Description
The Abbey was founded in 1148 by Dermot McMurrough. Dermot McMurrough brought Cistercian monks from Mellifont. It was established for the Cistercians which was called “The Valley of Salvation”. In 1228 the records show that there were 36 monks and 50 lay brothers living in the abbey. In the early 16th Century Baltinglass abbey was one the richest abbeys in Ireland until the the reformation by Henry VIII which saw the dissolution of the order.
Fragments of the church and traces of the cloister still stand to this day. The church consisted of the nave with aisles, chancel and two tapestries.
The three windows on the west side are from the 12th Century, but the three east windows and the tower are 19th century. Where the south aisle joins the cloister is a 12th century doorway. During excavations in 1931 revealed a north door to the aisle, parts of the original cloister (which has been restored) and an early tower which blocked the eastern two thirds of the transept arches. The decorative stonework at the abbey shows a very interesting combination of Cistercian and Irish Romanesque architecture.
Martin Blake was born in Belfast in 1959 and moved to Dublin in 1981. He has been involved with visual arts and photography since the 80s. When settling in the Wicklow Mountains in 1989, he became obsessed with capturing the ever changing landscape. His love for still photography evolved into digital movie making. With over 30 years experience in business, promoting art and photography Martin is well placed to employ these skills to promote Bailey & Blake’s client needs through a variety of media for their best outcome. Martin also runs a dedicated Facebook page called West Wicklow Photography. He is delighted to participate with so many talented photographers at Súleir, bringing you printed images relating to Ireland. Martin quotes “Personally, I am thrilled to see my images in a printed physical form. It is my hope that you do too”.
