Exploring Glendalough

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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 11.9 miles / 19.1 km
Duration: Full day

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Overview: Glendalough – the valley of the two lakes – draws thousands of visitors each year to experience its spectacular scenery and rich archaeological heritage. This guide allows both of these elements to be enjoyed by incorporating visits to the main historical sites into a high-level hiking circuit around the valley. For ease of navigation, the route the guide follows makes use of a number of the waymarked walking and hiking trails that have been developed around the valley by the Wicklow Mountains National Park.

The steep-sided U-shape of the Glendalough valley was carved out by glaciers during the last Ice Age. The two ribbon lakes that give the valley its name formed as the ice receded 20,000 years ago. The lakes are fed by the Glenealo river, which joins the Glendasan river near the site of the Monastic City, which in turn feeds into the Avonmore river near Laragh which in turn joins the Avoca river at the Meeting of the Waters and flows into the Irish Sea at Arklow. Lugduff mountain rises to the south of the valley and Camaderry to the north. The geology is a mixture of granite and mica-schist and the western end of the valley was a centre for lead and silver mining during the 19th century. Discarded spoil heaps and the remains of abandoned mine buildings lie dotted around the upper reaches of the valley.

The monastic settlement at Glendalough was founded by St Kevin (in Irish: Cóemgen) in the 6th century. Kevin was the son of a high ranking member of the Dal Messin Corb tribe and studied scripture at Kilnamanagh in South Dublin. Desiring solitude, he was, according to legend, guided over the mountains by an angel to Glendalough. There he lived the life of a hermit, sleeping in the hollow of a tree and eating only herbs and drinking water. Influenced by the anchorites of the Egyptian desert, hermits were common in the early Celtic church. The area around the Upper Lake where Kevin established his hermitage is known as the Disert Cóemgen (Kevin’s Desert). As news of his exploits spread, he began to attract followers and eventually founded the monastery near the Lower Lake where the Glenealo and Glendasan rivers meet. After the monastery was established, he once again retreated into seclusion, living in a simple hut near the Upper Lake. After seven years of living as a hermit, an angel brought Kevin to the place where he would be resurrected and commanded that he build a church there. This is believed to be where Reefert Church is now located. He lived out the rest of his life in the Monastic City.

The monastery continued to thrive after Kevin’s death in 617, expanding into a diocese of over 50,000 acres, covering most of Wicklow and parts of Dublin and Kildare. As well as the monastic component, it also had a role in providing pastoral care to the wider community as well as scholarship. The history of the monastery after Kevin’s death is sketchy but records show it was ransacked by Vikings on a number of occasions in the 9th and 10th centuries. St Laurence O’Toole, patron saint of Dublin, was abbot of the monastery between 1153 and 1162 and is credited with overseeing the renovation and building of many of the churches that survive to the present day. The arrival of the Normans in 1169 heralded the decline of Glendalough and in 1214 King John united the see with the diocese of Dublin. As the English influence declined, the Pope re-established the diocese in 1450 but in the wake of the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th century, the monastery fell into decay. Despite this, Glendalough continued to attract pilgrims on the saint’s feast day and St Kevin’s Church served as the local parish church in the first half of the 19th century.

The explosion in interest in the ancient world and the emergence of tourism from the early 19th century onwards led to renewed interest in the history and heritage of Glendalough. The site became one of the first to be vested as a National Monument by the Commissioners for Public Works and extensive renovation and restoration works were carried out in the 1870s and 1911-12. Today the Glendalough valley is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country.

Tips: As always be prepared for the Irish weather. Although a lot of visitors walk the trails all year round, the upper parts of the valley remain very remote, even at the height of the tourist season. It is no place to get caught without the right weatherproof clothing in the event the mist and rain come down. Hiking boots are useful but any sturdy flat footwear should suffice. Good grip is essential as the wooden boardwalk on the Spinc, above the Upper Lake, can be quite slippery, especially after wet weather, and accidents are not uncommon.

