A return to Innisfallen

After the heat of yesterday where temps hit a whopping 29 degrees here in Kerry we decided to take a nice leisurely paddle last evening out to the wonderful Innisfallen Island on the beautiful Loch Lein....

Innisfallen or Inishfallen (from Irish: Inis Faithlinn, meaning "Faithlinn's island") is an island in Lough Leane; one of the three Lakes of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland. It is home to the ruins of Innisfallen Abbey, one of the most impressive archaeological remains dating from the early Christian period found in the Killarney National Park.

 

The monastery was founded in 640 by St. Finian the Leper, and was occupied for approximately 850 years. Over a period of about 300 of these, the monks wrote the Annals of Innisfallen, which chronicle the early history of Ireland as it was known to the monks. The monks were dispossessed of the abbey on August 18, 1594, by Elizabeth I.

The location of the monastery on the island is thought to have given rise to the name Lough Leane (Irish Loch Léin), which in English means "Lake of Learning". According to tradition the Irish High King Brian Boru received his education at Innisfallen under Maelsuthain O'Carroll.^[2] Maelsuthain has been credited as the possible originator of the Annals.

 
There wasn't a ripple on the water as we left from the O'Donogue stronghold of Ross Castle and took a relaxing gentle stroll around the Island and 13th century ruins before calmly kayaking back by sunset....good for the mind,body and soul I tell ya!!! I can see why the monks set up camp here all those centurys ago...
Ireland is simply stunning....it truly is....

We are all very quick to slate this country of ours at times and yes we have our fair share of woes...but on days and evenings like these the grit and grind is quickly forgotten and fades into much smaller significance....Life is good, appreciate each and every day...things could always be worse.