My Visit to Golden Age Ireland

Tuesday, 1 May 1900 - Dublin, Ireland

St. Kevin's Church

It’s May Day, the modern equivalent of the ancient Celtic festival of Beltane, the beginning of summer according to the ancient calendar. Beltane was celebrated with a big bonfire back then. I decided to celebrate with my own Temporal Tuesday trip into the distant past--the Golden Age of Ireland.

Just south of Dublin in the Wicklow Mountains is Glendalough, literally Glen of Two Lakes. It was here that Kevin (Coemgen in Gaelic) started a hermitage in the sixth century. Kevin was a monk at Kilnamanagh, now the neighborhood of Tallaght in Dublin, but then decided to become a hermit.

Glendalough - Glen of the Two Lakes

Kevin is said to have been led to this valley by angels to a cave that was originally a Bronze Age tomb. Here he lived wearing animal skins, eating nettles, praying and having a good time. Then others heard of this holy man and came to him to be taught his wisdom. Unfortunately Irish etiquette dictated Kevin had to honor their request and soon he had a monastery full of monks. Rather difficult to be a hermit so many people underfoot.

Kevin tried sneaking off to be a alone again, but the monks dragged him back, begging him to lead them. He gave up and served as their abbot until his death of extreme old age. Legend says he lived to be 120.

Glendalough continued to grow in influence, becoming one of the major places of pilgrimage. It also had a school teaching aspiring monks and nobility alike. Glendalough was just one of many monasteries with schools throughout Dark Age Ireland. The Emerald Isle became famous throughout Europe for it’s learning. Charlemagne, when trying to establish a new Holy Roman Empire, made sure to invite Irish scholars to his court.

Glendalough however soon became overshadowed by a growing Dublin. In 1398 an English army partially destroyed Glendalough and it became a backwater. In a way that was a blessing, for it put the valley out of the notice of the far more destructive Cromwell and William of Orange.

Round Tower

A surprising amount of the ancient monastery survives. Not sure if any dates back to Kevin, but certainly back more than a thousand years. The 98 foot tower is still intact. All right, the roof was reconstructed in 1876, but they used the original stone. The door is 12 feet off the ground so monks could climb in using a ladder and pull the ladder after themselves to keep out of reach of Viking raiders. A Dark Age panic room.

There are several churches in various degrees of ruin here, but the best preserved and probably oldest is St. Kevin’s “Kitchen.” It’s really a chapel. It was so well built that last century it was “restored” by sweeping out and adding wooden pews for worship.

Further up the valley on the banks of the Upper Lake is St. Kevin’s Bed, the cave he originally lived in. It was worth the hike to see it. The scenery is so lovely the trek was most pleasant in itself. St. Laurence O'Toole (Lorcán Ua Tuathail), the abbot of Glendalough in the 12th century, used to sleep here, too. He was later made Archbishop of Dublin, then a largely Viking town, who approved his appointment, making him the first Irish Bishop of Dublin. It was probably not very respectful of me, but I couldn’t fight the urge to lie down in the spot I assumed the two saints had laid. It filled me with wonder, but mostly with pain from that stone in my back. Not at all comfortable. I do hope the poor chaps at least had some straw.

 

St. Kevin's Bed Cave

Kevin will not be made an official saint until 1903. Back in 618 when he died, canonizing wasn’t a common practice yet. He will not only be considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, but by the Orthodox Church and the Anglican Church as well. Of course he has always been considered a saint here in Ireland even while he was still alive.

I hung about the Glen of the Two Lakes until I was forced to catch the last train back to Dublin. I must say spending your entire life in this beautiful valley would hardly be a hardship. Kevin picked well.

Rick Steves visits Glendalough
(as well as Powerscourt Estate I saw last week)

Her Majesty Departs Dublin

Thursday, 26 April, 1900 - Dublin, Ireland

Today with much relief (and perhaps a little sadness) Dublin bid farewell to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. The whole thing has been a bit like a stuffy but very wealthy aunt showing up on your doorstep and wanting to stay for a couple of weeks. You dare not turn her out and do your best to please her.

