One night we had a dinner date at Castle Knappogue, built in 1467 by the McNamara Clan. Several groups were there for the medieval banquet, and several men were chosen to participate. Jay Edmondson became famous for the second time today by becoming one of the Earl’s four vassal Lords, complete with crown. Russ was chosen to play the nave; on stage, he had to collapse and die from food poisoning. We were seated on long oak tables in Dalcassian Hall. The meal included mead (honey wine), an appetizer of smoked salmon with capers, a broth of tomato soup, chicken with vegetables and an apple tart. Traditional Irish songs and dances followed with music provided by harp and violin. These meals are often fun, and this one was, but the food was mostly modern, as were the utensils… no throwing around boar’s leg bones and quaffing large quantities of ale here, though the mead was not bad. Here’s the castle…
Once again this is more of a manor house with a tower and fortified walls. Here’s our hosts..
The musicians were actually quite good… especially the harpist…
We first tool mead in the courtyard, because it was a sunny day.
Here we are being sung into the dinner…
And here is our faux king… King James no less, actually a fine Christian fellow from Florida! Who knew!
Naturally there was singing and dancing of madrigal sort, and some medieval shenanigans as well… what can you do with knaves and knights anyway— boys will be boys. 
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