072412-064
Labyrinth - Glendalough Ecclesiastical Settlement, Wicklow Trails - July 24, 2012: Wicklow Mountains, County Wicklow, Ireland. (c) 2012 - photography by Leaf McGowan/Eadaoin Bineid, technogypsie.com. "St. Kevin's Way: St. Kevin's Road is a walk of about 30 kilometers which has two alternative starting points (Hollywood and Valleymount) reflecting the different directions from which pilgrims to Glendalough are likely to have come during the medieval period, before joining up together to reach Saint Kevin's resting place in the heart of the Wicklow hills. St. Kevin belonged to a once influential family the Dal Messe Corb, which had land in the fertile valley of the river Liffey to the west of the mountains. It was presumably somewhere that St. Kevin was born in the 6th century and tradition locates his birthplace at Tipper Kevin, two miles from Ballymore Eustace. After initial training at Kilnamanagh (Cell na Manach - the Monk's Cell) near Tallaght, at the northern foot of the Dublin/Wicklow hills, he then walked across them until he found his resting place at Glendalough (Gleann da locha - The Glen of Two Lakes). There he stayed and spent the rest of his life in solitary contemplation and prayer. After his death in 618, what had been his humble hermit's retreat developed into an impressive monastic city which was to continue its active life as a centre of piety and learning for centuries. The saint's reputation for sanctity spread to such an extent that pilgrims both lay and ecclesiastical came from far and wide to venerate his relics. In medieval times, the majority would have approached it from the fertile midlands to the west of the Wicklow Mountains. Some may have started their journey from St. Brigid's town of Kildare - another important centre of pilgrimmage - and commenced their trek across the hills from somewhere near Valleymount, where our Alternative Route starts. However, most are likely to have foregathered at Hollywood where the main walk begins.
072412-064
Labyrinth - Glendalough Ecclesiastical Settlement, Wicklow Trails - July 24, 2012: Wicklow Mountains, County Wicklow, Ireland. (c) 2012 - photography by Leaf McGowan/Eadaoin Bineid, technogypsie.com. "St. Kevin's Way: St. Kevin's Road is a walk of about 30 kilometers which has two alternative starting points (Hollywood and Valleymount) reflecting the different directions from which pilgrims to Glendalough are likely to have come during the medieval period, before joining up together to reach Saint Kevin's resting place in the heart of the Wicklow hills. St. Kevin belonged to a once influential family the Dal Messe Corb, which had land in the fertile valley of the river Liffey to the west of the mountains. It was presumably somewhere that St. Kevin was born in the 6th century and tradition locates his birthplace at Tipper Kevin, two miles from Ballymore Eustace. After initial training at Kilnamanagh (Cell na Manach - the Monk's Cell) near Tallaght, at the northern foot of the Dublin/Wicklow hills, he then walked across them until he found his resting place at Glendalough (Gleann da locha - The Glen of Two Lakes). There he stayed and spent the rest of his life in solitary contemplation and prayer. After his death in 618, what had been his humble hermit's retreat developed into an impressive monastic city which was to continue its active life as a centre of piety and learning for centuries. The saint's reputation for sanctity spread to such an extent that pilgrims both lay and ecclesiastical came from far and wide to venerate his relics. In medieval times, the majority would have approached it from the fertile midlands to the west of the Wicklow Mountains. Some may have started their journey from St. Brigid's town of Kildare - another important centre of pilgrimmage - and commenced their trek across the hills from somewhere near Valleymount, where our Alternative Route starts. However, most are likely to have foregathered at Hollywood where the main walk begins.