We were not expecting heavy rain, and according to the weather report it would remain rainy for the next couple of days, so we decide to drive straight  to Dublin. We get an early start on the road towards Dublin. We make a quick stop at the Irish National Stud. 

The Stud was first owned by William Hall Walker who started breeding horses here in 1900.  He soon  had  thoroughbred horses which were a large success.  In 1915, Walker gave the Stud  to the Crown in England.  The Crown held on to the Stud until 1943.   The Crown gave the Stud to the Irish government  in 1945. To this day some of the best and most expensive horses in the World come from the Stud.

During the stud season (February 15 to July 15), pregnant mares reside at the Stud.  The mares stay at the Stud until they are ready to give birth to their new foals.  When the mare is ready to have her foal she moves to the foaling unit.   The mare and the foal stay at the foaling unit for three days if the foal is healthy.  A healthy  foal begins to walk three hours after being born, and then starts to imitate every thing its mother does.   After three days the mare and the new foal move to the paddocks.   During the foal’s first day of school, the mother and foal will run, walk, and do lots of exercise.   If this new foal is a fast learner and fast horse he might be worth millions of dollars even before he is one year old.

After this we head over to Newgrange but  when we get there they where all booked.  We decide to do to Newgrange the next day, and instead see slain hill today.

This is where St Patrick lit a fire against the command of High King Laoire.  The King forebode any one to light a fire while his festival to the pagan gods was under way.

A  monastery was rebuilt in the same location in 1512 by Sir Christopher Fleming.  A Franciscan friary and college was also started by Sir Fleming in the same location.  King Henry the VII and his henchmen came along and tore it all down so now only parts of the old  friary remain.

After a long day of sight-seeing we feel famished.  We hit the road and stop at a truck stop out side of Dublin and get a burger king feast.  Burger King in Ireland…:).