Rock of Cashel

Rock of Cashel

Rock of Cashel
* Cashel, Ireland *

On the Tipperary plains atop the town of Cashel sits the infamous fortress, the Rock of Cashel. Mythically it was believed to have originated in the Devil’s Bit mountain that is 30 km north of the town when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave, resulting in the Rock landing in Cashel. These are the remains of a historic royal center consistings of a 13th century Gothic Cathedral, a Romanesque chapel, a defensive round tower, Hall of Vicars Choral, a museum, and a impressive graveyard with Celtic crosses. It was once the assembly grounds for kings that was later taken over by the church. The 28 meter tall sandstone main round tower is one of the best conserved in Ireland. It is also the location where St. Patrick baptised King Aengus in the 5th century C.E. In the 4th century, the Rock was chosen as a power base by the Eoghanachta clan of Wales. After conquering most of Munster, and becoming kings of the region, St. Patrick converted their leader in the 5th century during a ceremony where St. Patrick accidentally stabbed the king in the foot with his large walking staff – the King bore the pain since he thought it was part of the ceremony. The clan lost ownership of the Rock in the 10th century to the O’Brien’s under Brian Boru. By 12th century, King Muircheartach O’Brien gave the Rock to the Church, and Cormac McCarthy built the Cormac’s Chapel in 1169 before leaving. By 1657 it fell to Cromwell’s Army under Lord Inchiquin who sacked and burnt it to the ground. By the 18th century, the Protestant church took it for 20 years, which was the last time it was used for worship. Cormac’s chapel is home to some of the most magnificent and well preserved Irish fresco’s in Ireland.