Built in the 12th century, St. Kevin's Church is nicknamed St. Kevin's Kitchen, for it features a steep stone roof and a miniature round tower/belfry that resembles a chimney.
The small stone structure on the right is the Sacristy, which was used to store vestments and church vessels.
Thanks to its roof constructed entirely out of solid stone rather than wood, it survived all the arsons in the English military raids.
The true end for the monks came in the 1530s and 1540s during the Protestant Reformation under King Henry VIII.
The English Crown officially banned Catholic monastic orders, seized all church lands, and actively forced the remaining monks out of their sanctuaries.
Some monks officially renounced their vows to blend into the secular population, some quietly hid in the local villages. Some fled to mainland Europe.
However, Glendalough Monastic Site never lost its spiritual legacy—it transformed into one of Ireland's most famous historic places of pilgrimage.
It draws thousands of visitors to the valley every June 3rd to celebrate St. Kevin's Day.
(This is the last image of this gallery of Ireland. Thank you very much for your visits and comments.)