Glendalough – Valley of the Two Lakes and a Place of Pilgrimage

A Brief History

The story of Glendalough begins with St. Kevin (Irish: Coemhghein), a descendent of one of the ruling families of Leinster. As a boy he studied under three holy men (Eoghan, Lochan and Eanna) and as a young man he went to live at Glendalough “in the hollow of a tree.”

He returned later with a small group of followers. After a life of sleeping on stones, wearing animal skins, barely eating and (according to legend) making friends with birds and animals, Kevin died in about 618

This Glen of two Lakes, is one of the most important sites of monastic ruins in Ireland. It is also known as the city of the seven Churches. The two lakes, which gave the valley its name, were formed after the Ice Age.

Before the arrival of St. Kevin this valley (glen) would have been desolate and remote. He died in 617 A.D. at the age of 120 years and his name and life's work are part of Glendalough.

The recorded history of the valley dates from the 6th century - the dawn of Christianity in Ireland. For 500 years it was one of Ireland’s great ecclesiastical foundations and schools of learning. The establishment was attacked, burned and plundered by the Danes, who were based in the stronghold of Dublin and extensively damaged by fire in 1163. In 1163, Laurence O'Toole, Abbot of Glendalough, who later became Ireland’s first canonised saint, was appointed Archbishop of Dublin.

In 1214 the monastery was destroyed by the Norman invaders, Glendalough declined as a monastic establishment and gradually it became deserted but a reconstruction program was started in 1878.

Pilgrimage:

Pilgrimage has always been, and still is, an important expression of the spiritual journey. All great religions of the world have holy places to which people feel drawn in order to find a sense of the sacred in their lives. The journey to the sacred place was just as important as the arrival. From the day that people first walked upon the earth they have always been drawn to sacred sites to experience for themselves a meeting place of the sacred and the secular, this world and the other world.

The outer journey over the landscape always reflects in some way the inner landscape of the soul’s journey.

Pilgrimage implies an on-going journey because there are always new sacred sites to be discovered.

At the end of life’s journey death finally opens the doorway between worlds that leads to the ultimate resting place with God.

Michael Rogers

A The Entrance Gateway

Glendalough was enclosed within a circular wall. The Gateway is Ireland’s only surviving example of a medieval gateway to an early monastic city. It was two storied and the gatekeeper would have lived on the second floor.

B The Monastic City The Round Tower with seven storeys is 30 metres high and almost 1,000 years old. It is considered by many to be the most finely constructed and beautiful tower in Ireland. In medieval Ireland, round towers served as beacon or landmarks to guide pilgrims from afar, bell towers, storehouses, lookouts, and places of refuge in times of attack. The door is about 3.5 meters from the ground, which is commonly believed to be a defensive practice with refuge seekers raising the ladder from within

C St Mary’s Church

This was the Women’s place in Glendalough and the feminine spirit will always be here. May the spirits of all the women who have ever lived and prayed here give you peace and protect you on your journey.

Doorways are a threshold which in Latin is called limina. Liminal people stand confidently on the threshold of the new. They have a strong sense of their own call. The three stones on left represent the masculine gifts of ambition, rationality and protection. The three stones on the right represent the feminine gifts of intuition, compassion and nurturing. The lintel stone which joins the two sides could represent the power of God to redeem and unite all gifts and often had a diagonal cross incised in it.

This space outside the church was the burial ground for unbaptised babies. It was thought that flowers would not bloom here but bluebells have been flowering for years.

… The stones speak of life. Enriched by the faith of women.

Bluebells outside adorn the burial place Of babes excluded from the kin-dom.

(A woman pilgrim)

D The tower and St Kevin’s Kitchen It is unusual in that it has a round tower or belfry with conical cap. Perhaps because of its small size, or the tower resembling a chimney, it is frequently called "St. Kevin's kitchen." The tower is three stories high The upper part of the gable window can be seen above what became the chancel arch, when the chancel (now missing) and the sacristy were added later. The steep roof is made of stone

E St Kevin’s Cross

The Celtic cross is one of the treasures of Irish spirituality. The circle is a traditional symbol of eternity and the circle around the cross possibly represents the unity of all creation around the cross of Christ. They were intricately carved and brightly painted. This one is carved from a single piece of granite. A local legend surrounding St. Kevin’s Cross says that anyone who can wrap their arms around the entire width of the cross body and close the circle by touching fingertips will have their wishes granted.

F The Lower Lake Legend tells us that a monster lived here. Kevin moved it and brought it with him to the upper lake where he lived. In other words, he befriended the monster and brought it home with him. Since that time, the lower lake has been known as a lake of healing.

