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Day 3:

Wicklow Mountains National Park - Glendalough

Explore the Wicklow Mountains National Park, with its 50,000 acres of mountainous blanket bogs and woodland. You will find all Ireland's native mammal species such as red deer, foxes, badgers, hares, red squirrels, as well as an interesting bird population, with peregrine falcons, marlins, kestrels, hawks and sparrow hawks, pipits, skylarks, whinchats, ring ouzels, dippers, red grouses.

Discover the ancient monastic settlement of Glendalough. The English name Glendalough comes from the Irish Gleann Dá Locha which translates to "The valley of the two lakes". It was here that St. Kevin founded a monastery in the sixth century.

From this beginning the site grew to become famous as a centre of learning throughout Europe. Indeed, Ireland was known as the "Island of Saints and Scholars". Standing amid the remains of this monastic settlement, one can feel a powerful sense of peace and tranquility.

The settlement continued to expand for 600 years and was destroyed in 1398. The buildings which survive date from the 8th and 12th centuries. The most famous is, of course, the round tower which is 112 feet high and 53 feet in circumference at the base. A cathedral, stone churches and decorated crosses also survived.


Third night in Dublin.