Another amazing adventure! Yesterday's trip through the southern edges of central Ireland was arguably the best one yet, and on top of that we had the best weather since coming here as well. Upon leaving Limerick, there was hard frost on the ground and everyone was shivering, but by midday the sun was warm and Laura and I had several points during the trip where we had to take off our coats....a rare occurrence here I tell you! The idea behind this trip was to see some of the national monuments and most recognized monuments in Ireland, and they were absolutely spectacular. If we didn't already know we were in Ireland yesterday's adventures were a magical way of letting us know of how much beautiful history is surrounding us. 
Our first stop was to Cahir Castle, in Cahir which is in County Tipperary. Surrounded on three sides by water, the castle dates back to the 13th century and is one of the best preserved throughout the country. Cahir is the largest castle of that period and was controlled by an Anglo-Norman family who sided with the Irish during the Elizabethan wars, however it was briefly overtaken by the Earl of Essex in 1599 when the English somehow managed to breach the castle's high walls. Additions were made to the castle in the 15th century, and then it was finally surrendered to Cromwell in 1650 without a single shot being fired. Cahir has a long and influential history, and its strategic defensive measures give much insight into medieval history which is really quite fascinating.
Besides having an amazingly preserved castle right in the middle of town, Cahir is also a beautiful place in of itself. Right along the river, Cahir provides a great place for cycling, walking, and fishing and it was grand to be outside and see the flowers blooming. What a nice change from chilly Limerick!
The Rock of Cashel, also known as Cashel of the Kings, is a truly spectacular site that I think all of us were in awe of. Cashel is one of the largest and most recognized Irish castle and is situated atop a hill overlooking all of Tipperary. Supposedly, this site is where St. Patrick converted Aenghus King of Munster to Christianity in the 5th century. However most of the buildings themselves date back to the 12th and 13th centuries when the Rock of Cashel (which used to be the seat of the High Kings of Munster) was gifted by the Church. The collection of architectural wonders remain some of the best examples of work from the Celtic medieval period in all of Europe.
The extensive graveyard that lies behind the Rock of Cashel has revealed graves dating as far back as the 9th and 10th centuries which is truly incredible, and there are several engraved Celtic crosses adorning the graves. The graveyard just adds to the magic of the site, which includes the ruins of a cathedral, a round tower, a fortified tower house, a chapel, and multiple halls. 
The stone walls around the Rock of Cashel were too high to see over, so Laura and I decided to climb up and enjoy the view from a whole new perspective. When we finally found a few chips big enough to use as footholds, we were dumbfounded by how beautiful the landscape was. As I mentioned before, the Rock of Cashel is on top of a large hill and so we could see for miles and miles, and in the distance we found the ruins of an old abbey. I'm not sure how long we stood grasping the top of the wall staring out but we just could not stop looking because it was so exquisite. As Laura put it: "This is Ireland...."
As everyone was running around trying to get funny pictures with each other, Laura and I simply sat in the grass and tried to soak it all in. Had we been prepared for good weather we probably would've spread out a blanket and had our lunch right there!
After the Rock of Cashel, we traveled to Holy Cross Abbey, an Irish national monument. It was founded in 1168 for the Benedictine Order but soon transferred over to the Cistercians, and it was colonised by monks who followed a tradition of silent living. The Abbey was renovated in the 15th century and managed to avoid closure after King Henry VIII's decree of suppression that affected man of the monasteries across England and Ireland in the mid-1500s. However heavy persecution drove most of the monks into hiding and the abbey deteriorated. The Irish State took over control in the 1800s and declared the abbey to be a national monument.
In the 1970s there was a movement to restore parts of the abbey and make it a site of worship once again. The new abbey was built in a style similar to Cistercian architecture and is a popular site for weddings and other religious ceremonies. The Abbey is also home to the Relic of the True Cross and other ancient religious artifacts, which were stolen in 2011 and miraculously found and restored early in 2012.
Our last stop of the day was to the small rural town of Moneygall, the ancestral home of President Barack Obama. I have to tell you it was so odd walking through an Irish town and seeing so many American flags and memorabilia. There was even a cafe called 'The Obama Cafe.' Ollie Hayes is the pub that Obama visited during his famous trip to Moneygall in May of 2011, and it is located less than a block from the site where his family lived during the 1800s before emigrating to the United States. Obama and his wife were warmly welcomed by the Irish people and there are countless pictures and mementos from his visit throughout the town.
All of us hung out in the pub for awhile visiting, and after talking with the owner of the pub for awhile he offered to show some of us the inside of the house where Obama's family would've lived. It was really a pretty fun experience and of course I had to have some Bailey's hot chocolate. Great way to end the day, and I signed the guestbook saying that I was there in the same pub Obama visited. So there!
Besides all of these great locations we visited, a shout out must be made to our new tour guide Gareth who was absolutely fantastic! It was his first tour and he made it so fun. I especially liked his failed attempt at talking in an American accent and his invitation to crash at his apartment in Dublin if I ever needed a place to stay. Cheers! Until next time :)
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