The Rock of Cashel

We were welcomed to Cashel by dreary rain and chilly air. We all put on our rain jackets and walked up the hill to the Rock of Cashel. We had been here back in 2009 and Joe and I loved this site. 

Rock of Cashel

This used to be the seat of the ancient kings of Munster (300-1100), and also where St. Patrick baptized King Aengus in about 450 when he converted. The Rock was fought over by local clans for hundreds of years. Finally, in 1101, Murtagh O'Brien gave the Rock to the Church. 

Walking up to the Rock of Cashel. In the distance you can see the old Cistercian abbey.

L eating her pretzel up the hill

the original St. Patrick's Cross

the replica St. Patrick's Cross

St. Patrick's Cross is where St. Patrick baptized King Aengus. Legend has it that St. Patrick was preoccupied with the ceremony and accidentally stuck his staff through the kings foot. But the king did not react because he thought it was part of the ceremony. This 12th century cross was carved to celebrate the handing over the Rock of Cashel 650 years after St. Patrick's visit. Because the cross was eroding fast due to the wind and rain they moved the original inside the museum and put a replica outside where it originally stood. 

We walked into a small chapel called Cormac's Chapel. This was Ireland's first Romanesque church that was consecrated in 1134 by King Cormac MacCarthy. In the 12th century it just would have been this chapel and the tall round tower standing on the Rock. King Cormac is also known as St. Cormac. He is a descendant of King Aegnus and was the first bishop of Cashel.

These are frescos from 850 years ago that did not do well in Ireland's moist climate
and were further damaged by the Protestants who whitewashed over them. 

This is what the chapel looks like with no one in it. 
I got this picture from the internet.

The front of the Chapel - round vaulted ceiling

The back of the Chapel

In the back of the chapel is an empty sarcophagus. Nobody knows for sure whose body once lay here. They think possibly the brother of King Cormac but no one knows for sure. The front is carved in the Scandinavian style. Vikings raided Ireland and intermarried with the Irish, by the time this chapel was built. 

empty sarcophagus

Look out over the Plain of Tipperary called the "Golden Vale". The rich soil
makes it Ireland's most prosperous farmland. During St. Patrick's time this was covered in oak forests. 

The graveyard still takes permanent guests but only those put on a waiting list by their
ancestors in 1930. Once the rest of those people die the graveyard will be considered full. 

This is the O'Scully family crypt that once had a 20 foot elaborately carved Irish cross.
It was destroyed in a lightening storm in 1976. 

The round tower was the first stone structure on the Rock after the Church took over in 1101.
The tower was mainly used as bell tower and lookout posts. The monks also hid their
 sacramental treasures in the tower. 

The Cathedral was built between 1230 and 1290 in a Gothic style. This church used to have a wooden roof but when Oliver Cromwell's army attacked Cashel the townspeople fled to this cathedral. The army packed turf around the cathedral on the exterior and burned the cathedral down and massacring those inside. 

this is one of the transepts of the cathedral

looking at the other transcept

Looking at the choir and nave of the cathedral

On the ground is a huge chunk of wall debris from a big storm in 1848. You can see the archbishops 
residence from the 1400s on the left top part. In the mid 1700's they abandoned the Rock for a more comfortable residence.

This is looking at the Hall of Vicars Choral from the early 1400's. This housed the clerics
appointed to sing during the cathedral services. 

MC and Mom C with the children