I'm just glad I wasn't driving one of those two semi's. They took a while, but made it.
This is Bunratty Castle. I'll just use the brochure to summarize it. The present castle, last of a series on the same site, was built around 1425. During the 16th and 17th centuries it was an important stronghold of the O'Briens, Earls of Thomond or North Munster (the province). It is furnished with mainly 15th and 16th century furnishings in the style of the period of the Great Earl who died in 1624. The main block has three floors, each consisting of a single great room, or hall. The four towers have six stories each. The castle is entered by a drawbridge to the Main Guard. The castle was occupied until 1804, fell into disrepair, then was bought by an English Lord and Lady in the 1950's. They repaired it and brought in the furnishings and gave it to Ireland as a national site.The Folk Park is a re-creation of the homes and environment of Ireland in the 1800's. Rural farmhouses (taken from many different areas of Ireland), village shops and streets, and Bunratty House with its formal regency gardens were reconstructed and furnished as they would have appeared at the time. In the summer season, people in authentic costume wander through the streets and traditional crafts are demonstrated.
(Click on pictures to see in full screen)
The house of small fisher-farming folk. The thatch roof is roped down to protect it against the Atlantic gales.
Blacksmith's forge.
Aaron at the grinding wheel
Silas giving it a whirl
The boys' favorite - A simple two-bedroomed home of a North Co. Kerry salmon fisherman. Much of the timber would have been salvaged from the sea. The floor is of rammed clay.
The Castle
Thinking about it now, letting the boys run up and down this rocky, sloped wall was just asking for a faceplant and a really banged up face. I'm thankful they didn't trip!
This is the gate to the Castle's courtyard. An enemy on horseback couldn't get in that little door.
The bottom level was for storage or a stable. It is not connected to the level above. The entrance to the castle is elevated; the drawbridge would be raised to stop any uninvited guests.
The 'Main Guard.' Now used for medieval-style banquets, this was the room where Bunratty's soldiers ate, slept, and relaxed. Music was played to them from the Minstrels' Gallery, and a gate in the far left corner gave instant access to the dungeons.
A role-reversal for a moment
Stairs down to the dungeon. The stairs throughout the castle are like this. Our legs felt the burn after going up and down all four towers' six stories!
The dungeon for the "baddies" as they're called here
The 'Great Hall.' The original banquet hall and audience chamber of the Earls of Thomond. The Earl gave judgements while sitting in his Chair of Estate. The walls are hung with French, Brussels, and Flemish tapestries. The oak dower-cupboard is dated 1570, and the 16th century standard displayed the coat of arms of the reigning family.
(view from the other end of the Hall)
On top of one of the towers. Silas asked Daniel if he could stand on the ledge! I shudder to imagine it!
Tower-top view of the area - The Lower Shannon
'Earl's Kitchen'...the turtle shells above the fireplace were used as dishes and covers. This room has its own garbage chute...
...here's what's for dinner...
...and the spice rack.
Silas is serving as a size comparison. The tiny staircase behind him led to the children's chambers. It was made so adults had difficulty using it, and an enemy with weapon and armor would not be able to ascend the staircase and get to the children.
Earl's private chapel
'South Solar' - called solar because it is on the top level - this is a guest apartment
...the Captain's armor...
...some of his weapons. Instead of choosing what tie to wear, he chose which spear tip to use for the day o_o (that is the "scared" face emoticon - I didn't make it up, I just looked it up)
We're just assuming this is the toilet.
Leaving the castle, our legs shaking from climbing all those spiral staircases - except Silas who made Daniel carry him. Aaron kept saying, "I don't like this. I don't like this." It was hard work!
The house of small fisher-farming folk. The thatch roof is roped down to protect it against the Atlantic gales.
Blacksmith's forge.
Aaron at the grinding wheel
Silas giving it a whirl
The boys' favorite - A simple two-bedroomed home of a North Co. Kerry salmon fisherman. Much of the timber would have been salvaged from the sea. The floor is of rammed clay.
The Castle
Thinking about it now, letting the boys run up and down this rocky, sloped wall was just asking for a faceplant and a really banged up face. I'm thankful they didn't trip!
This is the gate to the Castle's courtyard. An enemy on horseback couldn't get in that little door.
The bottom level was for storage or a stable. It is not connected to the level above. The entrance to the castle is elevated; the drawbridge would be raised to stop any uninvited guests.
The 'Main Guard.' Now used for medieval-style banquets, this was the room where Bunratty's soldiers ate, slept, and relaxed. Music was played to them from the Minstrels' Gallery, and a gate in the far left corner gave instant access to the dungeons.
A role-reversal for a moment
Stairs down to the dungeon. The stairs throughout the castle are like this. Our legs felt the burn after going up and down all four towers' six stories!
