by Sandra Reimer
Here we are at Christ Church in Dublin on our first day of the tour. Our guide Antoinette told us that the cathedral was built in 1029. It has been a functioning church for almost 1000 years! It is the oldest cathedral in Ireland. Apparently Jonathan Swift ( author of Gulliver’s Travels) was the Dean here and he used to preach 4 hour sermons.
Group at Christ Church, Dublin
Christ Church, Dublin
We began the second day with a hearty breakfast at our Dublin hotel. On the bus Margaret Nally led us in a reflection and a hymn. Our first stop was a sheep dog demo that was entertaining. Then we went to ruins of a historic monastic settlement in Glendalough in a lovely valley .Saint Kevin began the settlement sometime in the 500’s.
At the monastic settlement of Saint Kevin in Glendalough
In the afternoon we went to a lovely retreat centre dedicated to Saint Brigid of Kildare, Ireland who was an influential Christian leader who lived in the 400’s. She was spreading the Christian faith in Ireland long before Saint Patrick. The sculpture of saint Brigid was done by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz from St Jacob’s Ontario near Waterloo. What a small world.
Sculpture at St Brigid’s Centre
At St Brigid’s Centre