Options for refreshments are limited to the Glendalough Hotel (between the Visitor Centre and the Monastic City) and the stalls situated in front of The Gateway and at the Upper Lake car park. Further options are available in the nearby village of Laragh. There are a number of picnic tables near the Visitor Centre and near the shores of the Upper Lake. A good place to stop for a breather and a bite to eat on this hike, at least in good weather, is at the footbridge at the top of the valley.

Free car parking is available at the Lower Lake car park near the visitor centre. There is also a pay car park adjacent to the Upper Lake. St Kevin's Bus runs from Dublin city centre to Glendalough and back (via Bray, Kilmacanogue and Roundwood) twice per day. Unfortunately, the bus does not really allow sufficient time to complete this hike and get back in time for the bus home - it's theoretically possible if you set a fast walking pace but you will have to push yourself hard, probably at the expense of any enjoyment of the sights, especially if it's your first visit.

For further reading on Glendlough, please see:

Barrow, Lennox (1974). "Glendalough and St Kevin". Dublin Historical Record (Old Dublin Society) 27 (2): 49–64

Doherty, Charles; Doran, Linda; Kelly, Mary, eds. (2011). Glendalough: City of God. Dublin: Four Courts Press. ISBN 978-1-84682-170-7.

Environmental Protection Agency/Geological Survey of Ireland (2009). Historic Mine Sites – Inventory and Risk Classification. Dublin: Environmental Protection Agency. ISBN 1-84095-318-3.

Hannigan, Ken; Nolan, William, eds. (1994). Wicklow: History & Society. Dublin: Geography Publications. pp. 139–150. ISBN 0-906602-30-O.

Heritage Council (2007). Exploring the Mining Heritage of County Wicklow. Dublin: Heritage Council.

Leask, Harold G. (n.d.). Glendalough, Co. Wicklow. Official Historical & Descriptive Guide. Dublin: The Stationery Office.

Leask, Harold G. (1977). Irish Churches and Monastic Buildings. Vol. 1: Early Phase and the Romanesque (2nd ed.). Dundalk: Dundalgan Press.

Manning, Con (2002). "A Puzzle in Stone: The Cathedral at Glendalough". Archaeology Ireland (Dublin: Wordwell) 16 (2): 18–21.

Rodgers, Michael; Losack, Marcus (1996). Glendalough: A Celtic Pilgrimage. Dublin: The Columba Press. ISBN 1-85607-173-1.

Simonds, Michael (2011). Glendalough: A Guide. Dublin: The Exchange Bookshop. ISBN 978-1-905487-46-2.

Points of Interest

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Start - Glendalough Visitor Centre

The trail begins at the Glendalough Visitor Centre. The centre is managed by the Office of Public Works and includes an exhibition and an audiovisual presentation about the monastery.

To reach the main entrance to the Monastic City, go to the rear of the Visitor Centre, cross the bridge over the river and pass the rear entrance to the Glendalough Hotel to reach the gateway.

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The Gateway

This was the principal entrance to the Monastic City and consists of a flagged causeway that passes through two plain stone archways. It is the only surviving example of a gateway at a monastic site in Ireland. There originally would have been a second storey, which would have acted as a watchtower and as quarters for the gatekeeper. The paving is believed to be the original road surface. On the right, just after the second archway, is a large stone slab with a crude engraving of a cross. This was a symbol to indicate that the monastery was a place of sanctuary and entitled anyone to seek refuge there from their enemies.

The causeway that runs through the Gateway Photo

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The Cathedral

The Cathedral, which is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, is the largest building in the Monastic City and occupies a commanding position on a plateau above the other buildings. It consists of a nave, chancel and sacristy and it is probable that it was the largest early church (i.e. pre-Norman) to have been constructed in Ireland.

The oldest part of the building is the nave, which dates to the 10th century. Note that the walls of the lower parts of the nave are built from large, evenly cut slabs but the upper parts are built from smaller coarse stones. The conventional explanation for this is that the upper portion of the nave was rebuilt, probably at the time the chancel and sacristy were added. Another possible explanation is that the original cathedral was demolished altogether and its stones reused to build the new, larger, cathedral that stands on the site today. When the builders had run out of recycled material, they used the smaller, rougher stones to complete the building.

