Today’s activities brought us outside the boundaries of Dublin. We started with another early morning and right after breakfast we were off to the mountain region of the country.
Our first stop of the day was a sheep farmer located in the Glendalough region. We watched a demonstration by the farm owner, his son, and their beloved Border Collie, Bruce. Bruce followed commands given by the men and successfully herded a flock of sheep into the pen for the audience to enjoy. It was amazing! Bruce was so well-trained it has me reconsidering all the training I did with my own dog at home! Aside from his incredible ability to listen to commands, Bruce and his owners share a really strong bond and really give definition to the phrase “man’s best friend”.
After leaving the farm we drove down the road to the two lakes located in a valley of Glendalough. We hike about a mile to one of the most magnificent views I’ve ever seen. The views were absolutely stunning!
After our short hike we headed to Kilkenny for a late lunch and an afternoon of exploring. Upon arrival we explored the castle located in the middle of the town; it was HUGE! Though we didn’t have time to see the inside, the outside was absolutely breathtaking. We then headed to a small cafe for a traditional Irish lunch and then boarded the bus back to Dublin.
Tourism is hugely important in both areas of Glendalough and Kilkenny. Without tourism the farmers would have no way of making a successful living off of their flock as wool is increasingly less valuable. Kilkenny, too, relies on tourism to remain as vibrant a town as it is. Private tours seem to be a dominant industry in both areas as we encountered many groups not unlike our own throughout the day.
Tomorrow is back to class for the Woodcocks, but I feel so fortunate to have had this weekend to see the country of Ireland beyond the city of Dublin!