Trees make a wonderful connection between earth and sky. Getting in touch with the roots that connect us with our earthly experiences while the branches represent our longing to reach out into the light. The birch is known as the lady of the forest and these groves put us in touch with a feminine expression of God. The forest floor is carpeted with beautiful mosses. Tread softly under these trees, You, too, are part of nature’s dream.

Let me not spoil one leaf, not break one branch Let me not plunder, blunder, pollute, exploit

But rather see and hear and touch and taste and smell, And in my sensing, know you well,

Creator God. Marie Connolly

Deer are found in these woods. They have a sharp warning cry. The Deer’s Cry or St Patrick’s Breastplate is a great prayer in the Irish tradition. It acknowledges the forces that threaten our bodies and souls but believes that the cosmic Christ has greater power.

I arise today through the strength of heaven; Light of sun, radiance of moon, splendour of fire, Speed of lightning, swiftness of wind, Depth of sea, stability of earth, firmness of rock.

The Deer’s Cry: Trans Kuno Meyer

G The Green Road – the Road to the Desett

The path climbs steeply. It is a reminder of the difficult inner journey to the higher places. Kevin chose that journey which ascends through contemplation to the mystery of God To walk this road is to make a transition from the community to a place of solitude. The road offers an opportunity to let go for a while the preoccupations of our lives and experience ourselves as alone in the presence of God and creation.

H Poulanass Waterfall When this river first flowed some ten thousand years ago, it found its way through a natural fault or weakness in the old rock. It is consoling to know that God’s grace, like the river, flows through the natural faults and weaknesses that are part of all our lives. The water tumbling down is an image of the hectic rush of life. The plunge pool below the waterfall slows the speed of the flow for a moment – a reminder for us to slow and enter the deep pool within for a while.

I Reefert Church

The name derives from Righ Fearta, “burial place of the kings". The Church dates from the tenth century and is the burial place of chieftans of the O'Toole clan. In the ancient graveyard are several crosses and many graveslabs. There was probably a church on this site during the time of Kevin, although its remains are no longer visible and it is thought that Kevin is buried here.

J The Lake from Kevin’s Cell The hermit experience came from a personal choice to live in solitude in some out of the way place. It was a penitential and ascetic experience the purpose of which was to liberate the hermit entirely from earthly attractions in order to serve God

K Kevin’s Cell

All that is left of the old cell now are a few precious foundation stones. Within their circle the hermit once lived and prayed guided by the principle “Go sit in your cell and your cell will teach you everything”. The prayer of the cell was the prayer of the heart where God was acknowledged as God. There is an atmosphere here that seems to whisper “Be still and know that I am God”.

For many years three oaks have been growing where the walls of the cell used to stand.

One is dying. Perhaps this tree represents all those who are being starved of life through lack of space to be themselves and the solitude to know themselves. There is fungus and other forms of life growing all along the trunk of the tree suggesting that in all kinds of dying we open the way to new life and growth. We are all part of the wider cycle of life; we all have our time, our moment and we all have our part to play.

L Kevin and the Blackbird

The story of Kevin and the blackbird is recalled here. The bird coming to lay its eggs into the saint’s outstretched hand is a tender image and one he did not reject. Kevin held his hand outstretched until the process of life-giving was complete. He found himself linked into the network of eternal life and was moved with pity.

M The Shore of the Upper Lake looking

towards Kevin’s Bed and the Mass Rock

‘O give me faith that I may see the angel of the mountainy places of Dream’s Infinity’ Kavanagh’s prayer for faith

N. On the path to Kevin’s Well

There was an ancient belief that all wells had their source in one great well deep inside the centre of the earth.

Water – source and symbol of life. It lies silently in wells. It helps us get in touch with our own life source and our need to be still. As the water in the well comes from deep within so does God’s life within our being.

The Well is below the path and is quite small Wells are a place to reflect on our Baptism. Many important biblical relationships began around wells.

Isaac was introduced to Rebekah (Gen 24) Moses to Ziporah (Ex 2:15-22) Jesus and the Samaritan woman (Jn 4:6-30)

Pilgrims would bathe in the water and drink it for both inner and outer cleansing

At the heart of the longing for all pilgrims lies the hope and dream that by travelling to a special place they might somehow be changed and renewed. Each soul must meet the morning sun The new sweet earth And the great silence Alone

Chiyesa

And as we leave this place let us pray:

I stood And let the essence Of this balm of my Growing Soak into the Innermost regions Of my soul To be printed On the back pages Of my mind, To be re-read in some Distant hour When my need Would be great And I could no longer Come to this My healing place

Alice Taylor