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Street Prophets Friday: Glendalough (photo diary/open thread) [1]

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Date: 2025-03-07

Greetings and welcome to another bit of open-threaded fluff. This week I've got a collection of photos from the first part of my visit to Glendalough, the valley of the two lakes, in Ireland last summer.

Yeah, I know, this is what I do on Fridays even if I'd much rather be taking part in the Stand Up For Science rallies going on today.

Glendalough

Here's a nice overview of the area:

And here’s a link to the official website of the site.

A glimpse from the visitor's center of the site's round bell tower.

Saint Kevin left civilization to live a life in isolation and spiritual devotion. He escaped to this remote valley, dug out a little cave for himself to live in at a nearly inaccessible spot in a cliff overlooking one of the two lakes from which the area gets its name. He thought he'd escaped his fans, but the persistent monks eventually hunted him down and founded one of Ireland's most important monastic sites at the lower end of the lake in the 6th century. Well, supposedly Kevin founded it, but I don't think he was happy about the situation.

Diorama of the Glendalough Monastery site.

I had to get a photo of this display about the pigments the monk scribes used to create their illuminated manuscripts

They also have a diorama of the site made with Lego in a wonderful level of detail.

“If you love me, don't feed me” a sign asking visitors to not feed the Sika Deer that are often seen on the monastery grounds. They're an invasive species, brought to Ireland from Japan, that escaped from manor house gardens and are now taking over the territory of the Irish Red Deer.

The monastery gate— between the arches is a no-man's land.

Through the second gate, visitors would touch this cross to indicate that they were now under the protection of the church. Sanctuary.

For a bit of luck and to ensure a safe return to Ireland some day— touch the cross. Our guide demonstrates.

The church building with the little bell tower is known as Kevin's Kitchen.

Only paid tours of the site get past the gate

THE ‘PRIEST'S HOUSE’ The 'Priest's House’ is a miniature 12th century building, perhaps an oratory or shrine. Over the door is a fragmentary lintel with the representation of an ecclesiastic or monarch flanked by two abbots, one with a crozier and one with a bell. At the east end is a unique alcove with a Romanesque arch.

There's that lintel … I see— something?

We left by the southern gate and had a couple more stops before we began our hike up to the head of the Glendalough valley.

The Deer Stone ← link to a site relating the fanciful legend of how the basin in the stone was created and more about stones like this found in other parts of Ireland.

Just up the road a bit from The Deer Stone are the ruins of 11th century Reefert Church.

Wandering sheep leap down a retaining wall into the church’s graveyard.

View from the door

Next time we'll really get up into the hills for some spectacular views of the Glendalough Valley.

Thanks for stopping by.

This is an open thread.

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