Kilkenny, Birthdays, and Dublin Pride!

This weekend was the most fun we have had since getting to Dublin.

On Friday, it was JP's birthday, and we all celebrated, maybe a little too much!

We've been going to a famous club in Dublin called Dicey's, and after treating JP to BBQ (why did he want to go to BBQ in Ireland?) and getting some fun cocktails, we ended up dancing at Dicey's all night. We came back, soaked with sweat around 4 am. It was probably the most fun I've ever had out!

The next morning, we reluctantly rolled out of bed late and made brunch for everyone. I made scrambled eggs while the girls made pancakes, and I had at least 3 pieces of brown bread with Kerrygold butter and drippy, delicious jam. We plowed through half a stick of butter that morning.

Saturday was also Dublin pride! Around 60,000 people came to Dublin to walk in the parade, and we all went to the parade to support all of the people who finally got the right to marry, not only in Ireland but also in the US! It was an amazing, amazing moment that I'll always be proud to have witnessed.

On Sunday we went to Kilkenny, which was one of the most fun trips I've ever taken. We had no plans for the day, so we were completely spontaneous. Kilkenny is in the southwest of Ireland, and it was around 1.5 hours away by Irish rail. The city is quaint; it was a medieval city that was inhabited by Vikings, and later even hid King Charles II, the British king, from Oliver Cromwell during the Restoration.

Some highlights from our trip:

• relaxing in the rose garden at Kilkenny Castle and stealing a rose, which was glued to my nose the entirety of the trip because of how beautiful and fragrant it was

• witnessing the first ordination of a priest in the huge and historic St. Mary's Cathedral in more than 25 years!
• climbing the Round Tower of St. Canice's Cathedral... this watchtower was a lookout post and bell tower in the 9th century! Before we climbed the tower, we asked if it was scary. "No way!" answered the women working there. Boy, were they wrong. The tower was 10 feet in diameter, and you climbed 108 ladder steps straight up into the tower. There was no windows inside, and the walls were crumbling. However, the view was worth it, and now I have a significantly stronger stomach.

• taking a break by playing clue and drinking craft beer in a pub

• winding down the night in my favorite bar to date- Left Bank. It is an old bank that has been converted into a lavish, dark wood, swanky pub. We were lucky enough to witness an amazing jazz singer and her band while drinking our wine and Irish coffees

• came back on the train and promptly passed out!

FYI: We have been walking SO MUCH in the city. We calculated it, and I usually walk 5+ miles on a normal work day. A day that we do sightseeing or shopping, we probably walk 7-10 miles. Because of this, my feet have never hurt so much in my life. I come back every day, sore and exhausted, and my feet literally pound when I'm trying to sleep. The plus side is that I feel no need to go to the gym and I can eat all the Kerrygold butter I want. Ha.