In March 2019, daughter Jill and I went on a ten-day tour of Ireland – three days in Dublin on our own and seven days on a guided tour of the Emerald Isle with CIE Tours International. Click HERE to read a short introduction about this unforgettable tour.
In this story, which is part of a series, I share our fascinating tour of a sixth century monastic settlement in Glendalough.
In this story, which is part of a series, I share our fascinating tour of a sixth century monastic settlement in Glendalough.
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Glendalough (Thursday, May 14, 2019) Today was the first full day of our guided tour of Ireland. We traveled from Dublin to Waterford, a distance of almost 130 miles – a little more than a three-hour drive that we completed in eight hours, as we made two stops before we reached Waterford, the “City Where Ireland Began.”
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At dinner last evening, Bryan Hanrahan, who was our travel guide and driver, shared information about our tour, including a short list of “dos and don’ts.” Among the former was “do be on the bus at the appointed time each morning” – a specific time, each day, that the bus would depart. The penalty for being late? We never learned that, as NO ONE WAS EVER LATE! This morning we left Dublin promptly at 8.
A light rain fell from gray clouds as we pulled away from the Clayton Hotel, where we had stayed last night, and the ambient temperature was in the mid-40s.
A light rain fell from gray clouds as we pulled away from the Clayton Hotel, where we had stayed last night, and the ambient temperature was in the mid-40s.
♫ When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure ‘tis like a morn in spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing. ♫
♫ When Irish hearts are happy, all the world seems bright and gay,
And When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure, they steal your heart away. ♫
In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing. ♫
♫ When Irish hearts are happy, all the world seems bright and gay,
And When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure, they steal your heart away. ♫
I found myself humming this well-known Irish song as we reached the outskirts of Dublin. Why? The rain had stopped, the clouds had parted, and the sun illuminated the green landscape that the Emerald Isle was famous for. Perhaps there was a bit of Irish in me, as I could not help but smile – eyes and all – as I gazed upon the charming countryside as it rolled past my window!
We passed several villages – Knocklyon, Carrickmines, and Kilmacanoge, to name a few – on the hour-long drive to Glendalough Valley. And as we did, Bryan offered insights for the day (“good to know” facts and figures) and regaled us with a story, a couple of jokes (yes, they were corny, but each joke brought a smile to my face), and an Irish song (he had a tuneful voice with an Irish lilt!). This was standard fare throughout the tour, and something that I looked forward each day.
“There are 32 counties on the island of Ireland,” Bryan said. “Twenty-six are in the Republic of Ireland and 6 are in Northern Ireland.” He continued, “We will travel through four counties today – Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, and Waterford – and we will cross 23 counties by the end of our tour.”
Later I learned that many of these counties – 17 to be exact – were part of “Ireland’s Ancient East,” a tourism initiative launched by Failte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland, in 2015.
“There are 32 counties on the island of Ireland,” Bryan said. “Twenty-six are in the Republic of Ireland and 6 are in Northern Ireland.” He continued, “We will travel through four counties today – Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, and Waterford – and we will cross 23 counties by the end of our tour.”
Later I learned that many of these counties – 17 to be exact – were part of “Ireland’s Ancient East,” a tourism initiative launched by Failte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland, in 2015.
Ireland’s Ancient East… offers a personal experience of 5,000 years
of history through a relaxing journey of discovery through the landscape
that attracted warring settlers for millennia, illuminated by stories from
the best storytellers in the world – the local people.
~ IrishCentral.com
of history through a relaxing journey of discovery through the landscape
that attracted warring settlers for millennia, illuminated by stories from
the best storytellers in the world – the local people.
~ IrishCentral.com
Ireland’s Ancient East was divided into three regions – Land of 5000 Dawns, Historic Heartlands, and Celtic Coast. The latter included three counties we traveled through today – Dublin, Wicklow, and Wexford – and one county (Cork) that we will travel through tomorrow.
Glendalough Monastic Settlement
We reached Glendalough Valley, located in County Wicklow, early morning. The Valley, which was formed by a glacier in the last ice age, lies within the 50,000-acre Wicklow Mountains National Park. The English translation of the Gaelic name Glendalough is “The Valley of the Two Lakes,” as, in fact, two lakes formed the valley’s floor – the aptly-named Upper Lake and Lower Lake.
The Wicklow Mountains provide an idyllic setting for Glendalough Monastic
Settlement, a religious center that was founded by Saint Kevin in the 6th century.
~ RootsWeb.com
Settlement, a religious center that was founded by Saint Kevin in the 6th century.
~ RootsWeb.com
This settlement was one of THE main attractions of the Celtic Coast.
St. Kevin’s birth name was Coemgen, which meant “beautiful shining birth.” For seven years after he was ordained, Coemgen lived as a hermit in a cave at the Valley of the Two Lakes. Then he founded the monastery and served as its first abbot until his death in 618 – reputedly in his 120th year! Coemgen was canonized in 1903.
