The Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland

"The Rock of Cashel, is one of Ireland's most spectacular landmarks, rising above the surrounding plain and dominating the land route southward. The word "cashel" is derived from the Gaelic word "caiseal," which means fortress.



The large Cathedral, ancient round tower and the very early Romanesque Cormac's Chapel, perched on a dramatic outcrop of rock, were silent witnesses to many of the stirring events of Irish History; St.Patrick converted the local King Aenghus, here in the 5th century; Brian Boru was crowned King of Ireland on this spot in the early 11th Century.


According to legend, during the baptism of King Aenghus, St. Patrick plucked a 3 leaf shamrock to explain the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and so gave Christian Ireland a powerful new emblem that is still associated with Ireland today.


My husband and I standing in front of "St Patrick's Cross" in the Rock Of Cashel churchyard. The Rock of Cashel is also known as "St. Patrick's Rock."

The largest structure on the rock is the remains of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Built in the 13th century, the cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1495. The building was later restored. However, when Cromwell’s forces overwhelmed Ireland, Cashel Rock was destroyed once more. Hundreds of people were said to have sought refuge from the British soldiers within the cathedral walls and were burned to death when Cromwell’s men set fire to the building.

At one time it was possible to climb up the steps to the top of this tower, and my brother and I did that on my first visit to Ireland 35 years ago, but unfortunately, it is considered too fragile to allow that now. Even so, the view from the Rock of Cashel grounds is stunningly beautiful as you look out over the verdant plains and hills of Tipperary.


The Vicar's Choral on the rock has been restored and the site, one of the most visited in Ireland, now provides a multilingual interpretive center, an interesting museum, and guided tours.


We hope you found this visit to The Rock of Cashel interesting. The next blog visit will be in Dublin.