Impoverished Ireland: The Muckross House

  Located in the stunning forests of county Kerry in Kilarney, the Muckross house was home to many throughout the years.  This Tudor style home was built in 1843 for Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife Mary Balfour Herbert. In the 1850s the house underwent reconstruction, in preparation for Queen Victoria’s visit to Ireland. Though the Queen would only stay at the Muckross house for two days, the owners of the house went to the effort of adding a fire escape, hiring fifty servants, as well as importing furniture, paintings and other supplies from all over the world. The Herberts lived in Muckross until 1899, and then it was later bought for William Bourne’s daughter Maud and her husband Arthur Rose Vincent. The house was then bought in 1899 by Arthur Guinness. Guinness never actually lived in the house, but simply wanted to preserve the dramatic landscape.  Finally, in 1964 the house was re-opened as a public museum for all to enjoy.

  The House itself is ornate both inside and out. It is located on the Muckross peninsula, which means “the Peninsula of the wild pigs”. There are sixty-five rooms, which have been left in the original state, which gives a glimpse of how life was back then.  The house is built of stone, and takes up only a portion of the eleven thousand acres that surrounds it. The shimmering Muckross lake, forests, and fields are some of the natural beauty that can be seen can be seen from many different windows of the mansion. In addition to the sixty-five rooms, there are also servants courters in the basement of the house. Here, thirty-two different sounding bells can be found. Those of which the servants had to memorize in order to better serve their masters.

Historically, the Muckross house is significant because it was a preserved example of a Tudor style home, which allows people today to catch a glimpse of what the lifestyle was like during that time.  The land that the house is located on became the first national park in Kilarney.  Queen Victoria’s visit was also a significant point in time for the Muckross house, mostly because it was a shock to everyone that Queen Victoria even visited Ireland at all. The Muckross house is a step in the staircase of Irish history, and yet again we see how intelligent, elegant, and creative the people were back in those times. In addition, we see the development of how Irish people and their way of life have changed over the years.
    As a group, we were in complete awe of the magnificence of the house and  the gardens, lake, and the surrounding area. We were amazed and appreciative for the fact that the house was left in its original state and was not modernized. We felt as though we were stepping back in time, which allowed us to more fully understand society back in that time period. We were blown away by the  extraordinary amount of money spent building this beautiful, intensely decorated home. It was also interesting to think about what the surrounding neighborhoods were like economically as well. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed experiencing all the magnificence that the Muckross house had to offer. 

Monastic Ireland: the Book of Kells

The Book of Kells is an illuminated manuscript of the four New Testament gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Dating from c. 800 AD, this text was created by Celtic monks and was first discovered by Vikings at the scriptorium of St. Colum Cille in Iona. It is thought to have originated there. The Book of Kells is written in Latin on 340 vellum folios, in roughly the same translation at the Vulgate. The beautifully intricate illustrations are created with pigments from various rocks and natural materials; the lettering is written with iron gall ink in insular majuscule script. It is assumed that the illustrations are the work of three different scribes, each with their own distinct style. Some pages are entirely dedicated to large illustrations, some are entirely text, and others are a combination of the two. The Book of Kells is named after the Abbey of Kells where it was located for hundreds of years. Today it resides in the Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland. The book has been preserved in four volumes, two of which are always on display in rotation in the library.

            Historically, much of the greatest art of this time period can be attributed to illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells. What may have once been the standard form of bookmaking is now preserved in only a few lasting examples. The Book of Kells is extremely valuable because it is one of the oldest of these remaining works. Ireland’s transition from an oral to a written culture is also represented in the Book of Kells. Dedicated religious work by monks in scriptoriums was the beginning of a long tradition of recorded history. Today, the Book of Kells gives us a further understanding of the educational development of Irish culture and the reverence that the Irish held for the scriptures. It is without a doubt that the people who created these illuminated works were intellectually and artistically advanced.

            Our group as a whole was amazed by the intricacy and skill that went into the creation of the Book of Kells. Max especially enjoyed watching the video about how these books were made. He said that there was an impressive amount of work and detail required in the binding and stitching of the vellum, especially compared to the ease with which we print documents today. Kayleigh loved the symbolism represented in the illuminated pictures and lettering. And Deanna was struck by the detail of the printing and the exactness of the hand-written font and images. Overall, the Book of Kells is a beautiful example of the blending of art and religion that was so fundamental to Irish history.

Monastic Ireland: Glendalough & Monasterboice

Glendalough


      Glendalough, which literally means “the glen between two lakes”, was founded by St. Kevin near 550. His intention was to leave society and live as an ascetic monk. However, the people followed this great leader into his exile in the Wicklow Mountains. The followers quickly turned Glendalough into a monastic site that was unique to the Irish countryside. It became a self-sustaining society that was often visited on pilgrimages by people of all backgrounds. It became an early bishopric when St Kevin was ordained as a bishop in the early sixth century. It was also home to the abbot (the legal authority), airchinnech (next in command), priests, secular (traveling) monks, women, scholars, anchorites, penitents, craftsmen, and other tenants. The priests and scholars became some of the most renown minuscule writers in all of Ireland. The architectural landscape is characterized by the two churches (12th Century), a round tower (10th Century), numerous free-standing crosses (8th through12th Century), and the double gateway formed out of massive granite rock (probably between the 10th and 12th Century). The Round Tower (Cloigtheach) stands 30 meters high and is one of best preserved monuments from all of medieval Ireland. It is land of inspiring beauty and spirituality. It is one of the most preserved monastic sites in all of Ireland. After the double gateway, there is a small cross etched into the right wall. It signifies the sanctuary provided by the early church for all the people entering into the community. The monastic site was abandoned around the 16th Century. The site was restored to a portion of its former beauty in 1875. Aside from the architectural landscape, it is beautifully located in the valley between mountains. Specifically, the upper lake provides for a magnificent display of how the country was before St. Kevin arrived and why exactly this ascetic monk would have chosen this area.