The original settlement was built of wood. Six hundred or so years later, it was rebuilt with stone. Still, the ancient buildings were largely ruins, a testament to Viking raids in the 9th century, the Anglo-Norman invasion in the late 12th century, and the elements – Mother Nature – over the centuries.
St. Kevin’s birth name was Coemgen, which meant “beautiful shining birth.” For seven years after he was ordained, Coemgen lived as a hermit in a cave at the Valley of the Two Lakes. Then he founded the monastery and served as its first abbot until his death in 618 – reputedly in his 120th year! Coemgen was canonized in 1903.
The original settlement was built of wood. Six hundred or so years later, it was rebuilt with stone. Still, the ancient buildings were largely ruins, a testament to Viking raids in the 9th century, the Anglo-Norman invasion in the late 12th century, and the elements – Mother Nature – over the centuries.
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It was a short walk from the bus to the visitor center, where we had 30 minutes to wander through a series of interpretive exhibits before we toured the monastic site. Jill and I moved from one exhibit to the next, and the story we read whetted our appetite for the tour that would soon begin!
Our tour guide was George McClafferty, who had managed the visitor center since it opened in 1987. He also authored Glendalough – History, Monuments & Legends, a very informative booklet about Glendalough Valley, St. Kevin, and the monastic site. At the end of the tour, George was kind enough to pose with me for this photo. He also autographed a copy of his book, which I purchased as a memento of our tour. |
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A mizzle (somewhere between mist and drizzle) fell as we stepped outside the visitor center and it continued off and on over the next hour – so it was umbrellas up/umbrellas down, a small price to pay for the privilege of visiting this sacred pilgrimage destination.
From the visitor center, George led our group to a small copse of trees alongside a barely audible creek, where we enjoyed a scenic view of the Glendalough Valley.
From the visitor center, George led our group to a small copse of trees alongside a barely audible creek, where we enjoyed a scenic view of the Glendalough Valley.
Glendalough, at one time Leinster’s most important place of pilgrimage, is steeped
in folk tradition. The greater part of this lore revolves around Saint Kevin, the
Patron Saint and founder of Glendalough.
~ George McClafferty
in folk tradition. The greater part of this lore revolves around Saint Kevin, the
Patron Saint and founder of Glendalough.
~ George McClafferty
As we stood under the trees, which momentarily sheltered us from the mizzle, George shared a few stories about Glendalough and St. Kevin. “Many of the stories,” George said, “dealt with St. Kevin’s relationship with animals.” In his book on Glendalough, George wrote:
One day while praying near Reefert Church, close to the Upper Lake, with his arms outstretched in the form of a cross, a blackbird landed on his arm and laid its eggs in one of his hands. Kevin was so moved by this that he kept his arms outstretched until the eggs hatched.
Was this a true story or a myth? Who was to say, I thought, and did it really matter? Whether fact or fiction, this awe-inspiring story was why St. Kevin, the patron saint of blackbirds, was often portrayed with a blackbird perched in the palm of one hand!
We walked from the copse to The Gateway – the entrance to the monastic settlement. Standing near George, I commented that this entrance appeared to be a double-arched structure. “No,” he said, “these are the remains of the 16-foot square building that had an upper floor above the arches, which was used by the gatekeeper.” He added, “This gateway is unique – the only surviving one for an ecclesiastical site in all of Ireland.” To paraphrase American radio broadcaster Paul Harvey, now I knew the rest of the story!
One day while praying near Reefert Church, close to the Upper Lake, with his arms outstretched in the form of a cross, a blackbird landed on his arm and laid its eggs in one of his hands. Kevin was so moved by this that he kept his arms outstretched until the eggs hatched.
Was this a true story or a myth? Who was to say, I thought, and did it really matter? Whether fact or fiction, this awe-inspiring story was why St. Kevin, the patron saint of blackbirds, was often portrayed with a blackbird perched in the palm of one hand!
We walked from the copse to The Gateway – the entrance to the monastic settlement. Standing near George, I commented that this entrance appeared to be a double-arched structure. “No,” he said, “these are the remains of the 16-foot square building that had an upper floor above the arches, which was used by the gatekeeper.” He added, “This gateway is unique – the only surviving one for an ecclesiastical site in all of Ireland.” To paraphrase American radio broadcaster Paul Harvey, now I knew the rest of the story!
We walked through the Gateway and followed a sloping path that was composed, in part, of ancient paving slabs. This path led us to the monastery’s main enclosure. The first sight we saw was a “relatively new” cemetery that dated from the 16th century, with a mix of simple grave markers and elaborate carved headstones. We learned from George that the cemetery was still used for burials by local families.
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As we passed through the cemetery (don’t worry, I held my breath so as not to breathe in an evil spirit!), I spotted St. Kevin’s Cross, a 12-foot-tall Celtic cross made of granite with rings around the arms – a combination of the Christian and pagan symbols, the cross and sun, respectively. And beyond the cemetery I caught sight of the aptly named Round Tower, a “particularly Irish” feature of 10th to 12th century Irish monasteries, according to George. It was nearly 1,000 years old.