This time Her Majesty exited Dublin a bit more quietly than she entered. Instead of the parade through town, she took the train from Kingsbridge station just outside Phoenix Park down to Kingstown. When Her Majesty’s carriage arrived at the station from Viceregal Lodge, Princesses Beatrice and Helena were the first to exit. Her Majesty then got out leaning on her cane and her Indian servant, Abdul Karim. I had the feeling the large man fought the urge to just pick the tiny woman up like a child and set her down on the platform, but that would not have been dignified. He hovers over her like she was his own mother.

Kingsbridge Railway Station

Looking well, Queen Victoria wore a corsage made of green shamrocks, the symbol of Ireland. Despite being under five foot and frail with age, Her Majesty still can emit serenity and strength. She was greeted by several dignitaries, including the Mayor and his wife; Mr. Joshua Pim, Chairman of the Great Southern & Western Railway; and Mr. Frederic Pim, Chairman of the Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford Railway. (I’m assuming the two Pims are related.) Her Majesty bowed to them and said “I am very sorry to leave Ireland. I have had a very pleasant time.”

An hour later I watched the Royal Yacht disappear over the horizon followed by a flotilla of battleships as the Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India returned to England. The Lord Mayor seemed relieved that everything had gone well. The Queen had a lovely visit and no one had tried to assassinate her. And she left him a very nice present--a knighthood.

Viceregal Lodge in Phoenix Park where Her Majesty stayed

Her Majesty’s visit has stirred up strong emotions among the citizens of Dublin. On one end, patriotism for Unionists and on the other, resentment among Separatists. Queen Victoria has been blamed for poverty and prejudice. She made a point of acknowledging Catholics and the poor this visit, trying to make them feel they too belong.

The truth is the most powerful woman in the world has very little power. It’s the Prime Minister and the Parliament that really run the show. Victoria is nothing more than a figurehead raised in an ivory tower. However she has been closer to her people and their problems than any of her predecessors, thanks to Prince Albert. The Victorians wanted both a middle-class wife and mother as well as a larger-than-life demigoddess. Victoria did her best to pull them both off. I think we should give the little lady and little credit.

　

In 1904, King Edward VII will visit Dublin to unveil this memorial to his mum, created by Irish sculptor, John Hughes. After the Irish Independence, all statues of British kings will be gleefully blown-up, except for this one. Instead the old girl will be shipped off to Sydney, Australia where she will be given a good home.

Dublin's Private Garden

Thursday, 19 April 1900 - Dublin, Ireland

Quiet day for Her Majesty as she recovers from the last few days. I took the opportunity to visit another Guinness landmark--Iveagh House (pronounced “eye-vee.”) Since it’s now a private residence, I just visited the outside of the house.

Iveagh House

Iveagh House is in fact two buildings built in the 1730s. Those were very prosperous years for Dublin and several Georgian townhouses were built in this section of the city. In 1862 Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, 1st Baronet and grandson of the founder of the Guinness Brewery, bought Numbers 80 and 81 on St. Stephen’s Green and combined the two houses, putting a Portland stone facade on the front to make it seamless. The home has since passed to his son, Edward.

As beautiful as Iveagh House is, the real gem is what lies behind it-- a garden covering several acres hidden by stone walls. I couldn’t help but peer through the gates at it. I didn’t see the distinguished-looking middle-aged gentlemen slip up beside me. “Would you like a look?” he asked.

I apologized for my rudeness but assured him I would like nothing better. “Do you know the owner?”

Lord Iveagh

“Quite intimately. It belongs to Lord Iveagh and I am he.”

“You are Edward Guinness, the Earl of Iveagh?”

He frowned. “No, the Baron of Iveagh.”

Oops, nearly blew that one. That won’t be for another nineteen years. They will keep heaping titles on Edward and it wasn’t for his hobnobbing with influential people. He is well remembered for all his many philanthropic works. One project was clearing out the slums and replacing it with decent but affordable housing for the poor. “Yes, of course. My name is Dr. Wendell Howe and I am very honored to meet you.”

“Medical man?”

“Historian. I understand these gardens goes back nearly a hundred years.”

“Actually they are older. The gardens originally belonged to John Scott, the 1st Earl of Clonmell, and Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench for Ireland back in the 1780s. I’m not sure if who named them the Saxe-Coburg Gardens.”

“Yes, after the current Royal Family. Very patriotic.”

