The glacial valley of Glendalough, located in County Wicklow, Ireland, is well-known for the Early Medieval monastic community that St. Kevin established there in the sixth century. A galena lead mine operated at the head of Glendalough Valley from 1825 until 1957. In addition, Glendalough is a popular destination for rock climbing, picnicking, and strolling along a system of well-maintained routes with different levels of difficulty. A boy student of Eoghan, Lochan, and Eanna, three holy men, Kevin was descended from one of the ruling houses in Leinster. It was around this period that he visited Glendalough. Later, he planned to return and establish a monastery at the confluence of the two rivers with a small group of monks. Writings by Kevin mention his battle with the knights at Glendalough; modern academics interpret this as a metaphor for his introspective journey and his own temptations. His reputation as a holy man grew, drawing a large following. His death occurred approximately in 618, on June 3rd. Glendalough prospered for the next six centuries, and the Irish Annals mention abbot deaths and invasions on the community. Approximately thirty meters in length, the second-longest Viking longship ever recorded was constructed circa 1042 using oak wood from Glendalough. Although the community was destroyed by English forces in 1398, it remained a significant local church and a site of pilgrimage. The current remnants of Glendalough reveal very little of its past. During its peak, the monastery featured workshops, spaces for writing and copying manuscripts, guest homes, a hospital, farm buildings, and residences for a sizable number of laypeople in addition to the monks. The structures that are still standing most likely date from the tenth or twelfth century. The Round Tower, which is located 33 meters above the ground, is the most well-known feature in Glendalough. It was constructed by the monks of the monastery of St. Kevin approximately a millennium ago. When lightning struck the conical roof in 1876, it had to be replaced. The name Cloigtheach, which translates to Bell Tower, suggests that of the primary function of the tower. On occasion, when the monastery was being attacked, the monks would seek safety in the towers. Additionally, they functioned as beacons and watchtowers for advancing pilgrims and monks [Information and Image Credit : Glendalough, Wikipedia] [Wikipedia-Link : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glendalough ]
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[Image : Gleann Dá Loch; Wikipedia-Image-Author : Denzillacey] [Image Availed Under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International; (Please Relate to Individual Image URLs for More Usage Property)] [License-Link : https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en ] [Wikipedia-Image-Source-Link : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St._Kevin%27s_Kitchen,_Glendalough,_Co._Wicklow_(2023).jpg ] #History#Architecture
Heritage and Geographical Sites