The main (west) doorway is of traditional Irish trabeate design – i.e. with a lintel borne by jambs that lean slightly inwards towards each other. This design is found in several of the churches in the valley. Above the lintel is a relieving arch, added to take the weight of the gable off the door.

The chancel and the sacristy were added in the 12th century and are of inferior construction to the nave. The chancel arch, which is decorated with chevrons, was added at this time. It is made from limestone imported from Bristol, England, which suggests the monastery was very wealthy at this time. In the chancel is a large ambry – a niche set into the wall that was used to store precious objects such as chalices.

The large stone blocks at the base of the nave Photo

West entrance and doorway of the Cathedral Photo

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St Kevin's Cross

Exiting the Cathedral via the west doorway and turning left will bring you to St Kevin’s Cross. This is a traditional Celtic cross with a ring encircling the shaft and arms. It is about 3.5 metres high and just over a metre across at its widest point. Unlike some Celtic crosses, it is not decorated and the ring is unperforated. It most likely served as a boundary cross marking the presence of consecrated ground.

Continue along the path and down the steps, ignoring St Kevin’s Church for the moment, to reach the low ruins of St Kieran’s Church, which are on the left just after you pass St Kevin’s Church.

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St Kieran's Church

Only the foundations and the stone altar of this tiny church, which was dedicated to St Kieran, remain. Kieran was the founder of the abbey at Clonmacnoise, County Offaly and a contemporary of St Kevin. According to legend, Kevin and Kieran were close friends. On one occasion Kevin travelled to Clonmacnoise but found that Kieran had died. When Kevin entered the chapel where the deceased’s body had been laid out, Kieran was briefly restored to life and the two friends enjoyed one last conversation together.

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The Deer Stone

Crossing the wooden bridge over the river brings you to a stone with a circular hollow in the middle of it. This is the Deer Stone. It takes its name from a legend associated with St Kevin. A sorceress called Caineach had taken a terrible revenge against her husband, a tribal chief called Colman, when he divorced her and took a second wife. Caineach murdered all of Colman's children by his second wife, except one, a child called Foelen. Colman entrusted Foelen to Kevin's care. Kevin had no milk to feed the baby and prayed for assistance. A doe came and each day provided some of her milk for the child, which was kept in this stone. When Cainach came to Glendalough to kill the child, Kevin prayed for protection against her magic spells. Cainach was struck blind by the power of God and fell to her death.

It is said that water from the stone has healing properties but to be effective it should be visited, while fasting, before sunrise on a Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, on each occasion crawling round the stone seven times on bare knees while praying.

The stone is, in fact, a bullaun or rock basin. Bullauns are very common in Ireland, especially near early church sites. There are at least 30 bullaun stones around the Glendalough area alone. Their precise function is unknown but it is speculated that they were used to grind either corn or medicinal herbs.

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St Kevin's Church (St Kevin's Kitchen)

Cross back over the bridge into the Monastic City to visit St Kevin's Church. Along with the round tower it is one of the most iconic buildings in Glendalough. It is one of only a small number of early Irish churches to retain its original vaulted roof. The roof is constructed on the principle of corbelling – it is built from a series of overlapping stones in which each stone juts out slightly farther than the one below until they meet at the apex of the building. In the case of St Kevin's church, when the corbelling had reduced the distance between the sides of the roof to two metres, an arch was added for additional structural support.

The church was built in the 9th century and originally consisted of just the nave. A chancel and sacristy were added about a century later. The chancel has since collapsed although some of the foundation stones and the line where it was joined to the nave can still be discerned. The nave would originally have consisted of two stories with the upper floor, or croft, most likely used as accommodation for the monks. The belfry, which is in the form of a round tower, rises from the west gable and is three storeys high. The similarity of the belfry to a chimney gives rise to the common nickname for the church – St Kevin's Kitchen.

