A Day in Limerick

Today we have a friend that came to visit us for the weekend. He was here for the PSU checking out places in Dublin for work study programs so he hopped on over to Limerick!  We spent the day walking around and checking out sites for coming visitors.  This is just a picture along main street.

 You will notice the streets don't lack for pubs!

 Here we were on our way to the farmers market when this head peers over at us! He was a beauty and looking for money to help support the animal rescue league.

 This is the Saturday  Farmer's market called the Milk Market which is on Cornmarket Row! It has its usual fruits and vegetables but the fun table is the one with the cheeses. They slice you a piece (lunch!) and if you like it they will cut you a wedge and wrap it in a waxed paper. The other thing they have are great pastry. I just had to buy a chocolate croisant :) yum... Peter got a nutella crepe.  That is on my list for next week to try. Roger's my grandson, might like that one!

 I took this picture for the hydrangea.  They are red --in many shades of red. This picture doesn't do it justice.

 On to King John's castle but Peter likes cathedrals so we got pulled into St Mary's Cathedral.  Next picture.

 Limerick is predominantly Catholic but St Mary's is Protestand and is the city's oldest religious building.  "Once a 12th century palace-pilasters and rounded Romaneque entrance were part of he original structure- it dates mostly from the 15th century."  The man at the door was not friendly so we left. Peter and David went back in after we toured the castle. I wandered around the graves that were as old as the 1800s to 2010.  Quite interesting the sayings on them and the fact that they had many generations buried in the same spot.

 I had to take this picture but I got a very dirty look from a man walking by.  You won't see this in the US! The sign up by the windows, under the horse, says Betting office.

 King John's castle built by the Normans in the early 1200s. This castle had many battles waged against it through the centuries including the seige of Limerick in 1691. In one of the parts of the castle, archaeological excavations were carried out from 1993-1995. You can go underground and see.  In some part of the wars on the castle there were tunnels built under to compromise the wall as well as to get into the castle. These areas are shown in the archaeological sites.

 This the view from the castle.  The city was divided by this river.

 Just a typical row of houses..So pretty in their colors.

  We are outside the Hunt Museum which is housed in the Old Customs house. It was a very nice one with the finest collection of Celtic and medieval treasures and 20th century Irish and European paintings.

A picture of the train station. This is also the hub for the busses.  We rented a car, so tomorrow we are onto more adventures outside Limerick. Don't forget to post a comment- just click on the word.. cheerio :)