Limerick has a castle… King John commissioned it in 1210. He never set foot in it because he died in 1216. It was built anyhow.

   
   
Harold & I spent today strolling through the castle which takes you through the long 800 year plus history of the castle, the Limerick area and Ireland. Through video, maps, text and visual display, we see what transpired. Creation, the building of a wealthy merchant trade, The Plague, wars and sieges… That sort of thing. Harold was very excited by the hands on history, model recreations, and the excellent views from the top of the castle’s turrets. However, we missed the “Ghost Tours” the previous evening and this made Harold a bit sad. 

   
 Yesterday, we toured a different castle…Bunratty Castle outside of Limerick. It was less steeped in political history and certainly not as large, but quite interesting.

   
   
Apparently it was purchased some years ago, refurbished to its period appropriate glory and opened to the public along with a folk village… Historic cottages and structures from elsewhere saved from demolition and relocated to the grounds. It is a tourist attraction with shops and things but quite pleasant. There’s sheeps and cows and animals and things. There was a Halloween fair there whist Harold & I were visiting… Even with the rain. 

  Here is Harold and a wonderful fella we met … Who had the gift of tongue… An Irish storyteller and singer of Irish songs. I believe his name was Tom. Harold enjoyed listening to him even though he had trouble understanding much of what he heard.