Liturgy, music and Glendalough

Yesterday was a full day. We started with an early morning Belvedere Eucharistic service, specially planned for B.C. High. While it was quick, we saw the chapel and were able to see a difference between here and BC High. The only priest available to do Mass was away, so we did the Communion Service instead. After liturgy and homeroom, we went to music class and learned to play a few songs on the tin whistle. After about forty minutes it was clear we weren’t in the presence of any prodigies.
We grabbed a quick snack in the canteen and quickly boarded the bus to Wicklow. We met our charismatic tour guide Mary, who was great and gave us an informative yet heartfelt tour. The drive to Wicklow was fairly long, but it was well worth the drive.

The only place I have ever been that parallels the natural beauty of Wicklow is Acadia National Park up in Maine. When I was getting ready to go to Ireland, I was told there were no mountains here. Whoever that was a lie. Wicklow was of all different heights and was fairly plain, but beautiful none the less. Mary told us that all the brown we saw was normally purple and green, but the snow had killed off most of the foliage this year. No matter what color Wicklow was in, it still had the same effect on me. I couldn’t put my camera away! After being entranced by the hilly landscape and valleys, we came to the top of a giant hill to look down on the Guinness family’s original house and the huge dark lake they lived by. With the white sand at one end and the deep, black-looking water, it’s said to look like a glass of Guinness. We took in the sight and got back on the bus.

While the landscape of Wicklow was amazing by itself, the best thing from yesterday was seeing Glendalough. Glendalough is an ancient monastic community in the heights of Wicklow and once the home of St. Kevin. It had a sense of peace and reverence about it. As we entered, there was a cross carved into the marble wall. Mary explained that visitors back when the monastery was open would touch it and say, “I claim sanctuary.” Mary did this on our behalf and wished that peace would follow us. The ruins were certainty a sight. We saw a round tower, old buildings, and many graves, as it is now a grave yard. There was also a Celtic cross in the monastery, which was beautiful. We went for a walk on our own after, saw some sheep and went back home after a quick drive around Dublin’s University College. Overall it was one of the best days so far and I am looking forward to the days to come.

–Pat Connolly