Lord Iveagh nodded. “I’m afraid the gardens had fallen into a terrible state when my father, Sir Benjamin, bought them in 1863 to go with his new house. Father hired a garden designer named Ninian Niven. Did an excellent job. Would you like a tour?”

Would I! I of course took him up on his offer. I know we must have strolled through it for at least a couple of hours as he showed me all the details. The garden has grottoes, rose gardens, a maze, woodlands, meadows, sculptures, fountains and even a waterfall all in eight and a half acres. “This absolutely amazing!” I assured him. “It’s hard to believe a private garden like this exists in the middle of Dublin.”

Iveagh Gardens

“Yes, it makes me feel a bit guilty. From my front window I can look across the street at St. Stephens Green, the park my brother, Lord Ardilaun, gave Dublin. I’ve toyed with the idea of giving away my garden.”

“Excellent idea,” I agreed. I nearly bit my tongue, then shrugged. I know Lord Iveagh will give his garden to the University College Dublin in 1908. I doubt if I had anything to do with that decision. The University will rename the gift Iveagh Gardens in his honor. And it will get more visitors than the mountain named for him. (It’s in the Antarctic. He helped finance the 1907 British Antarctic Expedition.)

I thanked Lord Iveagh for the tour. He has many good years ahead of him, twenty-seven in fact. His son Rupert will give Iveagh House to the Irish State in 1939. They will use it as the Department of Foreign Affairs building.

As for the garden, it will eventually fall to the Office of Public Works. In 1995 it will be restored to Niven’s original design, complete with a garden of pre-1860s roses. Still the wall will tuck it away, making those who come across it believe they discovered a “secret garden.” Most Dubliners will feel that Lord Iveagh’s private garden will be their own private garden.

Iveagh Gardens

 

The People’s Princess

Monday, 9 April 1900 - Dublin, Ireland

Day Five of Queen Victoria’s visit to Dublin. Her Majesty rode through central Dublin, careful to avoid the slums on the north side. However another royal, Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, was in another part of town laying a foundation stone for the new Nurses Home for the City of Dublin Hospital. The hospital, originally built in 1832, has been in the process of being rebuilt and expanded these last ten years.

Future Nurses Home for Royal City of Dublin Hospital

Princess Christian also announced that she had received permission from Queen Victoria to bestow the title of Royal upon the hospital, making it the Royal City of Dublin Hospital. The Board of Governors were so touched by the honor, they requested that the Croly Female Ward be renamed the Helena Female Ward (a suggestion seconded by Senior Surgeon Dr. Croley himself.) Princess Christian was quite pleased, for Helena is her real name.

Princess Christian of  Schleswig-Holstein
a.k.a.
Princess Helena of the United Kingdom

Princess Helena is the middle child of the nine children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The fact that she and not Victoria was here to lay the stone wasn’t questioned, for Helena is the President of the Royal British Nurses' Association. More than just a figurehead, Helena is very interested in nursing and is actively involved in the organization.

Helena was a bit of a problem child in the fact that Victoria didn’t know what to do with her. She was not the oldest, the prettiest or the most talented of her daughters. After Prince Albert died, Victoria decided to keep Helena as her secretary, but Helena was even more distraught by Albert death than her devastated mother. So the job went to next in line, Princess Louise. After her artist daughter married, the job fell to the youngest daughter, Beatrice.

Still Victoria wanted to keep her middle daughter near as an auxiliary. After it was discovered Helena had been flirting with the librarian--a mere servant--it became evident Helena would not stay a spinster. The girl had always been headstrong. As a child any brother that picked on her got socked in the nose!

Victoria found the perfect man--a Prince of Royal Blood! Christian’s father lost Schleswig-Holstein when he tried to break away from Denmark because the population was mostly German. This meant Christian was now homeless which meant he wouldn’t mind living near his mother-in-law.

Victoria had not taken into account, family politics. The Princess of Wales, Alexandria, was also a Princess of Denmark. How dare Christian call himself Prince of lands that belonged to her dad? Never mind Prussia had since took them away. (And I’m sure the fact that Christian actually had more Danish blood than Alexandria didn’t help.) The future queen never forgave Victoria or Helena for this perceived slight.

