Blarney Castle, Blarney Woolen Mills, Waterford Crystal

I had a great night's sleep last night and was ready to begin our adventures!  First we went to tour the Blarney Castle!  What an amazing site it is!  The gardens are beautiful and I was really excited to see my first castle.  There were signs for various rooms in the castle, and I can't even imagine life then!  

There is a circular stone stairway with 100 steps up to the top where the Blarney Stone lies.  I was thinking of my girls, as I climbed the steps, and decided it would not have been a good situation to have those narrow steps when they were still in their sibling fighting stage.  I could easily see tempers flaring and someone going done!  (the thoughts you have as a mother)  

The rooms common rooms were pretty much open sky.  The "family room" was the largest with a huge fireplace on one end.  The kitchen was small and you could see where a smoke stack had been.  These rooms were both up a few flights.  I can't imagine carrying your food up there!  It just amazes me how people used to live.  The girl's room, was about the size of a really large walk-in closet.  I could see my three girls sharing a room that size!  Not a pretty site!

There was another house on the land called Blarney House.  It looked more like a castle I would live in.  It had a proper roof.  I am not sure of the history of Blarney House.  I know it was built at a much later time.

After, winding down at Blarney and the shopping at Woolen Mills, we headed to waterford to see crystal in the making.  We had a great tour of Waterford Crystal. It was very interesting to learn all the facts about the crystal and see the steps it takes to finish a piece.  If is isn't flawless, it is smashed and the remaining pieces are added in to recycle and make new pieces.  

We watched the art of glass blowing, which I didn't really understand before I actually saw them doing it.  I wouldn't want that job!  I think out of  all the pieces they had on display, the phonograph was my favorite!

We finished the day of with some good food in an Pub named Geoff's!  It was really good food and a cool little pub!  The had an old sewing table transformed into a chess board.  Abbey got the penne" and I got the curry...delish!