The exact function of the building is uncertain, although the fact that it is the only church dedicated to St Kevin suggests that it may have contained the relics of the saint or may have been the place of his burial. Other sites – such as Reefert Church – have also been proposed as sites where Kevin may be buried. The upper floor of the nave may have accommodated anchorites – reclusive monks living in voluntary seclusion from the rest of monastic society in contemplation of God. The adjacent structure, described as a sacristy, may in fact have been an additional refuge for the anchorites as no other Irish church of this period has a sacristy. In the early 19th century it served as the parish church for the locality until the construction of St Kevin's Church in Laragh in 1850.

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The Priests' House

This building, which dates to the 12th century, is known as “The Priests’ House” because it was used in the 18th and 19th centuries as a burial place for local clergy. Its original function was probably as a mortuary chapel. It has also been proposed that it held the relics of St Kevin – this is on account of the arched recess with a narrow window in the east wall. It was believed that pilgrims walked past this window putting their hands through the gap to touch the relics. The arch is decorated with a chevron design, which suggests it dates from Norman times. Subsequent examination of drawings and paintings of Glendalough from the 17th century show that this recess is not an original part of the building but was inserted into the wall when the building was reconstructed in the late 17th/early 18th century. It is possible that the arch was originally part of the Cathedral.

There is a carving of a monarch or bishop seated between two figures, one carrying a crosier and the other a bell, on the tympanum above the entrance. It is unlikely to have been an original part of the door and may have been a piece of a decorated cross.

The burial slabs inside the Priests' House that gibe it its name Photo

Entrance with carved tympanum to the Priests' House Photo

The arched east wall of the Priests' House Photo

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The Round Tower

The Round Tower is undoubtedly the most famous structure in the Monastic City and probably the most iconic symbol of the early Irish monasteries generally. The Glendalough Round Tower was built in the 12th century and is over 30 metres tall with a diameter of 5 metres at the base, tapering to 4 metres below the conical roof. The foundations run 3 metres below the surface.

It is a popular myth that the tower was used as a refuge when the monastery came under Viking attack. In fact, its primary function was as a belfry, although it may also have been used to store valuables. Internally, the tower consists of 7 storeys with the entrance on the second storey, 4 metres above ground level. The entrance, which would have been reached by a wooden ladder, faces the Cathedral, suggesting it was placed up high so that relics could be displayed.

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Leaving the Monastic City

Close to the Round Tower are a pair of rusty iron gates. Pass through these and turn immediately left to follow a grassy track to a wooden gate that leads out onto the road. Turn left and begin following the road. Be careful of traffic, especially at weekends.

You can also leave the Monastic City via the Gateway, turning left on exit to follow the road.

The wooden gate that leads to the road Photo

The iron gates beside the Round Tower Photo

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To St Mary's Church

After a few minutes walking along the road, you will come to the turn off for St Mary's Church. At time of writing, the sign pointing to the site had disappeared. The church is reached by crossing this farmer's field via two stiles built adjacent to the gates.

Do not bring dogs as sheep are kept in this field.

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St Mary's Church

Standing separate from the main body of buildings in the Monastic City is this church, its relatively isolated location suggesting that it may have been built specifically for the use of women and/or nuns. It is known by a number of names: The Church of Mary, The Women's Church, Our Lady's Church but is generally known these days as St Mary's Church.

It consists of a nave and chancel, the nave dating to the 11th century with the chancel added some time in the 12th century. The walls are made of local mica-schist stone and the entrance, which is of traditional trabeate design, is made of granite. The underside of the lintel is inscribed with a saltire cross. This may have been a sign of sanctuary. serving a similar function to the cross found at the Gateway.

Retrace your steps back to the road to resume the rest of this trip.

Nave and chancel of St Mary's Church Photo

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Joining the Green Road Walk

After following the road for a few minutes, you will come to a gate. Pass through the gate to join the Green Road Walk (marked with green arrows), one of the waymarked walking trails around Glendalough that have been developed by the Wicklow Mountains National Park. Make sure you close the gate after you.