Helena and Christian

As for Helena, she was not at all adverse to the match. She liked Christian even if he was older and the fact that he bore some likeness to her beloved late father didn’t hurt. He might have no real power but he was amiable, doted on her and she would never have to punch him in the nose. And so the twenty-year-old Helena married the thirty-five-year-old Christian.

While Prince Christian might be happy puttering with his pigeons or hunting, Helena was her father’s daughter. Like Albert she liked science, industry and was a champion of social change. Instead of telling the unemployed in Windsor to just get jobs, she fed them so they could get back on their feet. Over 3000 meals were served over the harsh winter of 1886. This was just one of her many charitable works. And this was before royals were expected to do public service. (I think Helena helped push the trend.)

She also promotes the lost art of needlework becoming the first president of the Royal School of Art Needlework. In her spare time she translates German books into English for publication. She even campaigns for women’s rights, despite Victoria’s disapproval. Her main job though is official duties for the crown. All this despite bouts of poor health. Prince Christian frets over Helena when she is sick and lets her do as she pleases when she is well.

The couple now have four adult children, the oldest, Christian Victor, is Victoria’s favorite grandson and is now fighting in the Boer War. (He will die of malaria in July.) Helena and Christian will celebrate their Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary in 1916. Helena may not have married a powerful man like her sisters, but her marriage is much happier.

As for Helena, she will continue her charitable work. In World War I she will serve as a nurse (despite being 70.) Many describe her as dowdy, placid and too business-like, but ask the people she has helped and they will tell you just how beautiful she is. Prince Christian thinks so, too.

a short slide show on Princess Helena

Dublin's Catholic Cathdral

Sunday, 8 April 1900 - Dublin, Ireland

Today I attended Dublin’s Catholic Cathedral...more or less. If you ask the Pope what is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Dublin, he will tell you it is the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, more commonly called Christ Church. However if you go to Christ Church you will not find any Catholics, just Protestants. It is now the Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, too--and they are not sharing.

Christ Church, Dublin

How did this come about? Remember when the Pope refused to give Henry the 8th a divorce on the grounds that he was tired of his old wife and wanted a new one? King Henry thumbed his nose at Rome and started his own Church of England and made himself the head. He outlawed Catholics and seized church property as his own.

England was ruling Ireland at the time (more or less) so Henry seized churches in Ireland, too, and created the Church of Ireland. If suddenly being forced to switch religions had been unpopular with the people of England, it was far worse in Ireland. Even if Pope Adrian had given Ireland to England, the Irish were still loyal to their Catholic faith. No amount of oppression would stop them.

Ring or Thumb Rosary

Despite being the majority religion, Catholics had to worship in secret. Any priest found giving a mass would be imprisoned or executed. Even rosaries were outlawed. The crafty Irish carried small easily hidden ring rosaries in their pockets and continued to pray with them.

Having to worship in secret, no Catholic churches were allowed until the 19th century when the laws were slowly abolished. Dublin could now have a Catholic Cathedral--except they already had a Cathedral they never officially let go of, but was now occupied by protestants who had worshipped there for generations and were not about to let go either.

And so St. Mary’s Church was built in 1825. From the very beginning the Irish called it a pro-Cathedral. In 1886 the Pope granted them the title of pro-Cathedral officially. So what is a pro-Cathedral, you ask? It is a church that acts as a temporary cathedral until an official one can be built. Dublin has been dragging it’s feet about building a real cathedral, never agreeing where to put it or perhaps hoping the Church of Ireland will give them their old one back. Besides, St. Mary’s was built grand enough to serve the purpose.

Inside St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral

By the way, St. Mary’s Church should not be confused with the other St. Mary’s Church, which is Church of Ireland. The Catholics after being forced out of their original medieval churches, refused to give up the old names and would bestow it upon their new churches. And when the Protestants build a new church to replace a crumbling one, they also keep the original name. So any time you ask the whereabouts of a particular church, you must add the denomination or you will be sent on a wild goose chase.

Is it any wonder the new Celtic Church was formed 100 years later to replace the two churches who had betrayed the Irish at one time or another? It was a revival of the original Christian Church that had been created on this island. It was a faith where there were no Protestants or Catholics and therefore no axe to grind. It eventually caught on.

The Orange and the Green
I think this song sums up the deboggle of Protestants and Catholics.