GLENDALOUGH GLENDALOUGH THE GLEN OF THE TWOLAKES, IS A TRULY SPELLBINDING PLACE AN ANCIENTMONASTIC SETTLEMENT AND TWO CLEAR WATER LAKESBENEATH THE SHEER CLIFFS OF A DEEP VALLEY WHICHWAS CARVED OUT BY GLACIERS DURING THE ICE AGE.THE MONASTIC SETTLEMENT HAS BEEN A CENTRE FORPILGRIMS AND VISITORS SINCE ITS FOUNDATION BY ST.KEVIN IN THE 6TH CENTURY. KEVIN IS THOUGHT TOHAVE COME FROM THE MORE FERTILE LANDS OF COUNTYKILDARE AND LIKE MANY OTHER MEN OF SANCTITY INEARLY TIMES, DESIRED SOLITUDE FOR HIS LIFE OFPRAYER AND CONTEMPLATION. THUS HE WITHDREW INTOTHE THINLY PEOPLED MOUNTAINS AND SET UP HISHERMITAGE AT GLENDALOUGH. THE SETTLEMENT EXPANDEDAND FLOURISHED FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE BEINGFINALLY DESTROYED IN THE 16TH CENTURY. THEPRESENT REMAINS, SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OFTHEIR KIND IN IRELAND, TELL ONLY A SMALL PART OFTHE MONASTIC STORY. THE BUILDINGS WHICH SURVIVE ROUND TOWER, CATHEDRAL, STONE CHURCHES ANDDECORATED CROSSES PROBABLY DATE FROM BETWEENTHE 8TH AND 12TH CENTURIES. THE FAMOUS ROUNDTOWER, ABOUT 34M HIGH AND 16M IN CIRCUMFERENCE ATTHE BASE, IS STILL IN NEAR PERFECT CONDITION EVENTHOUGH IT IS ALMOST 1,000 YEARS OLD. THEEXCELLENT GLENDALOUGH VISITOR CENTRE PROVIDESREGULAR EXHIBITIONS, INFORMATIVE GUIDED TOURS OFTHE MONASTIC SITE AS WELL AS AN AUDIO VISUAL SHOWABOUT THE RICH HERITAGE OF THE AREA. ELSEWHEREAROUND THE UPPER AND LOWER LAKES THERE ARE ANUMBER OF WELL KNOWN WALKING ROUTES, WHICH ALLOWVISITORS TO TAKE IN AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE OF THESURROUNDING SCENERY AS THEY WISH. ONCE THEMONASTIC CAPITAL OF EUROPE, GLENDALOUGH ATTRACTSUP TO 500,000 VISITORS ANNUALLY. THE RUINS OF THESEVEN CHURCHES AND THE 6TH CENTURY ROUND TOWEROWE THEIR ORIGINS TO ST. KEVIN, THE HERMIT WHOFOUNDED THE MONASTIC CITY AND WHO LIVED IN A CAVE ST. KEVINS BED OVERLOOKING THE UPPER LAKE.AVONDALE HOUSE PARNELL NATIONAL MEMORIAL PARK,RATHDRUM AVONDALE HOUSE WAS THE BIRTHPLACE ANDHOME OF CHARLES STEWART PARNELL 1846 1891 ONEOF THE GREATEST POLIT