Malahide Castle
If you have a little extra time while
in Dublin, you
might be interested in heading to Malahide Castle, about 10 miles north of Dublin
in the affluent Dublin suburb of Malahide. The castle was once a
fortress and home to the Talbot family for approximately 8 centuries. Its
architecture is a blend of styles. Its current battlements are attractive
and stately, but were not defensive additions to the building.
Known
for its elegant furnishing and portrait collection, the castle also hosts Tara's
Palace and Childhood Museum, which is billed as "...one of the world's most significant
dollhouses". In addition, if you like model trains (O gauge), the Fry Model
Railway on the grounds of the Malahide Castle covers over 2500 square feet and is a
must see. For more information on the Castle and
the Railway, see the official
Malahide Castle website.
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If you have even more time, the best
daytrip from Dublin is to Glendalough (the Glen (valley) of the Two
Lakes) located in the Wicklow National Park in County Wicklow. Glendalough
is one of Ireland's oldest and most interesting monastic settlements.
In the 6th century, St. Kevin, a
religious man seeking to escape from crowds and society established a personal
hermitage in the Glendalough Valley, near the upper of two scenic lakes that
occupy the glen. It appears that St. Kevin's choice of location and
personal dedication to religion attracted followers.
St. Kevin's hermit-like aspirations must have been tried by this fame. Anecdotal
stories have him pursued by women who admired his virtue. In turn, these
same stories have him tossing them into the lake or into bramble bushes in an
attempt to retain his virtue.
Over a
period of time, a significant religious site developed and attracted the
attention of the Vikings who attacked it on several occasions and the English
who destroyed the settlement in the 14th century, after which it was abandoned.
Today a number of interesting
monastic ruins attract tourists to Glendalough. The 100-foot tall round
tower and the cathedral are the most impressive structures, followed by the ruins
of several churches (especially St. Kevin's Church), the ruins of a
monastery and a number of decorated stone crosses. The Round Tower at Glendalough is one of a number of these mysterious towers that exist primarily
in Ireland. Clocking in at a little over 100' , the tower is thought to have
served as beacon to pilgrims, a storehouse, a bell tower and a refuge from
marauders. The door to this tower (and most others) is about 10ft above
ground level, which has been taken by some scholars to indicate the defensive
nature of the tower. Perhaps the tower was simply an attempt to be closer
to Heaven or for purposes of astronomy. Whatever the reason for their
construction, these tall, narrow towers capture the imagination of all who visit
them.
Be sure to stop in the Visitor's
Centre for its exhibition, as it will help you interpret what you will see
during your exploration of the site. In addition, the Visitor's Centre
provides guided tours that are available in several languages. See
Heritage Ireland
for more information on visiting Glendalough.
If you are looking for the best of
the ruins, those surrounding the Lower Lake are the most impressive (and most
numerous). We think the real beauty of the area is revealed
when you walk the shores of the Upper Lake. In addition, the twenty-minute walk between the lakes is quite pleasant.
If you are interested in more rigorous hiking, the National Park Information Office, located close the Upper Lake
along the Green Road, can provide trail information. For details about the Wicklow Mountains
National Park, visit its official
website.
Although there are a number of minor
attractions scattered through County Wicklow, such as the
House and Gardens at Powerscourt /gardens/
in Eniskerry
and
Threecastles Castle
near Blessington Lakes, they are eclipsed for many
travelers by the attractions in the
Southeast,
Southwest and
West of Ireland, not to mention the treasures
of Northern Ireland. However, if you like country walking, this is a popular
region for it.
Similarly, the towns of Kildare and Athy in County Kildare sit amidst
scenic countryside and you will undoubtedly find something that you will like in
each area. Kildare is a pretty little town and the National Stud Farm is
on its outskirts.
Athy is another village in a pleasant
setting,
with the 15th century White's Castle (private - no tours) scenically positioned on the River Athy.
Explore the official County Kildare
tourism website
for more information on the other towns and attractions of
Kildare.
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