Monastic sites such as Glendalough clearly show how the original people founded these sites to be centers of living, learning, and faith. Monk’s miniscule scripts preserved countless literary and biblical works. Most of the preserved materials were safely held in the round towers. Although they were not built for the purpose of stopping the Viking invaders, they inevitably become the source of salvation for years of hard work by the scribes. Before the Golden Age of Ireland, the Emerald Isle had no real forms of societal living. All of the inhabitants were spread far and
wide across the cold countryside. Monastic sites changed that. With these new forms of city life, monastic sites provided a unique form of governmental unification for different types of people. This completely changed Ireland from nomadic people groups such as the Celts and druids into the modern Irish people that currently occupy the 26 counties.

Our group’s first response after the trip was to reflect on the pure beauty of the site. Although the day was cold, the sun was shining and the scenery was incredible. Everyone stopped at the upper to get a picture of the iconic landscape. Going back home that night, Facebook was littered of pictures taken by each student with the similar background of the lake and mountains. Aside from the natural beauty, the architecture was both impressive and riveting. Nathan particularly enjoyed the contrast of grave monuments throughout the centuries, specifically the absence of the cross during certain centuries. Kayleigh was awestruck by the double gateway and loved the cross after the entrance. All seven of us really enjoyed going to St. Kevin’s kitchen and the opportunity to express modern worship in a place what was used by monks that worship through their everyday life. The aesthetic beauty of such a site does little in comparison to the overwhelming sense of what went on at this monastic site. Christians, in particular, might enjoy this site more because of how important monastic sites are to history of the church and the preservation of faith through fellow believers in different points in history.

The Round Tower at Glendalough

Glendalough entry arches.

Cemetery and Cathedral at Glendalough.

The lake where St. Kevin lived at Glendalough.

Monasterboice

       Monasterboice, a small cemetery in County Louth, contains the remains of two churches, one of Ireland’s largest round towers, and a number of Romanesque headstones both ancient and modern. Monasterboice is notable because it contains the West Cross, the tallest high cross in Ireland at 6.5 meters, as well as the ornately carved Muirdach’s Cross, which illustrates numerous Bible stories. These kinds of crosses were significant for the believers of the time because they served as pictorial representations of the Gospels so that the stories could be effectively and memorably relayed to the illiterate.

Monasterboice was founded in the 5th century by Saint Buithe, a Scottish-born monk who traveled to Italy before starting a school at Monasterboice. Like Glendalough, it quickly became a center for spirituality and scholarship. Its authority continued until the establishment of the nearby Mellifont Abbey in 1143, which diminished Monasterboice’s influence somewhat. 

Monasterboice cemetery and round tower.

The tallest high cross in Ireland.

Our group at Monasterboice.

Monastic Ireland: Newgrange

          Newgrange, a passage tomb pre-dating the great pyramids in Egypt and Stonehenge in Great Britain, is located in Boyce Valley, County Meath, Ireland. It is 1 of 40 megalithic tombs in the country. For its age it is excellently preserved with minor reconstruction by its excavator Michael O’Kelly of County Cork. The façade is O’Kelly’s interpretation of how the stone would have appeared in the original interpretation. Between December 17^th and 23^rd , especially the winter solstice on the 21^st, the rising sun illuminates the chamber through a portal above the entryway. The site was dedicated to the cremated remains of important persons of ancient society. An estimated five people were discovered in the excavation including ashes and bones, even skeletal remains and teeth. Newgrange also served as a territorial marker and site of ceremonial events.

            Ninety-seven kerbstones circle a large earthen mound with a centralized chamber in the shape of a cruciform. With a diameter of 85m across, the mortar-less construction weighs in at over 200,000 tonnes. Decorative spirals, serpentine forms and other graphics that allude to nature decorate the kerbstones and interior. The hilltop establishment blends into nature with grass coating its roof. Fellow passage tombs in Knowth and Dowth are also aligned with celestial accurances, the winter solstices of the setting sun and spring/fall equinoxes.

            Historically, Newgrange represents the oldest site in Ireland and one of the oldest traces of human activity in the world. It indicates intelligent designers and a society of hierarchy because it required organization, leadership and productivity. The stones of the monument came from over 50km that hints at incredible ingenuity considering their mass and difficulty in transporting. Obviously these humans were both interested in and capable of making precise scientific observations of the heavens. Its construction was important to these people and passed on among generations taking up to 100 years to complete.

            Newgrange is significant to modern Ireland because it confirms a date of at least 4,000 BC of humans in Ireland. They were intelligent and spiritual: the original saints and scholars. It points towards a societal congruence and technology. Much of Newgrange’s past is unknown because of the lack of resources and other sites present today.

            Our group was impressed with the detail with which the architects built Newgrange. Nathan enjoyed the tri-spiral because of its mystical values and presence found throughout the ancient world. Deanna and Jennie were intrigued by the ceiling’s vaulted structure that was made to prevent moisture from entering the tomb and percolating through the rocks. We also thought that the burial process and respect for ancestors was striking. Overall Newgrange is a site worth seeing because of its historical significance and incredible antiquity. 

The Passage Tomb

Michael O'Kelly's interpretation of what the tomb would have looked like on the outside.

The entry to the chamber. Notice the designs on the kerbstones.