There’s a hidden spot on the western side of Doulus Head, County Kerry, that you could easily sail or motor past without a second glance. Like much of this rugged coastline, the jagged cliffs and seawalls don’t exactly invite closer inspection – getting too near could mean being dashed to pieces on the rocks.
So it was with a mix of surprise and apprehension that I found us heading straight toward a fissure in the rock, into shadow and then darkness. Darkness, that is, until our eyes adjusted to these unexpected surroundings.
A little way in, the rocky ceiling rose dramatically, expanding into a high, vaulted roof. We had entered the inner sanctum of what locals call ‘The Cathedral.’