Bunratty Castle and folk park

Bunratty Castle is the most authentic medieval fortress in Ireland.

Built in 1425 and restored in 1954, the castle currently contains charming 15th and 16th century furnishings, tapestries and art which capture the mood of those times.

The dungeon.

16th century statue and tapestry

The castle kitchen. They even used turtle shells to cook soups in.

It was very common to hang fresh herbs and poultry.

One of the walls that has "The Last Super" carved into the wood.

The head of the table sits the king and to his left, a smaller seat with a bigger cushion, sits the queen.

The wife of the Earl's bedroom.

A chandelier made in Germany with antlers as the back and wood carving of a woman for the front.

The Earl's bay window.

Looking over the castle.

The top of the tower with the Irish flag waving in the air.

Stairs were built clockwise. We were told because most people are right handed and it was harder for intruders to wield a sword advancing up the stairs and easier for the guards to defend the towers from above.

The back of the castle.

Logan observing the cannon.

They even had a miniature door for little people.

At the base of the castle, is Bunratty folk park. We were told most of the houses were authentic and moved brick by brick creating a "living" village. This enchanting place had trade workers in shops where you could watch wool spun into thread and made into rugs, pottery sculptured and painted, metal designed into jewlery, leather molded into gloves and shoes and, our favorite, the smell and taste of homemade pastries.

Evan is looking into a loft. The owners would have a ladder that they would carry over to allow the people up in the loft to sleep and return the ladder to the side of the house.

Many items cooking over an open stove.

A farm house with the dining table in the bed room.

Many towns in Ireland dedicate shrines in a well traveled area.

Baking bread in an open oven.

My needles in the hay stack.

This little piggy stayed home.

'Cause I'm a farm girl
Living in a Myspace world

Inside a farm house.

A little play area designed with a castle theme.

A maze inside the play area.

A cottage near the village.

Inside the school house. I still can't get Hailey excited about schoolwork.

The boys testing out the mill equipment.

A small fishing pond

Cute waterfall leading to the mill.

The mill using water for energy.

Inside the church

Outside the church

The canopied walkways between the houses.

In this picture, Evan had refused to walk with us. So, we left him and watched him in the trees. He defiently stood on the path refuseing to follow us. Then when he decided he wasn't mad anymore, he tried to find us but we already walked around a house. Matt watched him as he started holloring and jumping up and down. He started yelling for "mommy". I ran to him and with open arms he ran to me tears falling down his little face. Lets say, he stayed closely by our side for awhile.

A very wealthy Irish family home in the early 1900's.

The equipment room of Bunratty house.

An old fashioned stone barn.

The goats pen (I still can't figure out if this was his pen or he climbed over) You know the grass is always greener on the other side.

The city center where all the crafts are made and you can still buy them here.

Irish sheep dogs - almost as big as my boys.

Logan learning on staying on this side of the bars.