For our one free weekend, a trusty comrade -- William Schauberger -- and yours truly decided to make the hour-and-a-half-long-trek to a noted tourist destination -- Kilkenny. (On an unrelated note, all apologies for the weak South Park pun acting as the title.) The trek started out on a heated note, but only if the train was not aware of the existence of air conditioning. The first night was rather laid-back in nature and tone, with a customary swill of three pints at the hotel bar, but Saturday was all action for the fellow comrade and I.
To start off the bright new day in Kilkenny, William and I went to the site of the former Smithwick brewery -- known for its trademark red ale -- and toured the facility with a wonderful tour guide, Molly, who at 19 years old, was incredibly intelligible and engaging with the history of the brewery and the Smithwick family (side note: I hope all the best for Molly, who certainly has a bright future.) It was intriguing for Molly to dictate how the Smithwick family with its Catholic roots could not operate their business on their own due to the Irish penal laws barring Catholics from running any businesses (if I recall correctly), which understates just how brutal English imperialism over Irish colonies and settlers in fact was -- the fact that religious differences led to this rule roughly assured that the British Empire would go at any length to undermine their Irish rivals, even if it meant undermining the concept of private property. The brewing process of the Smithwick red ale was intriguing even if I forget most of the complicated process, but that can go to show you that beauty and perfection can be complex. Perhaps the most hands-on experience at the former Smithwick's brewery was the most intriguing: the concluding sampling bar. (I swear I'm not an alcoholic.) The bar offered a flight trio of samplers: half-pint of its trademark red ale (solid!), pale ale (hoppy! fruity! delicious!), and a Kilkenny draught stout (not solid!).
Sampling the famous, tasty Smithwick's red ale was a treat for an immersive brewery tour.
Whilst looking for a lunch destination, William and I engaged in a light conversation with a Smithwick's employee about the Petronella restaurant, which is named (for some reason) after a sketchy, homicidal woman named Petronella de Meath, who by the ripe age of 24, had already had four missing husbands, of which she was accused of practicing witchcraft and was subject to being burned at the stake in the streets of Kilkenny for heresy in 1324. The conversation's topic took an unexpected turn, but shows how invested Irish citizens are in their history and the communes they live and work in. As a Green Bay resident, I only hope I can be as invested in my hometown's history as this resident of Kilkenny was for her hometown. (We did dine at the restaurant, which presented delectable food.)
The information about the infamous Petronella de Meath -- the namesake of the Petronella restaurant and a woman who I am glad I did not have to encounter in a celebrity wife swap.
The lunch was followed by a visit to the crown jewel of the city of Kilkenny -- the Kilkenny Castle. The massive, luxurious, and opulent estate was built almost eight centuries ago on the River Nore and was the primary residence for the noble Butler family, an incredibly powerful family that owned the estate for almost six centuries until 1967 when it was sold for 50 euros (now I think I got a bad deal on my apartment!). The castle was noteworthy for many reasons, but serves a lesson that powerful families, like all other institutions, can falter as time passes.
"Hey MTV, welcome to my crib ..." The magnificent Kilkenny Castle in all its grandeur.
My comrade William and I posted up in the picture gallery, soon to advance for the famed marble fireplace. By far, the picture gallery was the most evident sign of luxury present in the castle.
The city of Kilkenny was an underrated treat that can go unnoticed by international travelers, but I am glad my comrade and I took the initiative to travel here. The city and its dwellers seemingly connected to the lessons to be taught in class, with anti-Catholicism rampant in the history of Irish-British relations, Norman conquests, Irish lavish lifestyles, cuisine, and beer. The excursion to Kilkenny has lessons that can transcend the small city and its borders to the classroom, America, and life as a college student, which is what I wanted to get out of this education-abroad trip to Ireland.
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