Early Christian Architecture C5th

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Early Christian Architecture C5th. - C7th. Cont.

Reask :- This is another example of a MONASTIC site on the Dingle Peninsula ,in Co. Kerry. The ENCLOSING Dry stone wall has a series of DOUBLE CLOCHÁS situated at the four cardinal points / corners, of the site. As you can see not much remains of the Clocháns today as they would have been ROBBED OUT in earlier times to be used in the construction of farmers houses and indeed the DRY stone walls for which the West of Ireland is now famous. As we have seen the BEEHIVE HUTS were used as both the living quarters of the Monks and as B+B lodgings for visitors who may be on a Pilgrimage. Reask is also unusual in that the whole site does not have any STRAIGHT lines, i.e. all corners are ROUNDED, as are the enclosing walls which are CURVED, reminding one of a snake. The remains of a "snaking " wall can be seen cutting the interior almost in two the purpose of which no one is quiet sure.

As you walk around the site you will come across an unusual feature in the furthest corner. A stone lined man made hole which can accommodate one person at a time and with a small " exit " to the rear which could have served a number of functions. The most obvious of these is that it was used as an escape route out of the site in case of an attack. The monks could then covertly reach the safety of another monastic site within easy reach and at the same time raise the alarm of impending danger. Food could also have been cooked much as it always had been i.e. a FULLOCHT FIA. The Fullocht Fia was a hole dug into the ground and lined with stone, ( in the Bronze and Iron Ages ). This was then filled with water. Heated Stones were put into the Fullocht Fia which contained the wrapped ( in Straw ) meat and VEG?. As the water heated and BOILED, your food was cooked so you could say that the idea of the PRESSURE COOKER is not that MODERN. Similar methods of cooking can be found as far away as HAWAII. The third use that this could have been put to was as a BATH, i.e. filled with heated stones and water. The blocked up " escape hatch " would have allowed the emptying of the used water ready for its next outing.

To the left of the entrance you can see the remains of the ORATORY/ Small CHURCH used by the monks for prayer and Mass. This may have been a GALLARUS type, ( coming up next ) , i.e. without GABLE ends. The method of Construction is of DRY STONE and it is built into the enclosing wall. The doorway would have had the traditional SLOPING JAMBS and the ALIGNMENT is the usual SOUTH and EAST, ( the ALTAR being on the EASTERN side. Cross inscribed slabs can be seen near the entrance to the ORATORY, ( COPTIC in style - again this will be dealt with later ), and one of the IRISH influenced Decorative slabs can also be seen within the enclosure.