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The Monasteries of Long Ago Wicklow to Kildare - Self Drive
Oct 10 2011 09:39 AM | Bhushan in Self Drive Tours
The Monasteries of Long Ago Wicklow to Kildare
+353 (0)404 69117
wicklow@failteireland.ie
St. Patrick travelled far and wide throughout Ireland in the 6th century, establishing monastic settlements wherever the situation seemed promising. He was followed by many like-minded holy men and women so that the entire country is liberally sprinkled with the remains of ancient monasteries. A tour of the principal sites in the East Coast and Midlands Region makes the basis for a marvellous introduction to the beauties of Ireland - quite apart from the beauty of the monasteries themselves.
Some have little more to offer than romantic and beautiful settings. Many of the others contain wonderful Celtic crosses, exquisitely sculpted monuments in stone that have stood in their places for a thousand years. Some still show their extraordinary bell-towers, built in stone as beacons for pilgrims, as treasuries and as refuges when the neighbours or Viking invaders attempted to pillage the settlements. Many have romantic ruins, perhaps no more than a few archways or a church tower, often with curiously decorated stonework and always with an atmosphere of ancient sanctity.
All in all a feast for lovers of ancient art and architecture – and for those who simply want to capture the true spirit of Ireland.
The East Coast & Midlands have more than ordinary share of outstanding monastic sites and the rather isolated spot, Clonmacnoise, must not be missed. So this tour is set out in the form of two loops to look at the clusters and a long route to join Clonmacnoise to the others. The full excursion covers 454 km (282 miles). Give it a week to allow plenty of time for all the other diversions on the way.
Starting : Starting with Glendalough, which seven hundred years, was one of the greatest places of pilgrimage in Ireland. Set in one of the most beautiful valleys in the Wicklow Mountains and not much more than an hour’s drive from Dublin, it remains one of the most breathtaking religious sites in Europe and is an extremely popular location for modern pilgrims, picnickers and mountaineers. St. Kevin established a hermitage there in the 6th century and it quickly developed to become a great monastic establishment. Sheltered by dramatic mountains on either side and with two lakes on the floor of the valley, the monastic ruins include a round tower and the remains of more than seven churches, many of them with interesting romanesque sculpture.
From Glendalough go over the mountains, through the wild moorland of Wicklow Gap to the fertile lowlands. At Baltinglass, Cistercian monks settled in 1148 and introduced gothic architecture. Overlooking the River Slaney, part of the nave of their church still stands, displaying a fascinating merging of native romanesque and continental gothic styles. A few miles to the west, at Castledermot, you meet the first of the Celtic crosses. Two of them stand in the churchyard, carved from massive blocks of granite and decorated with relief sculpture of scenes from the Scriptures and marvellous interlacing abstract forms. Not far to the north is Moone and one of the finest Celtic crosses in the world.
Tall and slender, it is covered with delightful stylised people and animals, real and imaginary. The busy town of Kildare surrounds a round tower and a cathedral on a hill. They stand on the site of the nunnery founded by the great St. Brigid in the 5th century and still sacred to her memory. The round tower is one of very few provided with stairs and offers a fantastic view. The cathedral dates to the 13th century and is in active use. Nearby are the Curragh race course, the Irish National Stud and its gardens – all well worth a visit. Kildare town is liberally supplied with pubs, restaurants and hotels.
From Kildare the route goes north-east, to the final stop of this section, Kilteel, where there are memories of Crusader times in the form of remnants of a great Preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers. Within the complex is the unique chancel arch of a much earlier church, decorated with delightful sculptured figures. Glendalough to Baltinglass – 30 miles / 48 Klms. Baltinglass to Castledermot – 15 miles / 24 Klms. Castledermot - Moone - Kildare Town and Kilteel – 25 miles / 40 Klms. Total Distance: 65 miles / 105 Klms
+353 (0)404 69117
wicklow@failteireland.ie
St. Patrick travelled far and wide throughout Ireland in the 6th century, establishing monastic settlements wherever the situation seemed promising. He was followed by many like-minded holy men and women so that the entire country is liberally sprinkled with the remains of ancient monasteries. A tour of the principal sites in the East Coast and Midlands Region makes the basis for a marvellous introduction to the beauties of Ireland - quite apart from the beauty of the monasteries themselves.
Some have little more to offer than romantic and beautiful settings. Many of the others contain wonderful Celtic crosses, exquisitely sculpted monuments in stone that have stood in their places for a thousand years. Some still show their extraordinary bell-towers, built in stone as beacons for pilgrims, as treasuries and as refuges when the neighbours or Viking invaders attempted to pillage the settlements. Many have romantic ruins, perhaps no more than a few archways or a church tower, often with curiously decorated stonework and always with an atmosphere of ancient sanctity.
All in all a feast for lovers of ancient art and architecture – and for those who simply want to capture the true spirit of Ireland.
The East Coast & Midlands have more than ordinary share of outstanding monastic sites and the rather isolated spot, Clonmacnoise, must not be missed. So this tour is set out in the form of two loops to look at the clusters and a long route to join Clonmacnoise to the others. The full excursion covers 454 km (282 miles). Give it a week to allow plenty of time for all the other diversions on the way.
Starting : Starting with Glendalough, which seven hundred years, was one of the greatest places of pilgrimage in Ireland. Set in one of the most beautiful valleys in the Wicklow Mountains and not much more than an hour’s drive from Dublin, it remains one of the most breathtaking religious sites in Europe and is an extremely popular location for modern pilgrims, picnickers and mountaineers. St. Kevin established a hermitage there in the 6th century and it quickly developed to become a great monastic establishment. Sheltered by dramatic mountains on either side and with two lakes on the floor of the valley, the monastic ruins include a round tower and the remains of more than seven churches, many of them with interesting romanesque sculpture.
From Glendalough go over the mountains, through the wild moorland of Wicklow Gap to the fertile lowlands. At Baltinglass, Cistercian monks settled in 1148 and introduced gothic architecture. Overlooking the River Slaney, part of the nave of their church still stands, displaying a fascinating merging of native romanesque and continental gothic styles. A few miles to the west, at Castledermot, you meet the first of the Celtic crosses. Two of them stand in the churchyard, carved from massive blocks of granite and decorated with relief sculpture of scenes from the Scriptures and marvellous interlacing abstract forms. Not far to the north is Moone and one of the finest Celtic crosses in the world.
Tall and slender, it is covered with delightful stylised people and animals, real and imaginary. The busy town of Kildare surrounds a round tower and a cathedral on a hill. They stand on the site of the nunnery founded by the great St. Brigid in the 5th century and still sacred to her memory. The round tower is one of very few provided with stairs and offers a fantastic view. The cathedral dates to the 13th century and is in active use. Nearby are the Curragh race course, the Irish National Stud and its gardens – all well worth a visit. Kildare town is liberally supplied with pubs, restaurants and hotels.
From Kildare the route goes north-east, to the final stop of this section, Kilteel, where there are memories of Crusader times in the form of remnants of a great Preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers. Within the complex is the unique chancel arch of a much earlier church, decorated with delightful sculptured figures. Glendalough to Baltinglass – 30 miles / 48 Klms. Baltinglass to Castledermot – 15 miles / 24 Klms. Castledermot - Moone - Kildare Town and Kilteel – 25 miles / 40 Klms. Total Distance: 65 miles / 105 Klms
