Glendalough

In the sixth century St Kevin, one of Ireland's most revered saints, came to this glaciated valley seeking solitude and founded a monastery. Tradition holds that he died in about 618. Over the following centuries the settlement grew into one of the most famous religious centres in Europe, attracting monks, students and pilgrims.

The surviving remains include a round tower about 30 metres high, a ruined cathedral built in several phases, several medieval stone churches and decorated crosses. St Kevin's Church, nicknamed St Kevin's Kitchen because its little belfry resembles a chimney, is one of the most recognisable buildings. The settlement was plundered more than once, and in 1398 English forces left it in ruins, yet it remained a place of local worship and pilgrimage. Above the Upper Lake, a small man-made cave known as St Kevin's Bed is traditionally linked to the saint, though it may be an older prehistoric burial place.

Glendalough has been a place of pilgrimage for well over a thousand years, and it still holds deep spiritual meaning for many Irish people, while the surrounding mountains are a weekend playground for Dublin walkers and climbers. The nearby village of Laragh is the local hub. Visitors of all faiths are welcome at the monastic site; please treat the graveyard, which is still a place of remembrance, with quiet respect.