Exploring the Historic Monasteries of the Wicklow Mountains

The Wicklow mountains national park is one of the most stunning scenic parks in the country, and visitors are awestruck at the beautiful scenery that awaits them. Walkers are attracted to the area to enjoy the beautiful walking routes and families enjoy coming for a picnic and a place where the children can play, far away from the busy towns and cities, and people come to enjoy a holiday away from all the problems of the modern world – remember to wrap up warm and bring some mens aran sweaters as the Irish weather can still be unpredictable even during the summer!

Another reason that people come to this stunning national park is the fascinating history which can be explored and enjoyed by visitors. The monastic sites, dating back to the 6^th Century can still be found today. Established by St Kevin during the 6^th Century, the monasteries were founded, and were thriving for centuries, and despite many wars and famine, the monasteries continued to prosper until the 18^th Century when a shift in political power in the region saw them fall into ruin.

As the monastic settlement was so large, there are many sites that can be discovered in the area. Some of the include the cathedral, the priest’s house and the gateway to the monastic city itself, as well as St Kevin’s bed, which is actually a small cave in the side of one of the cliffs. So large was this settlement at one time that it had over 1000 people living and working on the land in the area.

Summary

This article looks at the historic monastic sites in the Wicklow Mountains National Park, founded by St Kevin in the 6th century and still visible today despite centuries of war and famine. It covers attractions such as the cathedral, the priest’s house, the monastic gateway and St Kevin’s Bed, and notes the settlement once housed over a thousand people.

Questions this article raises

• Who founded the monastic settlement in the Wicklow Mountains?
• What historic buildings can still be seen at the site today?
• How did the monastery survive centuries of war and famine?