Known as the "Garden of Ireland" due to its tranquil setting
and spectacular scenery, the county of Wicklow lies just south of
Dublin on Ireland’s east coast. Offering an unrivaled landscape
of mountains, glens, valleys, lakes and wondrous coastline combined
with some truly historic sites and picturesque towns and villages,
Wicklow really is quite something to behold. Whether walking through
the rugged Wicklow Mountains, with their domed granite heights and
wooded slopes; visiting the historic monastic settlement at Glendalough;
or visiting the beautiful village of Avoca, the location for the TV
series, Ballykissangel, Wicklow will entertain, delight and amaze
all at the same time.
The principal towns in County Wicklow include Bray, Wicklow Town and
Arklow, while Avoca and Blessington are also delightful places to
visit. Bray, with its seafront setting and promenade leading to the
foot of Bray Head, is a superb shopping destination and is one of
the oldest seaside resorts in the country. Wicklow boasts a fine harbour
with fantastic sandy beaches to the south and an extensive shingle
beach offering great shore angling to the north, while the fishing
town of Arklow (home to the Arklow Maritime Museum) with its Viking
heritage, is the last town before entering County Wexford. Set by
the Blessington Lakes, Blessington is a long-established, picturesque
town dating from circa 1682, while Avoca, situated at the foot of
a wooded hillside, is one of the most beautiful villages in Ireland.
Born from the copper mining industry and set alongside the Avoca River,
the town is renowned for its hand weaving looms, while the beautiful
"Meetings of the Waters" is only a few miles from the village.
Round Tower
Visitor attractions abound in Wicklow and one
of the main places of interest is Glendalough, a place of far reaching
acclaim in Irish ecclesiastical annals. It was here in the "Valley
of Two Lakes" (the Gaelic translation of Glendalough) that St.
Kevin set up his hermitage in the 6th century. Such was his reputation
as a scholar many came to join him with the result that a sizeable
monastic settlement soon developed and the remarkable number of monuments
distributed through the valley bears witness to its expansion in later
centuries. The Glendalough Visitors Centre stands at the entrance
to Glendalough Valley beside the main part of the settlement and houses
an exhibition entitled "Ireland of the Monasteries". Guided
tours of the site are well worth participating in.
Wicklow’s Historic Gaol, located in Wicklow Town is a major new
visitor attraction. There had been a Goal on this site since 1702
and it remained active until 1924. Today, the Gaol tells the story
of the thousands of prisoners that have passed through its doors.
The fascinating exhibition covers such episodes as the 1798 Rebellion,
the Great Famine and transportation to the penal colonies of Australia.
Located in Blessington, Russborough House is also worth a visit. Built
between 1740 and 1750 by Richard Cassells, with fine stucco ceilings
by the Lafranchini brothers, Russborough is one of the finest houses
in Ireland that is open to the public. The house is home to the internationally
renowned Beit Collection of paintings and is beautifully maintained
with fine displays of silver, bronze, porcelain, fine furniture and
tapestries.
Powerscourt Gardens
Two of Wicklow’s other major attractions
include Avondale House and Forest Park and Powerscourt House and Gardens.
Avondale House passed to the Parnell family in 1795 and it was here
that Charles Stewart Parnell, one of Ireland’s greatest political
leaders, was born in 1846. Parnell spent much of his time here until
his death in 1891. A major refurbishment programme has restored the
house to the décor of the 19th century, while a museum tells
the history of Parnell’s life and political endeavours. Powerscourt
House and Gardens is another real treat, offering one of the world’s
great gardens. Situated south of Dublin in the foothills of the Wicklow
Mountains, the gardens stretch out over 47 acres and comprise a sublime
blend of formal and walled gardens, sweeping terraces, ornamental
lakes, secret hollows, rambling walks and a huge variety of trees
and shrubs. The 18th century Palladian House now incorporates a terrace
café, exhibition and garden pavilion.
Other places to visit in the Wicklow area include the beautiful Mount
Usher Gardens in Ashford, laid out along the banks of the Vartry River;
the National Sea-life Centre in Bray, which features fascinating examples
of marine life from shrimps and octopus to sharks; and Avoca Handweavers
in Avoca, featuring the oldest working woolen mill in Ireland.
