Rock of Cashel

So far, this was one of the toughest blogs to write, words are not coming easy to me. Not because of the location, it’s great, but because of my own viewpoint. Possibly, I’m transitioning between being a tourist in Ireland to becoming an inhabitant of Ireland.  We’ve seen so many ruins, I’ve learned so much history and discovered so many stories. History repeats itself among these ruins and the stories seem to be blending into one another for me – thus making my blog tedious. Yet, this location seems particularly difficult for me.  The Rock of Cashel is a wonderful location filled with lots of real and mythological history. It’s perfect for getting all your boxes checked when visiting Ireland and wanting to see ruins, an old castle or abbey, some marvelous vistas and of course very picturesque.  I don’t mean to belittle the location, because it is all that and I’m glad we visited it. But when you must pay to enter, it’s a sure sign that not all is golden – but staged for storytelling. 

So here is some history on the Rock of Cashel. 

For over 400 years it equaled the Hill of Tara as the center of power in Ireland. It was the residence of the kings of Munster, until the Norman invasion. In the 11th century King Muircheartach O’Brien gave the Rock to the Church, a decade or so later an archbishop moved in. There are numerous buildings on the hill, some dating back to the 9th century, some survived – others did not.  King Cormac’s Chapel was one of those that survived and according to the storytellers, the main attraction.  It’s beautifully carved doorways and colorful wall paintings are all wonderfully preserved.

One of the first things the Christian’s did when they moved in was build a Round Tower. Not the tallest in Ireland (we’ve seen that at Kilmacduagh Abbey) but is still impressive at 90 feet with the entrance door about 12 feet off the ground.  The main cathedral was built in the 12th century just about the same time the town of Cashel was founded.  The cathedral was used for worship until the mid-17th century.  It’s an impressive location with lots of wonderful Irish high-crosses throughout on numerous graves. Even more impressive are the many carvings still visible after 800 years.

Down the hill from the Rock is the Hore Abbey, founded in 1266 by ‘independent’ Benedictine monks. However, in 1272, the Archbishop dreamt that the monks were going to kill him, so he gave the abbey to Monks from the Mellifont Abbey; a Cistercian order. I don’t know what happened to the Benedictine Monks after they were kicked out. The Archbishop also gave the Cistercian monks private land, other buildings and working mills. Most of the abbey was built in the 13th century, with many structural changes taking place over the years, but it never prospered, and all property was given to James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond in the 15th Century.

Please be sure to look at the pictures, they are the best reflection my experiences.

PHOTO ALBUM