Ok, we started the day in Dublin where we visited the Christ Church cathedral (or, more formally,
The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity). It is the elder of the capital city's two medieval cathedrals, the other
being St Patrick's Cathedral.
The cathedral was founded in 1030 AD, and its architecture is gothic/romanesque. The Cathedral also offered
a great backdrop to the hit TV drama "the Tudors" which was Christchurch's Cathedrals longest running Television
show to be filmed within the compounds of the Cathedral, many Dresses and outfits worn by Maria Doyle Kennedy
(Catherine of Aragon) and Jonathon Rhys Myers (King Henry) are available to be viewed within the crypt of
Christchurch Cathedral.
The crypt, one of the largest in Britain or Ireland has all kinds of interesting tombs and other exhibits.
After a nice lunch at a local hotel, which included a proper pint of Guiness (btw, there is no comparison between
the Guiness we get here in the US and the real thing you get in Ireland), we visited the old Avoca mill, where they
make woolen textiles from local sheep's wool.
The automated looms where in the back room, but here they have a working manual loom. It's operation requires
the use of both hands and both feets and it was fascinating to see it run.
One of the things that struck us while in Ireland and Scotland was how green and fertile it is. The gardens around
the Acota mill were no exception. Here are some shots of their gardens.
We finally arrived at the ruins in Glendalough valley. Gleann Dá Loch, meaning "Valley of two lakes"
is a glacial valley renowned for an Early Medieval monastic settlement founded in the
6th century
by St Kevin.
Kevin's fame as a holy man spread and he attracted numerous followers. Kevin died
in about 618. For six centuries afterwards, Glendalough flourished.
In 1176 Glendalough was 'plundered by the foreigners'. Later, in 1398, the destruction of the settlement by
English forces left it a ruin but it continued as a church of local importance and a place of pilgrimage.
The present remains in Glendalough tell only a small part of its story. The monastery in its heyday included
workshops, areas for manuscript writing and copying, guest houses, an infirmary, farm buildings and dwellings
for both the monks and a large lay population. The buildings which survive probably date from between the
10th and 12th centuries.
The round tower, , built of mica-slate interspersed with granite is about 30 meters high, with an entrance 3.5
meters from the base. The conical roof was rebuilt in 1876 using the original stones.
The tower originally had six timber floors, connected by ladders. The four stories above entrance level are each
lit by a small window; while the top story has four windows facing the cardinal compass points. Round towers,
landmarks for approaching visitors, were built as bell towers, but also served on occasion as store-houses and
as places of refuge in times of attack
That was quick! How did you guess? It is indeed the Glendalough ruins in Ireland.
