Glendalough

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• I first got to know about Glendalough {“The Glen of the two lakes”} in the early 1960s, when I was given a few pamphlets about Wicklow  just published by James Mc Gowan from Kilmainham.  Me being his Postman, we got talking about his writing and he gave me a  gift of a few samples of his work. I was an avid reader at that time and I soon polished them off. My interest in Wicklow became a passion and I visited there every chance I got from then on. 

  I remember in 1967 my girlfriend (soon to become my wife} to Glendalough and she and I fell in love with the place. I have always regarded Wicklow as the most mystical and magical county in Ireland, but beware! it can be a very dangerous place for the unwary traveler. 

  Two of my Sons and two of my Nephews and I spent many years looking for Annie Mc Carrick, a young American girl who disappeared in March 1993 and who has never been found.    In the early days of 1795 gold was discovered in the Wicklow hills, but the rebellion of 1798 three years later  took precedence over a mere Goldrush and  the clansmen of Wicklow were too busy doing their utmost to rout the ”British Forces” out of their County.

  .    The “Battle of Micheal Dwyers Cottage” on Christmas 1798 has been well documented in song and story  when Dwyer accompanied by  the brave Tom Mc Allister and  two others in the battle at the Glen of Imaal when the British tried to capture these four fugitives.Sadly they were outnumbered by hundreds of yeomen soldiers. In their brave bid to escape all of his comrades died,only Dwyer escaped.                                                                                                          

  By James Connolly (14/07/2014)