Last year I abandoned ship here (before I went completely mad) and escaped to a monastery on the Tipperary/Limerick border: Glenstal Abbey. They have a guesthouse there, with beautiful, comfortable ensuite rooms.
I am not religious, and even though the blurb says:
"The monks welcome guests who wish to stay and have some quiet time and attend the liturgies in the Abbey Church which take place several times a day. The majority of guests who visit the Abbey do so to make a private retreat which provides time for rest, reading, reflection and prayer"
no-one asked my purpose there, and I used my time to write and paint.
(I would encourage you to go to some of the ceremonies though, it's an extraordinary experience, all Gregorian chant and incense)
The peace of this place is just... blissful. The gardens are gorgeous (and this time of year, all the magnolias are in bloom!)
Breakfast is served in the guesthouse, and you can eat lunch and dinner with the monks (silent dinner) or cook for yourself in the guesthouse.
There's so much space to be if you just want to think.
There's public transport to the Abbey
It's wheelchair accessible
You pay by donation
Should you wish to find somewhere to go for time to write at whatever price you can afford, I cannot recommend this highly enough, it's glorious.
I'm going back in a couple of weeks with two other writer friends, and I can't wait.
(This is not an advertisement btw!!
)
(Oh, the ONLY negative is that there is pretty appalling internet access. Which can be a great thing, really!)
I am not religious, and even though the blurb says:
"The monks welcome guests who wish to stay and have some quiet time and attend the liturgies in the Abbey Church which take place several times a day. The majority of guests who visit the Abbey do so to make a private retreat which provides time for rest, reading, reflection and prayer"
no-one asked my purpose there, and I used my time to write and paint.
(I would encourage you to go to some of the ceremonies though, it's an extraordinary experience, all Gregorian chant and incense)
The peace of this place is just... blissful. The gardens are gorgeous (and this time of year, all the magnolias are in bloom!)
Breakfast is served in the guesthouse, and you can eat lunch and dinner with the monks (silent dinner) or cook for yourself in the guesthouse.
There's so much space to be if you just want to think.
There's public transport to the Abbey
It's wheelchair accessible
You pay by donation
Should you wish to find somewhere to go for time to write at whatever price you can afford, I cannot recommend this highly enough, it's glorious.
I'm going back in a couple of weeks with two other writer friends, and I can't wait.
(This is not an advertisement btw!!
)(Oh, the ONLY negative is that there is pretty appalling internet access. Which can be a great thing, really!)
