GLENDALOUGH

On my last full day in Ireland, Marion R.
came and picked me up to take me out
for the day to Glendalough, an early
Christian monastic settlement. It was
founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century.

This hermit priest founded the monastery, and
then retired up into the hills. I was told a story
about a woman named Kathleen finding her
way up to St. Kevin, intent on seduction, but he
didn't like people much, and really didn't like
women, so he beat her with nettles and pushed
her off the path where she fell into the lake
and drowned. Saintly.

The round tower made me think immediately of
the tower in the Psyche and Eros story.

This round
tower is about
30 metres
high, and
was built
as a store-
house, but
also as a
refuge in
times of
attack.
The walls are
very, very
thick, and
the whole
feeling of
the thing is
of something utterly impregnable, with
a strange, solid beauty.

Marion and I wandered through the ruins,
touching this ancient rock, and marvelling
at the feeling of time and loving the deep
quiet that is here. There is a feeling of
sanctuary, as you cross the threshold into
the monastic space. In those ancient
times, as soon as anyone went through
the arches that mark the entrance, they
were safe (except for Kathleen). The
old stone walls and the open doorways
are evocative, and made me wonder
who were these men and women who
sought refuge here, and what was it like
as they built up a small city - apparently
the monastery included workshops,
guest houses, an infirmary, farm
buildings, and a large lay population.

A gravestone from 1780 - relatively recent!

We left the grounds of the cathedral and
the tower, and walked to the Upper
Lake, taking the path that went through
the marsh and passed Lower Lake.
We passed some beautiful wooded
areas, with very very old trees.