Inside the Gallarus Oratory

The Gallarus Oratory is yet another stone structure here in county Kerry. It is pretty amazing how these structures have been preserved that well here. I purchased tickets to see the oratory, after some confusing over where the oratory actually is, I finally was on my way to see it. There is a path from the visitor center to get to the oratory itself. It is a short distance from the visitor center but far enough for people not to be able to see it from afar. After all, you need to create a demand for your asset if you intend to make money off ticket sales.

The Gallrus Oratory is probably one of the best preserved stone structures that I have seen here. It has features reminiscent of the beehive shape structures which are common here. The corbelling of stones to create the structure itself. What makes this one different was it wasn’t exactly a beehive shape. It is described as an inverted boat shape. There is a clear line which makes the roof but the benefits of corbelling still remain, that is its ability to keep out rain. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the inside of the oratory wasn’t that interesting. It was too dark to see anything. Perhaps it is made worse by the fact that it is very bright outside. After my eyes adjusted, there really wasn’t anything to see here but to admire the stonework here. It is not really clear what the purpose of this structure was but it is proposed to be a chapel for the family which set it up.

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