.oratory.

gallarus oratory

dingle peninsula

ireland

february 2011

Gallarus Oratory was built between the seventh and eight century 

and is the best preserved early christian church in ireland. 

It represents the apogee of dry-stone corbelling, 

using techniques first developed by neolithic tomb-makers. 

The stones were layed at a slight angle, 

lower on the outside then the inside to allow water to run off.

according to local legend, if a person climbs out of the oratory via the window, 

their soul will be cleansed. this is, however, physically impossible, 

because the window is approximately 18cm in length and 12cm in width.

+.peace.love.impossible?