The trail passes the Lower Lake, known in Irish as Loch na Péiste, which means "Lake of the Water Serpent". This name relates to one of the legends associated with St Kevin in which the saint banished a monster from one of the lakes to the other. At the end, the trail follows a boardwalk through the dense birch forest growing in the wetlands at the western fringe of the lake. Keep an eye out for lizards and dragonflies on the boardwalk.

Birch forest in the wetlands west of the Lower Lake Photo

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National Park Information Office

The Green Road Walk emerges near an old forester's cottage, which now serves as an information office for the Wicklow Mountains National Park. The office contains an exhibit on the park and its flora and fauna as well as a sensory garden. Staff in the office can give advice and information on walking in the area and about the local wildlife.

Avoid the temptation to run over to the shore of the Upper Lake for the moment and instead follow the Poulanass and St Kevin's Cell Trail (marked with bronze arrows) to see the Poulanass waterfall, St Kevin's Cell and Reefert Church.

Other Resources
Wicklow Mountains National Park

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Poulanass Waterfall

A short but steep climb leads to Poulanass waterfalll, which cuts a narrow gorge through the schist and slate rock. Over the millennia, the waterfall has carried millions of tonnes of rock, sand and mud into Glendalough, dividing what was originally a single lake into the Upper and Lower Lakes we are familiar with today and give Glendalough its name.

Continue the upward climb to the next junction and then turn right, still following the bronze arrows, to reach St Kevin's Cell.

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St Kevin's Cell

All that remains of this beehive cell is the circular outline of the foundation stones. The location matches the description of the place St Kevin retreated to after he had founded the monastery being situated in a narrow place between the mountains and the lake. However, we will never know for sure if this was occupied by him.

This area of Glendalough, comprising the waterfall, St Kevin's Cell and Reefert Church is known as Disert Cóemgen or Kevin's Desert, reflecting the belief that this is the place where Kevin found the isolation he craved so that he might commune with God.

Close to the site of the cell is a stone carving by Imogen Stewart depicting the legend of St Kevin and the blackbird. There is also a plaque with an extract of verse from Seamus Heaney's poem about this legend. According to this tale a blackbird landed in Kevin's hand and, treating it as a nest, laid an egg there. Unwilling to harm the bird and its offspring, Kevin held his hand in the same position without moving until the egg had hatched.

Other Resources
St Kevin and the Blackbird by Seamus Heaney

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Reefert Church

The name Reefert is a corruption of the Irish word Ríoghfheart, which means "Royal Cemetery". The graveyard around the church was the burial place for the chieftains of the dominant clans in the area - the O'Byrne and O'Toole clans and their predecessors. For this reason, it is also known as "The Princes' Church". It is believed that this is the site of the church Kevin was commanded to build by an angel after his seven years of solitude. This is also one of the possible sites where Kevin is buried, which may be the reason it was chosen as the royal cemetery.

The existing building, which was built on the site of an earlier wooden church, consists of a nave and chancel and dates from around the 10th to 11th centuries.

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The Upper Lake

Stop and enjoy the spectacular view from the east shore of the Upper Lake with the great cliffs of The Spinc, on the shoulder of Lugduff mountain, rising to the left and the steep slopes of Camaderry to the right. At the far end of the lake, the river cascades down a waterfall from the Glenealo valley into Glendalough.

The next stage of this trip is a circuit of the Upper Lake, which will follow the northern shores along the Miners' Road before climbing slowly into the Glenealo valley and then turning back to follow a path along the cliffs of the Spinc overlooking the lake. This trail is marked with white arrows - sometimes they are mounted on posts and other times they are painted onto the rocks.

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St Kevin's Bed and Temple na Skellig

As you walk along the Miners' Road you will come to a sign marking the viewpoint where St Kevin's Bed can be seen. According to tradition, this cave, cut into the cliffs on the far side of the lake, was used as a dwelling by St Kevin, and later by St Laurence O'Toole, as a place to commune with God. The cave is man-made and predates the arrival of Kevin and the monastery by many centuries - it is most likely a Bronze Age tomb.

