Annual Parish Walk

Our Annual Parish Walk this year will take place on Saturday 21st August, and will travel from Graigunamanagh to St Mullins in Co Carlow.

St. Mullins is one of the county’s important archaeological sites containing aspects of both religious and secular history. It is very much a place of tradition with both the graveyard and holy well still in use. It is located in the scenic surroundings of the very south of the county with the River Barrow forming the county boundary with the Blackstairs Mountains overlooking it on the east and Mount Brandon on the west.

The place name in Irish, Tighe Moling, the House of Moling, Saint Mullins is the location of a monastic site built by St. Moling. St. Moling was born in 614 A.D. a prince, and during his lifetime he became a poet, artist and craftsman, as well as a priest. Under the patronage of Mae doc (Aidan) of Ferns he built his monastery in St. Mullins in the 7th century. He dug a mile long watercourse with his own hands to power his mill, a task which took seven years. He was made Archbishop of Ferns in 691. During his lifetime many miracles were attributed to him. He died in 696 and is buried in St. Mullins.

The Monastic Ruins, which all post date the lifetime of St. Moling show that his monastic settlement continued for many centuries and with the construction of the Church of Ireland Church in 1811 the site continued to be a place of regular worship right up to recent times. There are the remains of three churches on the site including the Tempall Mor, the great Church and it is reputed to contain the grave of St. Moling. The remains of some domestic buildings and the base of a round tower complete the main structures. The site also has the cross section of ninth century granite High Cross which depicts the Crucifixion.

On the Patron’s Day people visit St. Moling’s Well, which is a short distance from the main site. Here people look for and seek cures to a variety of diseases including blindness.

We look forward to a great day out, learning a little about the history of our own Diocese and enjoying and appreciating the wonders of God’s creation in our environment!