Rock of Cashel
This year’s vacation is quickly approaching and I have yet to finish writing about last year’s whirlwind tour of Ireland. This episode finds us here at Carraig Phadraig in County Tipperary. Carraig Phadraig translates to The Rock of Cashel. It is also known as The Cashel of the Kings and St. Patrick’s Rock. After all, Cashel is known as the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century.
When we arrived it was undergoing renovation, as were many others on our trip. Here you can see the scaffolding for the masons who were repointing the joints.
We joined a tour, which I highly recommend. You get more out of your visit than just seeing another old building that is crumbling down. Most of our tour guides are also very entertaining. I could listen to their accents all day long.
The dominating feature is the round tower which is about 90 feet tall. