Harry Clarke's Stained Glass in Dingle

Harry Clarke Window - The Agony in the Garden

The Dingle Peninsula in Ireland's south west corner is a magical place. Everyone knows that. But apart from the well-known sites like Slea Head, Gallarus Oratory, the Blasket Island, bee hive huts, and Mount Brandon there are hidden jewels often undiscovered by the average traveler.

One such place is Chapel of the Sacred Heart located in the center of town in a Gothic style building next to St. Mary's Church. The building was formerly a convent for the Presentation Sisters. It is now part of the in the Díseart of Irish Spirituality and Culture, a place where students of Irish culture and spirituality can learn, grow, study and share.

The chapel is unique because it houses twelve lancet (or six two-glass) stained glass windows by the renowned Irish artist, Harry Clarke. In 1929, the Irish Statesman published an article by Irish Nationalist and mystical writer George Russell (aka AE).  In the article, Russell stated:

Harry Clarke is one of the strangest geniuses of his time ... He might have incarnated from the dark side of the moon.

So many churches in Ireland will claim one Harry Clarke window as an element to attract visitors. (And viewing one window IS worth a visit anywhere). But to have six sets all together in one spot is a feast for both eyes and spirit.

Harry Clarke Window - Gift of the Magi

The windows in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart depict six scenes from the life of Christ - Visit of the Magi, Baptism by John the Baptist, Suffer the Little Children, Sermon on the Mount, Agony in the Garden, and Christ's Appearance to Mary Magdalene.



Visitors can stop in the Visitor Centre's office at St. Mary's Chapel and ask for a guided tour. A young woman conducted a personal tour from me explaining that this was once a convent and the chapel was solely for the nuns. The sisters were the only beneficiaries of this magnificent art except for on rare occasions.

Harry Clarke Window - Let the Little Children Come to Me

A tour takes about and hour, and there are beautiful walled gardens as well as a hidden tunnel that can be explored with a guide. If you're in Dingle, ask about the Clarke windows. Anyone can direct you to St. Mary's Catholic Church. The former convent / An Diseart Visitor Centre is next door.

Calling ahead would be prudent to insure someone will be there to guide a tour.  For more complete information, contact the Díseart Institute of Irish Spirituality and Culture.

Where is Robert the Bruce's Heart?

Marker placed over the site where Robert the Bruce's heart was buried

While living, Robert the Bruce made a request that his heart be buried in the Holy Land.  He died in 1329 and was buried in Dumfernline.  Per his request, a soldier carried his heart to the Holy Land but was killed on the trip.  The heart was recovered and brought back to Scotland where Robert's son - then King David II asked that it be buried at Melrose.

The burial place of the heart was forgotten over the centuries, but rediscovered in 1996 during an archeological excavation.  The Scots reburied the heart and held a contest for the design of the marker.

The marker has an X symbolizing St. Andrew's cross that appears on the Scottish flag, and a heart through which the X weaves.  The inscription reads, "A noble heart may have nane ease, gif freedom failye." Translation- A noble heart cannot be at peace if freedom is lacking.

Newgrange - Be There on the Solstice

Newgrange Passage Tomb Entrance - Boyne Valley - Ireland

According to Mary Gibbons, Newgrange is the oldest building in the world that is completely intact. True, this 5000 year old passage tomb is ancient, but more extraordinary is its archaeological design that allows light to pass through a lintel at the entrance and pour into the tomb once a year - during the winter solstice.

Actually, light passes into the tomb at Newgrange for about 5 days surrounding the actual solstice each year, while it remains completely dark the other 360 days.

During the daylight hours throughout the year, visitors can tour Newgrange - actually go inside the tomb on a guided tour of about 20 people at a time. The tour guide turns off the lights to leave visitors in total blackness - then a slight beam of tungsten light is gradually pushed through the lintel to give the visitors a hint of what the rising sun would do on the morning of the shortest day of the year.

That alone, is worth a trip to Ireland.  But as the man-made light is flowing up the passageway, every visitor wonders .... "Wouldn't it be magnificent to be here on the actual solstice and see the sunrise for myself?"

Every year on the Solstice, the folks managing Newgrange allow 100 people to experience the solstice from inside the tomb.  People are selected by lottery.  Anyone can enter by submitting his or her name at the Bru Na Boinne Visitor Center.  If you can't do this in person, you can email the staff and ask them to enter the lottery on your behalf. 

The entrance passage at Newgrange

The drawing for the 2012 solstice will be held on September 28, 2012. Children from three local schools will choose the winning applicants and 50 winners will be notified by mid October. Each winning applicant will be allowed to bring one guest and the 100 lucky people will be assigned to attend one of the five days surrounding the winter solstice of 2012 (December 21st). The event is totally dependent on the weather, so if cloud cover obstructs the sunrise, there will be no light in the tomb.

 In 2011 there were 31,531 entries for the Winter Solstice Draw for 2011. Odds of winning are slightly better than 1 in 600. That makes the Newgrange Solstice Lottery ten times easier to win than the Maryland Match 5 Lottery (matching 5).

Newgrange Passage Tomb - Boyne Valley - Ireland

I sent my application request to the staff at the Visitor Center, and got a nice email confirmation within 24 hours from Eleanor that my name had been entered.

From: Bru Na Boinne
Date: Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:05:09 +0000
To: Mindie Burgoyne
Subject: Re: application for Winter Solstice Lottery at Newgrange 2012

Dear Mindie, Your name has been entered into the 2012 Solstice Lottery. Good Luck! Eleanor

I so hope I win.  And if I don't I'll enter every year until I die.