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The Irish word for this type of round tower was “cloigtheach,” meaning belltower, which perhaps was a tip-of-the-hat to its primary function. But, like many other round towers, the Round Tower at Glendalough, which stood 110 feet tall, was also used as a storehouse, lookout post, and beacon for pilgrims and monks.
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The small 12th century Priest’s House – roughly 8 feet by 15 feet – lies just west of St. Kevin’s Cross. From its name I thought that priests must have lived there. As if he had read my thought, Kevin remarked, “This was not a house in which priests lived. Rather, the name was derived by a 19th century practice of burying Catholic priests in the floor.” To which my next thought was, Not quite skeletons in the closet, but close enough! George also mentioned a folk tradition about the Priest’s House: Locals with a toothache would rub clay from the floor of the building on their jaw to relieve pain.
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As we left the Priest’s House, George announced that our next stop was “Glendalough’s most famous and best loved church.” A lofty description, to be sure!
St. Kevin’s Church was built in the 12th century from coarse-grained mica rock. The Church was also known as St. Kevin’s Kitchen because the belfry that rose from the steep gabled roof (to the left in this photo) was said to resemble a chimney. (The other tower, at the right of this photo, was the Round Tower, which stood beyond the church.) Jill and I, along with our tour group, wandered inside, where I found a photo op with the moss-covered walls as a backdrop. The walls, by the way, formed a rectangle with a square footage about the size of a modern-day family room. |
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We passed several more structures – St. Kieran’s Church, St. Mary’s Church, and Trinity Church, to name a few – as we made our way back to the visitor center. These too were in a state of decay.
Along the way I spied this “Kodak moment” – a green pasture below a cloud-filled sky and the Wicklow Mountains in the background. So calm, so peaceful – a wonderful spot to stand, if only for a few minutes, as I contemplated the significance of this monastic settlement.
Along the way I spied this “Kodak moment” – a green pasture below a cloud-filled sky and the Wicklow Mountains in the background. So calm, so peaceful – a wonderful spot to stand, if only for a few minutes, as I contemplated the significance of this monastic settlement.
My wife would attest to this fact: Throughout our travels, I loved to experience history by visiting ancient sites, which I viewed as wonderful “windows to the past.” And so, while my journey through Ireland was not yet 24 hours old, I knew that this morning’s visit to the sixth century monastic settlement in Glendalough Valley would be one of the week’s top highlights for me!
Eating Local
We drove through Enniscorthy on our way south to Clonroche and, as we did, I did a double take as I looked out the window beside my seat. “Is that what I think it is?” I said to Jill, and just as I did, Bryan used the bus’s PA system to say, “And to our right is the 13th century Enniscorthy Castle.” Well, I’ll be darned – it was what I thought it was!
Later I learned that this castle was home to Norman knights, English armies, Irish rebels, and others over the centuries. If they could only see this town now, I chuckled to myself, with the hillside that fronts the castle now home to Taste Factory Cafe, Michael O'Leary & Co. Accountants and Tax Consultants, Touched by Suicide (a dress shop, I think!), and other commercial enterprises. A proper mix of ye olde and new, I guess!
Later I learned that this castle was home to Norman knights, English armies, Irish rebels, and others over the centuries. If they could only see this town now, I chuckled to myself, with the hillside that fronts the castle now home to Taste Factory Cafe, Michael O'Leary & Co. Accountants and Tax Consultants, Touched by Suicide (a dress shop, I think!), and other commercial enterprises. A proper mix of ye olde and new, I guess!
It was a small, very poor little village called Clonroche, on the main road near
Enniscorthy, in which I spent my early years back in the 1930s. There was
neither main sewerage nor electricity.
~ Bill Murphy
Enniscorthy, in which I spent my early years back in the 1930s. There was
neither main sewerage nor electricity.
~ Bill Murphy
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Clearly the village of Clonroche, located in County Wexford, grew beyond these recollections of a young lad – although it was still small, with fewer than 400 residents. Bryan stopped in front of Cloch Ban, a pub that dated to the 17th century. It was time for lunch!
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After I perused the menu, I ordered homemade vegetable soup, beef and Guinness stew, and Bulmers Irish cider. Cider aside, my wife would describe my meal as “comfort food.” It certainly was, and it hit the spot!
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The cider (4.5% ABV) was served with a glass of ice. I asked the waitress why and she said, "Because that's how we drink it." Well okay then, that was good enough for me! I likely would not drink another type of alcoholic beer on the rocks, but the Bulmers cider over ice was very refreshing.
When I read about Cloch Ban as I relaxed in my room at the end of the day, I learned that it was listed for sale with an asking price of 350,000 pounds. Perhaps a good investment…but not for me! |
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As we reboarded the bus, I thought, “What a great start to our day. Can it get any better?” SPOILER ALERT: It did! Please click HERE to read about the sites and sights we saw in Waterford, the City Where Ireland Began.