Day 20 - Exploring Trim

 

Trim, like most Irish towns didn’t exist until the English showed up and built a castle there. Prior to the town, there was an abbey on the site, supposedly created by St. Patrick. The locals claim it was the first church created by St. Patrick. That conflicts with the folks who claim the Saul Church in Down was the first. We attended a service in Trim this morning and were informed St Patrick started a church here 22 years before the one in Down! Oh well. Who really knows. 

Church of Ireland St. Patrick’s 

The original abbey site eventually became St. Mary’s Abbey, an Augustinian abbey built in the 12th century. The abbey survived until the dissolution, when it was abandoned. The buildings were damaged significantly when Cromwell’s forces came through Trim in 1649. What is left is the bell tower, one of the highest/tallest ruins in Ireland.

The very tall abbey bell tower ruin

Trim Castle stands in the center of town and was/is the largest Norman castle in Ireland. It was built in 1173 by Hugh de Lacy, one of the early English lords. The existing castle/ruins replaced an earlier wooden fort that had burned down. We went on a guided tour of the central keep, and were also able to go up to the keep roof and view the surrounding town and countryside. The castle would have been an intimidating structure, letting all those who saw it know who was in charge.

Since it was Sunday, we then took the opportunity to attend a Church of Ireland service at St. Patricks Cathedral. We then also visited the Catholic St. Patricks Cathedral. A bit confusing, since it’s the same St. Patrick. One is Catholic and one is Anglican or Church of Ireland. 

St Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral

After a quick lunch we then drove over to see another ruin, the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul. The catherdral is part of an Augustinian Abbey, sometimes called Newton Abbey, and built in 1206. The cathedral was one of the largest in Ireland, but it didn’t survive the dissolution. One of the interesting crypts on the site has effigies of a man and wife who aren't touching each other which is unusual. The crypt has been given the nickname, the "Tomb of the Jealous Man and Woman".

Right next to the Cathedral was a pub called Regan’s, supposedly the second oldest licensed pub in Ireland. “Supposedly”...seems to be needed at just about every site in Ireland (and probably every country) when stating records like the oldest, largest, highest, etc. Marketing has been going on forever. It was still fun to go into the pub and order a drink. It sits right next to the Boyne river and the cathedral ruins.

Dinner was at Brogan’s Pub. Irish stew wasn’t on the menu so most of us chose fish and chips for our final Irish meal. Nothing too exciting, but it was good. 

Tomorrow we head home. So maybe one more travel day post. Hopefully it will be an uneventful day.