Easter Monday was a lovely, sunny day so, having spent the beginning of the weekend visiting the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin and then watering and gardening I took off west and north and into the Wicklow mountains to blow the dust off the bike. Off the N81 I headed east up the Wicklow Gap road that leads to Laragh and Glendalough at the village of Hollywood. Not quite the mirror of its USA namesake, this small village has a population of just 100. The Irish name on the sign, which bears no similarity to the name Hollywood means ‘Kevin’s small church’. St Kevin of Glendalough is celebrated by the walk up the beautiful valley over the Wicklow Gap – a 30km pilgrimage walk, following the steps of St Kevin in the 6th century. I had always missed Hollywood in the past because I tend to take the road north through the Poulaphouca reservoir which was built 50 years ago.

The Wicklow gap

The name Hollywood may be derived from a ‘holly wood’ or ‘holy wood’.

I have discovered that Laragh is a bike meet – conveniently close to Dublin – but mostly in the morning and I tend to go in the afternoon – I must get up earlier.

Hollywood, laragh bike meet, Poulaphouca reservoir, St Kevin, suzuki gsxr 1000