According to legend, a woman named Kathleen attempted to seduce Kevin as he lay in the Bed but Kevin was not tempted and pushed her into the water where she drowned. This story is immortalized in a poem by Sir Thomas Moore. In a more benign version of the tale, Kevin warded off temptation from Kathleen's advances by rolling in a bed of nettles. Kathleen later sought Kevin's forgiveness and devoted the rest of her life to God.

To the right of the cave, on a shelf overlooking the lake, are the long, low remains of a church known as Temple na Skellig (the Church of the Rock). It dates to the 10th century and probably replaced an earlier structure. The eastern gable was rebuilt during the restoration of the monastic sites in the 1870s. To the right of the church is a raised platform joined to the church by a paved causeway. The remains of wooden huts have been found here, suggesting this area was home to a small community of monks. It is likely that the church was built to accommodate pilgrims visiting St Kevin's Bed.

For many centuries pilgrims visiting Glendalough were rowed across the lake to St Kevin's Bed and Temple na Skellig. There was a tradition that any pregnant woman who lay in St Kevin's Bed was protected from death in childbirth. The boats were stopped from bringing visitors to St Kevin's Bed in 1970 and the area is now completely inaccessible to tourists.

Other Resources
"By That Lake, Whose Gloomy Shore" by Sir Thomas Moore

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The Miners' Village

The Miners' Road ends, unsurprisingly, at the Miners' Village. The tall fir trees along the Miners' Road were planted by the mining company to provide timber for supports inside the mines. A railway ran the length of the Miners' Road to carry the ore from the mines. The ore was then transported by mule to the railway station at Rathdrum where it was taken by train to Shankill, County Dublin and on to the facility at nearby Ballycorus for smelting.

There is a long history of mining of lead, zinc and silver in this area. Most of the activity took place in the adjacent Glendasan valley, where mining was carried out from the early 1800s until the 1950s. At their peak, the mines employed over 2,000 people. The precious metals formed along the geological divide between the mica-schist bedrock of the eastern side of the valley and the granite bedrock of the western side. The main vein is known as the Luganure vein and runs through Camaderry mountain between Glendalough and Glendasan. At one stage the mine tunnels were so extensive it was possible to walk through the mountain from Glendalough to Glendasan.

Exploration in the Glendalough valley began in the 1850s. Mining here ceased in the 1880s but ore processing continued until 1925. The ruined buildings here date from the 1850s - the cluster of buildings you initially come to are the remains of offices, forges and workshops. Standing separate from the rest of the buildings are the tall remains of the building that housed the roll mill. There is also the remains of a tailings pond used to separate the ore. The well-preserved remains of a crusher, which would have been operated by a predominantly female workforce, can also be found. The spoil heaps from the mining still litter the floor of the valley.

Further up the valley are the remains of another mine, nicknamed Van Diemen's Land (the original name for Tazmania) on account of its remote location.

Other Resources
Mining Heritage Trust of Ireland
Glendalough Mining Heritage Project

The Miners' village, the spoil heaps and the tailings pond Photo

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Glenealo Valley

The trail ascends a zig-zag track out of the Glendalough valley and into Glenealo. This is a hanging valley carved by the glaciers during the Ice Age. The Glenealo river tumbles down a rocky series of waterfalls from the Glenealo valley into Glendalough. The Glenealo valley is a protected nature reserve and home to a wide variety of species, including deer and feral goats. The goats, which are often seen on the boulders that litter the sides of the valley, are descendants of a herd owned by the miners. Depending on the time of year, blue tits, tree creepers, wood warblers and peregrine falcons may be seen.

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Footbridge

The trail turns back towards Glendalough at this remote point. If the weather is holding up, this is a great spot to stop for a rest and a bite to eat.

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The Spinc and Turlough Hill

The trail begins to climb towards The Spinc, which means "Pointed Hill". A wooden tóchar, or boardwalk, runs along most of the trail to protect the vegetation and prevent erosion. Keep close to the trail as the cliffs are very steep.