The dungeon for the "baddies" as they're called here
The 'Great Hall.' The original banquet hall and audience chamber of the Earls of Thomond. The Earl gave judgements while sitting in his Chair of Estate. The walls are hung with French, Brussels, and Flemish tapestries. The oak dower-cupboard is dated 1570, and the 16th century standard displayed the coat of arms of the reigning family.
(view from the other end of the Hall)
On top of one of the towers. Silas asked Daniel if he could stand on the ledge! I shudder to imagine it!
Tower-top view of the area - The Lower Shannon
'Earl's Kitchen'...the turtle shells above the fireplace were used as dishes and covers. This room has its own garbage chute...
...here's what's for dinner...
...and the spice rack.
Silas is serving as a size comparison. The tiny staircase behind him led to the children's chambers. It was made so adults had difficulty using it, and an enemy with weapon and armor would not be able to ascend the staircase and get to the children.
Earl's private chapel
'South Solar' - called solar because it is on the top level - this is a guest apartment'Captain's Quarters' - for the Captain of the Guard...
...the Captain's armor...
...some of his weapons. Instead of choosing what tie to wear, he chose which spear tip to use for the day o_o (that is the "scared" face emoticon - I didn't make it up, I just looked it up)
We're just assuming this is the toilet.
Leaving the castle, our legs shaking from climbing all those spiral staircases - except Silas who made Daniel carry him. Aaron kept saying, "I don't like this. I don't like this." It was hard work!www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz9qN2e-e6k
Daniel and the boys posed in front of it to put in perspective how big the Castle is.
Aaron doesn't miss an opportunity to challenge little brother to a race.
Continuing our walk around the folk park, this mountain farmhouse would have been found on the borders of counties Limerick and Kerry.
Shannon farmhouse - this was the first to be reconstructed in the Folk Park. It originally stood on the site of the main runway at Shannon Airport, the airport we arrived at.
Oh, Silas. What will we do with him?...As he darted for the chickens as I was taking this picture, I called out, "Shh, don't scare them Silas, just walk slow and leave them alone." He obeyed and even repeated my instructions to Aaron when he came over to see them. So, I went on looking around and taking pictures of the roosters. A little while later, I looked over in time to see Silas, who had managed to gather a big handful of little sticks, wind up and throw them all at the huddle of chickens from about four feet away. He hit his target and the chickens cackled and dispersed in a frenzie. I marched over to Silas to punish him, and I heard him mutter under his breath, "Dey didn't like dat."
A picture I took while Silas was building his arsenal..
...another one...
...and another one - none of them worth the trauma the chickens went through because I took my eyes off Silas.
"Bothan Scoir" - a one-room house of a poor landless labourer, and the garden in the left foreground.
The home of a farmer from the rich lands in the Golden Vale of Limerick and Tipperary Counties.
Further out in the Folk Park there are little pastures with some animals. These are Irish Wolfhounds - named for their historic job of hunting wolves. The tallest dog breed in the world, it is believed that they were introduced to Ireland around 3500 BC. They are easy to train, quiet, and friendly. We're thinking of getting one for the boys to ride. My dad promised to adopt it if it ends up being too much work to have around with three kids.
This dog is just huge!
We couldn't get over the size of these dogs!
We finally peeled ourselves away from staring at the dogs and found some goats.
The boys went exploring.
Hazelbrook House, built in 1898. This was home to the Hughes Brothers who started a dairy industry in the 1800's and later produced HB Ice Cream, which became a household name in ice cream in Ireland. We happen to have a box in our freezer right now.
In the 1400's Bunratty had a herd of 3000 deer.
Ardcroney Church, moved here, stone by stone, from Ardcroney, Co. Tipperary.
This farmhouse and yard pictured below reflect the building style and materials of the rocky Moher area of north County Clare. We saw many like this on our trip to the Cliffs of Moher.
The last 'Earls of Thomond', the O'Briens, were driven out of Bunratty Castle by Oliver Cromwell's troops from England in the 1600's. After this, the castle and its lands were granted to various plantation families, the last of whom was the Studdart family. They left the castle in 1804 to live in the more modern Bunratty House pictured here. Definitely a step down in awesomeness, but probably more cozy.
Bunratty House stable yard now houses a collection of 19th-century agriculture machinery and implements.
Here's one I might have found useful...the turnip cutter.
Moriah wins the prize for best kid on this day trip - no complaints or animal cruelty incidents.
This donkey wasn't much bigger than those dogs - I just can't get over it...
More sticks...
...and a collection of pinecones.
A working horizontal corn mill based on findings of an excavation in County Cork. The boys wanted to jump in the water, but thankfully did not.
