Glendalough & the Wicklow Mountains | Co. Wicklow | Ireland
When I ask my guests their prime reason for visiting Ireland, the most common answer is to see its incredible scenery. If you think the same, then a visit to County Wicklow to see Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains should be one of the first things on your list of places to visit.
Glendalough, located in Co. Wicklow, is not only the home to the 6th-century monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin, but also to some of the most impressive scenery on the east coast of Ireland. The spectacular tree-covered mountains, along with a coastline of jagged bays and inlets, have now been immortalised as the location for the filming of the History Channel’s Vikings.
What’s in a name?
The mountains take their name from Co. Wicklow, which in turn takes its name from Wicklow town. Wicklow derives from the old Norse, Wykynglo or Wykinlo. The Irish name for Wicklow is Cill Mhantáin, or the Church of Mantan, one of St. Patrick’s disciples.
An early name for the whole Wicklow mountains was “Cualu or Cuala”. Today, one of the most famous mountains in the range is “Ó Cualann” in Irish, which translates to “lump of sugar” or Sugarloaf Mountain.
The Wicklow Mountains
Often referred to as the Dublin Mountains, The Wicklow Mountains are the largest area of continuous mountains in Ireland and cover all of Co. Wicklow and parts of Dublin, Co. Wexford, and Co. Carlow. They have a total area of 500 km2 (190 mi2), with large parts lying above 300 m (980 ft) above sea level.
Lugnaquilla is the highest peak in the range at 925 m (3035 ft) and the highest mountain in Leinster. In total, 39 peaks of the Wicklow range measure more than 600 m (2000 ft).
The range is primarily granite and owes its present form to the last ice age, which deepened many of its valleys and created Lake Corrie and Lake Ribbon. The mountains have been occupied for over 6000 years and contain several Neolithic monuments, including a series of passage tombs.
Undoubtedly, however, the most important site is the monastery at Glendalough, arguably the most important centre of the early church in Ireland.
Glendalough
Three holy men, Eoghan, Lochan & Eanna, tutored a small boy who was a descendant of one of the ruling families of Leinster. The boy, Kevin, would return later, and a small group of monks found a monastery where “two rivers form a confluence”. As his fame as a holy man spread, he attracted hundreds of followers, creating a sanctuary that would flourish for the next 600 years.
The location would give Glendalough its name, meaning the “Valley of the two lakes”. The present remains tell only a tiny part of its story. The sanctuary, in its heyday, included workshops, manuscript writing rooms, guest houses, an infirmary, and a dwelling for the monks and lay people.
The Book of Glendalough
By the 12th century, the Glendalough was one of two dioceses that made up Leinster, and it was during that time that the Book of Glendalough was written. The book, one of the most beautiful and influential medieval Irish manuscripts ever written, today sits in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University in England.
Monuments
The Gateway
The Gateway, or entrance to the monastic city, is one of the unique monuments in Ireland. Originally two-storied, with two delicate granite arches, the entrance was home to a cross-inscribed stone that denoted the sanctuary’s boundary as a place of refuge. The paving of the causeway, or entrance road, is still preserved, but little remains of the enclosure wall.
The Round Tower
The tower, built from mica slate and granite, stands 30 m (100 ft) high with an entrance 3.5 m (11 ft) from the ground. It originally had six timber floors which were connected by ladders. A small window lit each floor, whilst the top floor had four windows facing the cardinal points.
Round towers are typical in Ireland. They served as landmarks for arriving visitors, bell towers, look-out towers, storehouses, and places of refuge in case of attack.
The conical roof was rebuilt in 1876 using the original stones.
Peter & Paul’s Cathedral
The largest and most imposing building was built over several phases, with many stones from previous structures.
The Chancel, with its finely decorated east window, dates to the 12th century. Under the southern window, there is an ambry, or wall cupboard, and a piscina, a small basin used for washing sacred vessels.
A few metres south of the cathedral stands an early Celtic cross. Made of granite, it’s commonly known as St. Kevin’s Cross.
Priest’s House
The Priest’s house is a small Romanesque building with a beautifully decorated arch. The building is a total reconstruction, using the original stones, based on a sketch from 1776. The building’s name came from the 18th & 19th centuries, when it was common to intern priests. Although the purpose of the original building isn’t known, many believe the building housed relics of St. Kevin.
St. Kevin’s Kitchen
Often called St. Kevin’s Church, St Kevin’s Kitchen is a barrel-vaulted oratory of hard mica schist with a steeply pitched roof of overlapping stones. The building had two levels, with the upper floor or croft once having a wooden floor.
A conical bell tower with four small windows rises from the roof to form a small round tower. The tower, resembling a kitchen chimney, gives the building its name. However, no food was ever cooked there.
St. Mary’s or Lady’s Church
One of the oldest and best-constructed churches in the monastery consists of a nave and a small chancel. The western doorway is covered with a massive lintel inscribed with an unusual saltire, or x-shaped cross.
A trip to Glendalough & the Wicklow mountains is a must for any visitor to Ireland. A rich historical and religious past combined with its stunning scenery makes it the ideal day trip from Dublin. Some of Europe’s best travel companies offer excursions to Glendalough & the Wicklow Mountains, including bwd Vacations, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, and Cost Saver.