A Land of Myth and Spirit

While visiting Ireland and Northern Ireland this past winter, I quickly learned that the Emerald Isle is a land of stories. It seemed that myths, legends, and literature were everywhere I looked. Not only that, Irish writers drew a lot of inspiration from the tales all around them. The connection between literature and local myths was especially prominent in the career of W.B. Yeats, who was greatly inspired by the scenery of County Sligo in the northwest corner of the Republic of Ireland. Yeats' tomb even reflects a connection between writing and myth: he is buried underneath Ben Bulben, a flat mountain that is rumored to be the burial spot of Gráinne and Diarmuid, two lovers from Irish myth.

Sites connected to myth, however, are not the only landmarks that dominate Irish scenery. Early in the history of Christianity, Ireland was a cradle of civilization. The monks that populated early Christian Ireland were responsible for preserving old Celtic folklore and blending the Celts' spiritual ideas with their own beliefs. While these early monasteries are now deserted, the buildings remain, standing as reminders of the monks' literary and artistic achievements. The remains of early Christian Ireland are at their most impressive at two sites near Dublin: Monasterboice and the breathtakingly beautiful Glendalough.

The landscape of Ireland is dotted with strange and mysterious landmarks. Some of them, like the "thin spots" between the human world and that of the fairies, are naturally occurring landmarks. Others, like Glendalough and the Stone Age tomb Newgrange, are manmade. However they got there, though, all of them have a deep connection with myth and, often, a sense of spirituality and even of magic.