Glendalough and Wicklow Mountains
by Matthew Green

July 9, 2011

This was our second day in Dublin which was spent, for the most part, at the Wicklow Mountains National Park & surrounding area. Let me just say that we had the best bus ride ever! Our driver today, Charlie, was so awesome: he sang to us (in English and Irish!), told us all these stories about leprechauns and princesses and Celtic folklore, and taught us how to count from one to ten in Irish. What a guy!

We walked through the Glendalough Valley which was enchantingly beautiful. Glendalough means the glen of two lakes.

Afterwards we walked down to the cemetery. Here, we found a big tower that was part of St Kevin’s Monastery, which was built in the 6th century. During the Viking Raids in the late 9th century, the monks would hide up in the tower (using a ladder to get in a high door) and pour hot oil down on the Vikings, to protect the valuable treasures of the monastery. But eventually the Vikings figured out that they could use the tower as a chimney and they roasted the monks at the top.

 

We finished off the day at Kilkenny, medieval capital of Ireland. Kilkenny also has a beautiful castle, which was a great way to end our day.