Wednesday-glendalough

We got to sleep in a bit this morning and didn't head out till 9:30. We drove to Glendalough, which means the valley of two lakes. There we visited the monastery of St Kevin. The first buildings were built in the 6th century with other buildings being added through the years. There are a total of seven churches on the property, all in ruins, but it is still a very quiet, peaceful place. There is also a cemetery. It of course, decided to rain while we were wondering the grounds. Luckily not too heavily, and then it dissipated so we could continue to wander around.

View from one of the church ruins

St Kevin's

St Kevin's

Through the ruins out to the hills

From the bus (while moving)

Stream outside of St Kevin's grounds

Beauty among the gravestones

Round tower at St Kevins - built to provide a safe place for the monks when invaders came.  The entrance was a good 20 feet high and only reachable with a ladder.  Windows at the top were used to pour hot oil on invaders or throwing things down on them.

Just a beautiful view

Church Ruins

Love this gate and flowers

Arched entry way (there would have been a roof over it during the monastery's heyday).

Stone wall at the Monastery

Rushing water

St Kevin's

St Kevin's

View through the ruins

Cemetery at St Kevin's

Through the door out to the cemetary

More cemetery pictures

View through the window