the saint is described as tall and graceful in figure. he was well known as an ascetic, wore a hair shirt, never ate meat, and fasted every friday on bread and water. in contrast to this, it is said that when he entertained, his guests lacked for nothing while he drank water coloured to look like wine so as not to spoil the feast. each lent he returned to glendalough to make a forty days' retreat in st. kevin's cave on a precipice of lugduff mountain over the upper lake.