A vertical mill. I always liked the scenes at the mill in Little House on the Prairie - don't know exactly why...
Nothing historical - just the playground entrance made to look like a castle.
The boys played while a rain cloud rolled in. We cut it too close and ended up running through the rain, finding cover in the Tea House.
Just as well, they'd been asking for a snack. It had been a pretty full day.
For the record, he did not use his blinker.
Daniel and the boys posed in front of it to put in perspective how big the Castle is.
Aaron doesn't miss an opportunity to challenge little brother to a race.
Continuing our walk around the folk park, this mountain farmhouse would have been found on the borders of counties Limerick and Kerry.
Shannon farmhouse - this was the first to be reconstructed in the Folk Park. It originally stood on the site of the main runway at Shannon Airport, the airport we arrived at.
Oh, Silas. What will we do with him?...As he darted for the chickens as I was taking this picture, I called out, "Shh, don't scare them Silas, just walk slow and leave them alone." He obeyed and even repeated my instructions to Aaron when he came over to see them. So, I went on looking around and taking pictures of the roosters. A little while later, I looked over in time to see Silas, who had managed to gather a big handful of little sticks, wind up and throw them all at the huddle of chickens from about four feet away. He hit his target and the chickens cackled and dispersed in a frenzie. I marched over to Silas to punish him, and I heard him mutter under his breath, "Dey didn't like dat."
A picture I took while Silas was building his arsenal..
...another one...
...and another one - none of them worth the trauma the chickens went through because I took my eyes off Silas.
"Bothan Scoir" - a one-room house of a poor landless labourer, and the garden in the left foreground.
The home of a farmer from the rich lands in the Golden Vale of Limerick and Tipperary Counties.
Further out in the Folk Park there are little pastures with some animals. These are Irish Wolfhounds - named for their historic job of hunting wolves. The tallest dog breed in the world, it is believed that they were introduced to Ireland around 3500 BC. They are easy to train, quiet, and friendly. We're thinking of getting one for the boys to ride. My dad promised to adopt it if it ends up being too much work to have around with three kids.
This dog is just huge!
We couldn't get over the size of these dogs!
We finally peeled ourselves away from staring at the dogs and found some goats.
The boys went exploring.
Hazelbrook House, built in 1898. This was home to the Hughes Brothers who started a dairy industry in the 1800's and later produced HB Ice Cream, which became a household name in ice cream in Ireland. We happen to have a box in our freezer right now.
In the 1400's Bunratty had a herd of 3000 deer.Ardcroney Church, moved here, stone by stone, from Ardcroney, Co. Tipperary.
This farmhouse and yard pictured below reflect the building style and materials of the rocky Moher area of north County Clare. We saw many like this on our trip to the Cliffs of Moher.
The last 'Earls of Thomond', the O'Briens, were driven out of Bunratty Castle by Oliver Cromwell's troops from England in the 1600's. After this, the castle and its lands were granted to various plantation families, the last of whom was the Studdart family. They left the castle in 1804 to live in the more modern Bunratty House pictured here. Definitely a step down in awesomeness, but probably more cozy.
Bunratty House stable yard now houses a collection of 19th-century agriculture machinery and implements.
Here's one I might have found useful...the turnip cutter.
Moriah wins the prize for best kid on this day trip - no complaints or animal cruelty incidents.
This donkey wasn't much bigger than those dogs - I just can't get over it...
More sticks...
...and a collection of pinecones.
A working horizontal corn mill based on findings of an excavation in County Cork. The boys wanted to jump in the water, but thankfully did not.
A vertical mill. I always liked the scenes at the mill in Little House on the Prairie - don't know exactly why...
Nothing historical - just the playground entrance made to look like a castle.
The boys played while a rain cloud rolled in. We cut it too close and ended up running through the rain, finding cover in the Tea House.
Just as well, they'd been asking for a snack. It had been a pretty full day. 
We bought them each an Irish Whistle in the gift shop. I'm not joking about them learning to play it!
If you're interested in a little more detail on the history of Bunratty Castle, here is a link
www.shannonheritage.com/Attractions/BunrattyCastle/. And if you're interested in seeing the six hundred year-old furnishings close up http://www.bunrattycollection.com/ .
We were so close to the city of Limerick, so we decided to drive down to see King John's Castle. It looked really impressive in our tour book. Limerick is the third largest city in Ireland.
For the record, he did not use his blinker.
King John's Castle on the River Shannon was founded in 1200. It was very impressive, but my picture's not as nice as the one in the tour book since it was dusk by this time. We headed home after having a fun, full day!
We just visited Bunratty and I learned so much from your blog! Thank you for your great post! -Kelly
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