Looking back across the Glenealo valley from this point you can see the flat summit of Turlough Hill. This is a man-made reservoir, opened in 1973, which forms the upper part of a pumped-storage hydroelectricity scheme. At night, water is pumped up to this reservoir from Lough Nahanagan, which sits in the valley on the other side of the mountain. At times of peak demand for electricity, the water in the reservoir is released back into Lough Nahanagan via a tunnel in the mountain, driving the electricity turbines as it falls.

On the far side of the valley is Camaderry mountain. From this viewpoint, it is easy to see the point where the granite and mica-schist bedrock meet and the Luganure lead seam formed. It is possible to discern an old mine track leading up to the seam.

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The Spinc - Upper Lake viewpoint

There is spectacular view of the Upper Lake, the Miners' Village and the Glenealo Valley from this viewpoint constructed on the Spinc boardwalk.

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The Spinc - Lower Lake viewpoint

Near the end of the Spinc is a second viewpoint which offers excellent views of the Lower Lake and the Monastic City.

After this the trail begins to descend via several hundred wooden steps. Take your time descending as the steps can be slippery, especially in wet weather.

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Joining the Derrybawn Woodland Trail

Reaching the end of the steps, the White Trail joins up with a number of other trails at this junction. If you continue with the White Trail it will bring you once again past Poulanass waterfall and on to the Upper Lake, where you can return to the visitor centre via the Green Road. If you still have the energy then leave the White Trail at this point and join the Derrybawn Woodland Trail (marked with orange arrows).

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Monastic City viewpoint

Along this section of the trail is this excellent viewpoint which offers a superb birds-eye view down on the Monastic City.

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The Green Road

The trail descends and joins the Green Road. This ancient tree-lined road, which today runs from the village of Laragh to the Upper Lake, via the Monastic City, formed part of the main road to Glendalough for visitors traveling from the east.

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St Saviour's Priory

Just off the Green Road is the Priory of St Saviour. It is the most recent of the ecclesiastical buildings in Glendalough, believed to have been founded by St Laurence O'Toole in 1162. It served as a priory for the members of the order of the Canons of St Augustine. Their arrival came at a time of great upheaval when the Celtic Christian church was reformed by the arrival of religious orders such as the Augustinians and the Cistercians to Ireland.

The most striking feature of the building is the Romanesque arch between the nave and the chancel. This consists of three sets of pillars with arches and is lavishly decorated with Chevrons and Celtic motifs such as spirals and floral patterns. The east window of the chancel is similarly decorated and is flaked by two ambrys, which would have been used to store precious artifacts. The nave has two doors and two windows on the south wall and a single door on the north wall leading to an adjoining room. This was most likely a Chapter House or refectory for the canons. A set of steps in this room suggests there was originally an upper storey.

Chapter House, St Saviour's Priory Photo

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The Visitor Centre

The Green Road eventually reaches the start point at the Visitor Centre. If you are determined to visit all of the Seven Churches of Glendalough, then exit the car part and turn right onto the main road. After a few minutes walk you will come to Trinity Church.

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Trinity Church

This church is situated below the main road from Glendalough to Laragh. It is recorded as having been founded in the 7th century by St Mochuaróg, a disciple of Kevin who gave the last rites to the saint before he died. The existing ruins date from the 9th or 10th centuries and must have been built on the site of the original church. It is not clear why this church was built away from the rest of the Monastic City complex but its relative isolation is one of the reasons why it is so well preserved.

It consists of a nave and a chancel with an annex on the western side of the nave. It is well constructed from large mica-schist slabs. The chancel arch is a simple affair made of 15 granite stones or voussoirs. The doorways and windows are also made from granite. The east window has a rounded top cut from a single stone. There is also an unusual triangular shaped window in the southern wall of the chancel.

A round tower originally rose out of the annex, 3 metres in diameter and 18 metres high. It is recorded in paintings of the church by Gabriel Beranger made in 1779 but fell down in a storm in 1818.

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Finish - The Visitor Centre

The trail, and this guide, ends back at the Visitor Centre

Pictures in this guide taken by: Joe_King

Text (but not images) by Joe King may be distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0) license

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