County Donegal, Ireland
Blue skies and a calm sea greeted us as we disembarked the ship for a morning exploration of one of the best preserved Early Christian monasteries in Ireland, located on the small sandstone island of Inishmurray, lying offshore of County Sligo on the north west coast. A small community of monks inhabited this site which was founded in the sixth century by St. Molaise. This is a veritable treasure trove of ancient remains which include three stone churches, a couple of beehive huts, numerous cross inscribed grave slabs and the famous 'cursing stones'. These latter, known in Gaelic as 'clocha breacha', were used to effectively bring down a curse on a chosen person apparently by specially repositioning them on altar like structures. The main complex is surrounded by a protective tall dry stone wall or cashel which defined the enclosed space as a sanctum. The small community of pious devotees lived here for centuries more or less in peaceful isolation from the outside world. However the monastery fell prey to Viking raiders on at least two separated occasions between the late eight and early ninth centuries. Although abandoned by the monks centuries ago the monastic ruins still exude an air of tranquility, a wonderful legacy of their original inhabitants. In more recent times a linear village was established high above the shore close to the ancient site. The population peaked in 1880 with 102 people living in fifteen houses. The islanders had a well earned reputation as distillers of illicit whiskey known as 'poteen' or 'uisce beatha', a Gaelic term meaning 'water- of- life'. The entire population of the island had left by 1948 seeking a more comfortable and progressive life on the mainland and further afield, their erstwhile homes now roofless and silent, save for the resonance of birdsong. The ship repositioned during lunch to the modern dock at the port of Killybegs in county Donegal.
The afternoon was spent on a coach tour which first took us out to the folklife center in Glencolmcille. Here local guides explained about life back in earlier centuries in rural Ireland as they walked us through the centre which features a number of reconstructed traditional houses. These were thatched with barley straw and decked out with all of the typical furnishings and everyday items from the period. Following a refreshing cup of tea and freshly baked fruit scone we drove up along the impressive glacial valley, reputedly the birthplace of the famous Irish Saint Columcille who founded monasteries at Kells in Ireland, made famous by its ancient manuscript, and Iona in Scotland. On our way back to the ship we visited the Glebe Woollen mills in the small village of Kilcar. A guided tour included a short demonstration of weaving and an explanation of the various dyes and yarns which are used in the production of a wide array of top quality fashion items. A fitting end to a day with Irish culture to the fore was a short session by a group of traditional musicians in the lounge of the National Geographic Endeavour.
Blue skies and a calm sea greeted us as we disembarked the ship for a morning exploration of one of the best preserved Early Christian monasteries in Ireland, located on the small sandstone island of Inishmurray, lying offshore of County Sligo on the north west coast. A small community of monks inhabited this site which was founded in the sixth century by St. Molaise. This is a veritable treasure trove of ancient remains which include three stone churches, a couple of beehive huts, numerous cross inscribed grave slabs and the famous 'cursing stones'. These latter, known in Gaelic as 'clocha breacha', were used to effectively bring down a curse on a chosen person apparently by specially repositioning them on altar like structures. The main complex is surrounded by a protective tall dry stone wall or cashel which defined the enclosed space as a sanctum. The small community of pious devotees lived here for centuries more or less in peaceful isolation from the outside world. However the monastery fell prey to Viking raiders on at least two separated occasions between the late eight and early ninth centuries. Although abandoned by the monks centuries ago the monastic ruins still exude an air of tranquility, a wonderful legacy of their original inhabitants. In more recent times a linear village was established high above the shore close to the ancient site. The population peaked in 1880 with 102 people living in fifteen houses. The islanders had a well earned reputation as distillers of illicit whiskey known as 'poteen' or 'uisce beatha', a Gaelic term meaning 'water- of- life'. The entire population of the island had left by 1948 seeking a more comfortable and progressive life on the mainland and further afield, their erstwhile homes now roofless and silent, save for the resonance of birdsong. The ship repositioned during lunch to the modern dock at the port of Killybegs in county Donegal.
The afternoon was spent on a coach tour which first took us out to the folklife center in Glencolmcille. Here local guides explained about life back in earlier centuries in rural Ireland as they walked us through the centre which features a number of reconstructed traditional houses. These were thatched with barley straw and decked out with all of the typical furnishings and everyday items from the period. Following a refreshing cup of tea and freshly baked fruit scone we drove up along the impressive glacial valley, reputedly the birthplace of the famous Irish Saint Columcille who founded monasteries at Kells in Ireland, made famous by its ancient manuscript, and Iona in Scotland. On our way back to the ship we visited the Glebe Woollen mills in the small village of Kilcar. A guided tour included a short demonstration of weaving and an explanation of the various dyes and yarns which are used in the production of a wide array of top quality fashion items. A fitting end to a day with Irish culture to the fore was a short session by a group of traditional musicians in the lounge of the National Geographic Endeavour.
