The Rock of Dunamase
We drove circuitously down to Carlow yesterday, visiting this spot for a break in the journey. It's an impressive ruin, covering the top of a commanding hill, with a view into five counties. In every direction the views from the top are breathtaking, and it's great fun for kids because it really is just ruin, with kids presumably been clambering around it since 1350, so there's no great deal more destruction of the historical record that they can do, really!
Not so great for their parents though, as the kids could easily climb up to the top of something very high and fall off it onto rocks below, but mountains can do that all on their own without the need for humans, so perhaps best not to watch too closely and trust them to be able to climb sensibly!
I chatted for a while with a man visiting with his son & daughter who said he was just continuing a family tradition of visiting the best local playground there was, and that he remembered himself and his brothers and sisters all climbing to the very highest parts themselves.
This view looks out through the inner gate towards the road to Stradbally.