Johnstown Castle in Ireland.

 Johnstown Castle is just outside of Wexford, Ireland. 

It is a castle with historic and medieval origins that has been updated throughout the centuries. The ceiling work and architecture is beautiful and it was only recently donated to Ireland for historical preservation. (1950's)

 




 

 

Overall it reminded me a lot of the Winchester House in California. While Johnstown isn't notorious for ghost stories the way that the Winchester House is -I can't imagine that the 90 meter servants tunnel isn't occupied by the unseen. (Winchester House information here: Winchester House Website)

Dripping with moisture and locked metal barred encasements (the tour guide said were simple servants quarters) seem to tell a different story. 

The grounds and the castle are under constant construction as the maintenance of a castle spanning hundreds of years would entail. But what has been preserved and protected and is displayed is quite beautiful. 

Touring the grounds was just a mere three pounds less than going indoors with a tour guide- and it was more than worth it. 

Our guide was a middle aged, eloquent woman with chin length blond hair and stylish blazer with cashmere scarf. She was kind and informative but in truth, the tour discussed the family history of the caste more than the castle, and I was particularly interested in old history. (over 200 years)

When I toured the Dublin Castle, I found the same strange experience- with the tour guides sharing about what I would consider recent history. As a citizen of the United States, our history is so new- and with exception of the ruins from the indigenous peoples across cliff sides with no written understanding of their origin- it's a rare and delicious opportunity to see and witness buildings and lands that have their stories known from a thousand years ago. 

As we traveled through the castle, it was such an architectural marvel- I don't think I would bother visiting without touring the inside- but I'm grateful for the rehabilitation efforts and beauty of the land there. 

I absolutely recommend Johnstown Castle as a stop for your Irish adventure. 















Katie Jo is a best selling author, international public speaker, and artist. She is an aspiring world traveler and finds herself on pilgrimage to sacred lands and sites across the globe. She is teacher of esoteric and ancient wisdom merged with modern day leading edge science and breakthroughs. 

You can find her online and in-person trainings here:

Katie Jo's Wellness Studio and Training Programs


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Piper Stone Circle in Ireland

Image
We landed at sunrise in Dublin, just as the skyline was turning pale pink behind the coming and going airplanes. By the time the sun was cresting the distant horizon, we had loaded the mini Cooper rental car and were out of the city. Toll roads, tunnels, and bridges gave way to thick hedges that cloaked either side of narrow roads that were carved through the land before cars existed.  Our intention for the trip was to see as much as we could, visit sacred sites and the oldest pubs and bistros Ireland. Leaving the highway, we found ourselves drenched in green landscapes with stone fences flanking either side of our Cooper as we whizzed by.  We wound up and down mountains, watching as the clouds moved over the foliage the way waves move across a beach. The damp and cloudy day had a way of making all the colors of the plants and stones around us brighter and more vibrant.  Arriving at Piper's Stone Circles, you pass through a hodgepodge entry that adds charm to the experien...
Read more

Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah

Image
There are two places in the world most known for salt flats. Bolivia and Utah. These salt crystals are the fractal posterity of ancient oceans. Water soaked soil that bakes in the sun as crystalline gems grow and reflect.  The Salt Flats in Utah are fabled with extra terrestrial folklore- the sound of derby engines roar in the distance- reminding us that world records for land speed have been broken here.  But, for us, we gathered to connect to this sacred place, using breath and guidance. Suzanna Rose, a psychic medium channel who translates from dimensions beyond, known and unknown, was told to gather with a small circle of others. To unite in purpose in clearing out discordant energies from the world.                    photo credit Katie Jo These ancient oceans are still alive and connected to the land and water, the wisdom and consciousness of oneness- as water is one. All waves are really the ocean. All raindrops, all riv...
Read more

Autumn in Utah

Image
I was raised at the foot of a serpentine canyon outside of Provo, Utah. Many of the youth activities I attended for my church were there in that winding passage. I've driven this canyon my whole life. As a passenger and as a pilot in many different vehicles. I remember when a tram used to take sightseers to the top of Bridal Veil Falls and a small restaurant offered refreshments. A landslide cleared those novelties long ago and I have been witness to two other landslides there since.  photo credit Katie Jo The Provo river meanders between the mountains, trickling out from the Deer Creek Reservoir Dam above. As a child in elementary school, we used to practice emergency drills just in case the dam broke. In high school my friends and I would build fires at campsites and talk until sunrise or curfew; whichever came first.  I find myself in these canyons when my heart needs reprieve. Simply being in the cradle of the mountains and the tilting of the car as I drive through the cur...
Read more