St. Kevin Feast Day ~ June 3rd

St. Kevin is an Irish saint who was known as the founder and first abbot of Glendalough monastery in Co. Wicklow, Ireland. - Glendalough is a valley formed by a glacier.

This monastery at Glendalough was to become the first of several others. Glendalough, or the Glen of two Lakes (Gleann dá Loch), is one of the most important sites of monastic ruins in Ireland. It is also known as the city of the seven Churches.

At Kevin’s birth in 498 at the Fort of the White Fountain, he was given the name of Coemgen/Caoimhín (Kevin) He is the first person in history to carry that name.

It is also said that he was the fulfilment of the prophecy of St It is also said that he was the fulfilment of the prophecy of St. Patrick - that he was the one to come who would evangelise the region of Ireland just south of Dublin. He was baptised by St. Cronán.

From the age of seven, he was educated by St From the age of seven, he was educated by St. Petroc of Cornwall and he lived with monks until he was 12. Called to the monastic life, he studied for the priesthood. Once Kevin was ordained he founded a monastery in the Lower Valley where two rivers meet.

A round tower, seven churches, two High Crosses, a priest’s house and graveyard are what remains of this famous monastic site. Round towers served as beacons/landmarks to guide pilgrims from afar, bell towers, storehouses, lookouts, and places of refuge in times of attack. It is still in near perfect condition even though it is almost 1,000 years old.

St. Kevin’s Bed After a while Kevin decided to become a hermit. He lived in a place now known as St. Kevin’s Bed. St. Kevin’s Bed can best be described as a man made cave cut in the rock face a short distance east of the Church of the Rock. It is very close to the edge of the mountain and it overlooks the upper lake from a height of about 10 metres.

We can assume that the cave could only have been used as a sleeping place, and would have been impossible for an adult to stand upright. It is quite likely that St. Kevin only used it as his bed, or a place for prayer or meditation. He went barefoot, wore skins, ate the nettles and herbs that came to hand, and spent his time in prayer.

St. Kevin and Animals As with many hermits, St. Kevin had a special love for birds and animals and there are many stories told about this.

St. Kevin and the birds A story is told about a blackbird which laid her egg in Kevin’s hand when his arms were outstretched in prayer. The saint remained in this position until the baby bird hatched. St. Kevin is the patron saint of blackbirds. “To labour and not to seek reward,' he prays, A prayer his body makes entirely For he has forgotten self, forgotten bird And on the riverbank forgotten the river's name.” (from Seamus Heaney’s “St Kevin and the Blackbird”)

St. Kevin died in 618 of natural causes and he was canonised in 1903 St. Kevin died in 618 of natural causes and he was canonised in 1903. His feast day is celebrated in Ireland on June 3rd.

Glendalough