I may be back in the UK but there are still some places I visited in Ireland recently that merit a mention before I sum up my stay there. One of the nicest spots is the village of Inistioge (pronounced Innish – teeg) in Co. Kilkenny. It straddles the Rover Nore, one of the ‘three sisters’ that drain much of Leinster and which flows into Waterford. I visited two years ago but had the chance to drive through again a few weeks ago. It is not far from the main road from Enniscorthy to New Ross and is well worth the detour for its charm and coffee shops, though on sunny weekends it is thronging with drinkers outside the pubs.

I was thrilled to see this horse in the river, browsing the far bank – it doesn’t get much more beautiful than this.

By the river there is a neatly kept park with a nice coffee shop on the other side of the road. The staff were very helpful and even took food and drink out to some people parked in a camper van!

The village green is surrounded by antique shops and houses.

And at the top of the village there are more watering holes and the main church.

While near the river are some ruins colonised by centranthus.

You can find out more here –

http://www.inistioge.ie/102/Events.html

county kilkenny, inistioge, leinster, river nore, three sisters rivers