Ardmore, Co. Waterford
Ardmore is situated 100 miles east of Cork. Many Irishmen make a pilgrimage
to this little town once a year, on July 24, to celebrate St Declan at the
place where he worked and presumably was buried. The legend says he was one
of four bishops preaching the Gospels in Ireland in the 5th century, before
St Patrick began his mission.
On a hill stands the ruins of a monastery and a
cathedral from
the 12th century. The cathedral's west gable is decorated with Roman reliefs.
Tombstones in the graveyard bears the old "Ogham" letters, the first
written Celtic language. Close to the cathedral stands a small stone church,
somewhat unnoticed. But if you look closer you'll find that the church was
built in the 8th century. It's hard to avoid one moment of silent reverence
when you sense the pulse of the centuries.
The Wonderful Barn, Co. Kildare
To mark the eastern vista of Castletown a conical shaped building - The Wonderful Barn - went up in 1743 with the stairs ascending upwards around the exterior of the building. The Wonderful Barn was built by Mrs. William Connolybuilt in Leixlip to give work to the poor during hard times, and located beside the Leixlip By-Pass.
The Barn stands 73 feet high. The exterior winding staircase has 94 steps and goes right up to the top. The building has 5 floors all with a hole in the centre. It is flanked by 2 smaller barns.
A granary, short tower and dovecote have all been put forward as reasons for building the unique structure. In Georgian times it was a custom to use doves as a delicacy when other animal sources of food were not in season. The height of structure would also lend itself to sport shooting, while a central hole through each of the floors would suggest a place to store grain,
which were lowered and raised through the holes in the floors.
Grianan of Aileach
On the top of the Greenan mountain, not far from the border of Northern Ireland, lies Grianan of Aileach, one of the finest stone forts in Ireland. From the hill-top there are commanding views over Lough Foyle, Lough Swilly, and Londonderry, about 8km (5 mi) to the East.
The massive stone wall is 3.9m (13ft) thick and encloses an area 23.4m (77ft) in diameter. In the walls are small chambers; a series of stairs at regular intervals inside the walls gave access to the wall-walk. The entrance is very long and lintelled.
Legend says it was built by the ancient gods; the ring fort was known as the Sun Palace and was held sacred. Traces of ancient earthworks, dating to the early Iron Age, surround the fort, enclosing an area of about 5 acres (0.02 km2).
The fort itself was probably built in the early centuries of the Christian era. From the 5th to the 12th century AD it served as the royal seat of the O Neill sept of Aileach; it was destroyed by Murtogh O Brien, king of Munster in 1101. To make the demolition complete, the king ordered each of his soldiers to take away a stone from the fort. Grianan of Aileach was reconstructed by Dr Bernard of Derry in 1870, but archaeologists are doubtful about the inner restoration.
Surrounding the stone fort are three concentric low walls which formed part of the original fortification of the fort.
Charles Fort, Co Cork
The vast star shaped Charles Fort, which was built in 1677, is only a
short distance from the town. William Robinson, the original architect, also
built the Royal Hospital at Kilmainham in Dublin. Charles Fort has undergone
many
changes in the last few centuries and it continued to be garrisoned until
1922. It is open to the public from mid-April to mid-October and guided
tours are available.
Early Christian Monastic Sites, Co. Kerry
The Dingle Peninsula's isolated location on the edge of the known world was
possibly the reason that such a concentration of Early Christian monastic
sites were founded there.
Today there are over 30 monastic sites with a
variety of remains such as oratories, cross slabs, holy wells, beehive
huts, shrines, burials, sun dials, and enclosing features. Some have been
excavated, such as Reasc, near Ballyferriter; others, like Oileain
tSeanaigh off the coast of Castlegregory, remain practically untouched since
they
were deserted some time in the 12th century.
It was from such sites of
education,
from the 6th century on, that Irish monks travelled throughout Europe
converting Christians to the monastic life. It is from this period that the
finest art works were produced, such as the Book of Kells and the Ardagh
Chalice, among others.
The Celtic Church in Ireland during this period is
not under the direct rule of Rome, and thus was to retain many of the early
pre-Christian influences. Many ring forts still survive from this period and
are associated with
habitation for both animals and humans. Fine examples are to be seen at D�n
Cl�r at Annascaul, Cathair Dearg�in near Ballydavid, and Ballyhea on the
Feothanach road.
Grey Abbey Monastry Strangford Lough - Ulster
Grey Abbey monastry, on the Strangford Lough shore of the Ards Peninsula,
was founded in 1193 by Affreca, daughter of Godred, Norse King of the
Island of Mann, and wife of John de Courcey, the Norman knight who conquered
Ulster.
Jerpoint Abbey, Co. Kilkenny
Jerpoint Abbey is an outstanding Cistercian Abbey founded in the latter half of the 12th century. The Abbey flourished until the dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, when it passed to the Earl of Ormonde. One of the highlights of Jerpoint i s the sculptured cloister arcade. There are exquisite carvings on the 16th century tombs in the transepts. Romanesque architecture abound within the North nave containing an array of decorated Romanesque capitals.
Kilmainham Gaol Dublin
If for no other reason, Kilmainham Gaol would be remarkable for being the
biggest unoccupied gaol in these islands. As such, it gives the visitor a
dramatic and realistic insight into what it was like to have been confined
in one of these forbidding bastions of punishment and correction between
1796, when it opened, and 1924 when it closed.
Leaders of the rebellions of 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867 and 1916 were detained
here. The names of Robert Emmet, Thomas Francis Meagher, Charles Stewart
Parnell, the leaders of the 1916 Rising, DeValera and a host of other
famous names are associated with the Gaol. Touching in so many ways on the
people and forces that shaped modern Ireland, Kilmainham Gaol offers a
panoramic insight into some of the most profound, disturbing and inspirational
themes of modern Irish history.
A visit to the Gaol includes a guided tour, an audio?visual presentation and an
exhibition.