One of the places I knew I wanted to visit while I was in Ireland was Adare. I've heard about it and read a great many of books which mentioned it, so I decided to take Grandma there for a few hours. It turns out it is only 20 minutes or so from Limerick so it actually worked out really well. The weather was not very cooperative, however we managed to have a good day in spite of the cold and the wind.
Situated along the River Maigue, Adare is considered to be one of the prettiest villages in all of Ireland, a medieval village dating back to 1200 A.D. The name comes from the Gaelic phrase Ath Dara - ford of the oaks - and is surrounded by beautiful rural countryside. The village has witnessed numerous wars, rebellions, and other forms of history, and leaves behind many different monuments. The existing streets and many of the houses were planned out and built in the early 1800s by the Earl of Desmond and were leased out to various tenants as was the system back in those days.
Many different historical centuries are visible in the architecture around Adare - besides the surviving medieval stone buildings, many of the thatched roof cottages can still be seen as well. Some are empty and being preserved while others are enjoyed by many as small shops.
Grandma and I stopped in one of these cottage shops (I mean who wouldn't?) which happened to be an antique store. I'm not necessarily very much of an antique person but the whole atmosphere of Adare appealed to my romantic nature and it was kind of fun just to walk around looking at all of the old stuff.
This Augustinian Friary was built in 1315 by the Earl of Kildare, Thomas, and his wife Countess Joan. The Friary was the home of the Augustinian Order for approximately a century when they were run out. During the time of King Henry VIII it was greatly suppressed and eventually damaged. It lay in disrepair and was unused until 1807, when it was restored by the Earl of Dunraven and once again considered to be one of the best examples of Irish medieval churches. Since then it has been occupied as a Church of Ireland which is a form of Protestantism. There is also a religious school located in half of the building.
As Adare is a small country town with not a lot of shopping to do, we decided to pass some time in a pub getting warm. We found this great pub called Aunty Lena's and the people were so friendly.
And of course, what better to do in a pub but eat and drink! I had me a nice glass of Bailey's and then we shared this very interesting version of a salmon sandwich - finding out that when the menu says its an "open salmon" sandwich ..that means the fish isn't really cooked all the way. I stuck to the salad and homemade brown bread and let grandma eat the semi-raw fish. But it sure was pretty to look at!
The sun decided to grace us with its presence for just a few minutes but it was enough to see how pretty the village must be during the summertime. Unfortunately the castle was closed, but I hope to go back there before I leave and check it out. I love small towns in general and in Ireland they are even more lovely than at home.
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