I’m one of those people who make checklists. A few months ago, I made a checklist of counties that I’d visited in Ireland. At the time, I decided that I would like to do something touristy in each county to be able to say that I’d been there. In other words, Ican’t check off a county by just driving through it.
There are 32 counties on the island (i.e. Republic of Island & Northern Ireland combined). Before this weekend, I had checked-off 13 counties. After this weekend, I now have 15 counties checked off . . . I’m almost halfway there. This weekend, I visited County Carlow and County Kildare.
Neither county can be considered to have high tourist value. Kildare ranks slightly higher than Carlow - specifically if you are into horse racing. It is the home of the Irish National Stud – a museum about horse racing and breeding. Additionally the Irish National Stud has two garden areas that children appear to love (RJ was not here to enjoy). However, from a standpoint of value, skip it. It’s 11 Euro a head (children are about half that) and it’s nothing more than gardens and horses. The museum is anemic and the guided tour is a let down. It might be a grand day out with children, but if you’re aren’t with any, head over to The Curragh and wager on some horses instead.
A Mare and Foal at the Irish National Stud
What can I say about Carlow town? Nothing really, except that they have a fleet of swans living in the Barrow River. Seriously, there are like 25-30 of them swimming around next to the park. There is an interesting story about a doctor who dynamited the walls of Carlow Castle to make it a more suitable insane asylum and ruined the entire castle in so doing. I’d recommend that you drive on past and head for Kilkenny instead.
Carlow's Fleet of Swans on the Barrow
List of Counties Not Visited: Armagh, Cavan, Cork, Derry (Londonderry), Donnegal, Down, Fermanagh, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Monaghan, Offaly, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford.
Completion: 47%
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