Glendalough, the Glen of the Two Lakes, is lovely in both rain and sunshine. The rain falls frequently in this valley, but it is striking to watch the heavy clouds moving over the glen. While they are emptying their wet cargo on this holy place, they make trees dark green and soft grass glossy and fragrant. The sun disappears behind the solemn round tower, leaving fiery beams around its outline, so that it looks just as it must have done in former times when set on fire by plunderers. In the evening sun the grave-stones have long, deformed shadows, and from a distance their shady sides form a splendid black silhouette agains the pale green slope of the glen.

Glendalough, also called the City of the Seven Churches, was built by Saint Kevin in the sixth century. He is said to be Ireland's second most famous saint - after Saint Patrick of course! You will find Kevin's cell, Kevin's bed, Kevin's cross and Kevin's church here too. The latter is also called Kevin's kitchen, although he only used to sleep here. This building has a fine high-pitched roof in corbel style, which means that each layer of loose stones overlaps the other until they meet at the top. The small round tower at one end matches its nearby bigger brother perfectly.

The sources for Kevin's story are found in six books. Three of these are in Latin and three in Irish. The earliest source of the Latin Lives is in the Codex Kilkenniensis in Marsh's Library in Dublin. This was probably written in the eleventh century, five to six hundred years after Kevin's death. The Irish Lives were transcribed by Michael O'Clery in 1629, from the old books that relied heavily on oral traditions and pilgrim's tales.

St Kevin came from a royal line of the tribe of Dal-Mesincorb. Kevin was at heart a hermit and a Christian mystic. Kevin had a close relationship with nature and great love of animals. One story describes how, when he as a child, a white cow came to his parents' house every morning and evening with milk for him. In Irish mythology, the cow was considered sacred. Kevin was a hermit at heart and, like many Celtic saints, his life was characterised by a deep love of solitude and strict asceticism. As a young man Kevin gained a great reputation for performing miracles. Whilst Kevin's life was driven by the desire for solitude and asceticism his story does not evade some disturbing moments which he experienced in his personal and spiritual development.

One story linked to the time of his training in the monastery at Kilnamanagh, for example, describes how a young girl saw him in the fields with his brethren and fell passionately in love with him. She pursued him in many ways, but Kevin resisted all her advances. One day she came upon him alone, embraced him fondly and asked him tenderly to lie with her. At this Kevin rushed away, and finding a bed of stinging nettles he stripped off his clothes and rolled in them naked. There is another story concerning a woman who entered St. Kevin's life; he was an old man by this time. She may have been a sister from St Mary's Church; her name was Cassayr. The story tells of St. Kevin praying for the soul of a murdered person. While he prayed, he levitated, which is how Cassayr found him. She was shocked by his appearance and ragged clothing and begged him to recive better garments from her. He rejected this offer, through fear of temptation, which saddened Cassayr. However, she still placed herself and all her religious congregation under his Rule. Legend says that an angel of the Lord removed his old rough garments and clothed him in the garments offered by Cassayr.

One story describes how,one day, he went into the woods with an older monk also called Coemgen. The younger Coemgen was supposed to bring fire but forgot it completely. The older Coemgen said 'Brother, run quickly for the fire and bring it with you' St Kevin asked how he would carry it and was told, somewhat angrily by his teacher, 'In your bosom!' Kevin then went and collected the fire, but miraculously neither his flesh nor his clothes were burned. The teacher immediately said, "O holy youth, I see that you are full of the Holy Ghost and that thou oughtest to rule over our community." Kevin is also said to have prayed for one hour every night in the cold waters of the lake where a monster used to try to distract and annoy him by curling itself around his body biting and stinging him.

In another story he banished a monster from the Lower Lake to the Upper Lake. As Kevin lived alone at the Upper Lake, in effect , he took the monster to himself. It was said that the fervour of his prayer, his patience and the fire of God's love in him, rendered the monster harmless. Towards the end of his life, an angel appeared to Kevin and led him to the place of his resurrection. It was during this time that a great prophecy was made about Glendalough. The angel promised that fifty monks would remain there after his death; she also promised that after his resurrection, Kevin would still guide, influence and protect this community. Glendalough would remain sacred and venerable, Eventualy, legend insists, the angel and Kevin walked together upon the waters of the lake to the chosen place where the angel encouraged him to spend the rest of his life in the valley. The stories and myths surrounding St. Kevin can still fascinate and inspire us today, all these centuries later. They are soul-full, curious and magical; full of dark and light, mists and moments of great clarity; tangible and yet intangible.