Far & Away

At last, the Emerald Isle.  It is as green and as beautiful as I imagined. 

Ireland is Baaaatiful.

My first Irish experience was in Waterford.  I took a 4-hour ferry over from Wales and then a short bus trip to Waterford.  The bus ride included a sing-along to some famous Irish songs:  Danny Boy, It's a Long Way to Tipperary, and Molly Malone.  It was a fun experience.  If I had known I would hear Molly Malone 15 times in 2 days, my attitude towards Irish folk songs may have been a bit different.

Ferry from Wales to Ireland.  It had 9 levels and 4 pubs.

Waterford is famous for their crystal factory.  Crystal is different from glass in that a red lead powder is added.  The lead increases the brilliance and shine, and makes the product heavier which allows Master Carvers to etch designs into the crystal. 

I toured the factory and saw the Master Carvers blowing glass, polishing, cooling and finally etching the crystal by hand.  Watching them control their cuts on a rounded or oval surface is amazing to see.  All the Master Carvers study for 8 years, and they were all very helpful and stopped working to show us their technique and to answer our questions.

Glass blowing.

Using a mould to shape the glass.  All moulds are wooden and are hand carved on site.

Polishing.

Etching a wine glass using a diamond tip cutting stone.

Famous Waterford pattern in progress.  Black felt lines are guides for the carvers.

Some Master Carvers study for an additional 4 years to become Master Engravers.  The engraving work is beyond what I thought was possible.  One artist designed and completed a horse and carriage scene for the Royal Wedding.  The Waterford Crystal claim to fame includes Superbowl Trophies, Golf Trophies, and a special piece of work for Justin Timberlake.

Trophy for the Ryder Cup - Golf.

When I entered the factory, we saw the shop where the initial moulds are made.  A mould labeled "Justin Timberlake" caught my eye right away.  Someone will need to have extreme talent to carve Justin's "Chia Pet" hair into crystal, that's for sure!!

Hand-made wooden mould.

Admit it, as a kid you wanted one!

Admit it, there is a similarity!

At the end of the tour I was shown that the JustinTimberlake piece was a grand piano, not a replica of the Chia Hair.  I found it funny that I was extremely sad about not seeing  JT in crystal.

Justin Timberlake's piano.

 

Our next stop on our way to Dublin was Kilkenny.  It was here that I watched the Royal Wedding.  Kilkenny is a cute town with secret back lanes hiding behind their streets.  These lanes are filled with shops, pubs and cafes.  Kilkenny is quaint, delicate and relaxing.

Enjoying the Royal Wedding with a pint.

Kate is beautiful - love the dress.  Could the TV have been any smaller?!?

Following Kilkenny, I had the good fortune of visiting Kildare and the Irish National Stud.  This is where the best thoroughbred horses in the U.K. are bred.  It was an interesting tour, the guide talked about sex the entire time!

Caroline, our tour guide at the Irish National Stud where the Queen will visit in early May.

The grounds at the I.N.S. are immaculate, and there are huge paddocks and grazing lands for all the horses.  They keep cattle in the paddocks with the horses, which I thought was odd.  I was told that the cattle bring a calming effect to the high strung thoroughbreds.  The cattle also help to cut-down on horse related diseases.  Nature amazes me!

The main attraction at the I.N.S. is a horse named Invincible Spirit.  This horse won many races, and so have his offspring.  As a result, this horse allows the I.N.S. to charge $125,000 for Invincible Spirit to impregnate a mare.  Talk about a high performance horse!  He is insured for $96 Million.  He has a rough life and has to do the deed every 3 hours, 7 days a week.  In case you feel bad for Invincible Spirit, he does get a 4 week holiday in the winter.

Who you really need to feel bad for is Tommy The Teaser.   Tommy is the horse that has the ill fated job of warming up the mares.  Tommy is put in a paddock with a mare, and if she sticks around, bats her eyelashes, and shows signs of interest, Tommy's job is done.  Poor Tommy is cruelly yanked from the paddock and the high price stallion is brought in to complete the transaction.  Poor Tommy: destined for a life with jewels a delicate shade of blue. 

At least Tommy the Teaser gets a nice paddock.  I wonder if it has a cold shower?

Although it will be tough to top learning about Tommy the Teaser, Justin Timerlake's crystal piano, and a Royal Wedding, Dublin is my next stop and I am excited to explore all that Dublin has to offer.