperback matches enlarged, multicolored sections of road maps with suggested loops. It also rates various attractions and has a few recommendations for food and lodging.
• For general information, contact the Irish Tourist Board, 345 Park Ave., New York, NY 10154; call (800) 223-6470; e-mail to info@irishtouristboard.com; Web site is http://www.ireland.travel.ie.
• An excellent site, updated constantly and offering both general lists of tourism Web sites and personal recommendations, is maintained by guidebook writer Patricia Tunison Preston. At http://www.irelandexpert.com, online searchers find links to various accommodations by type of lodging -- hotel, guest house, B&B, home exchanges, university housing, etc. -- plus her reviews, trip ideas, current tips and even the daily online edition of the Irish Times newspaper.

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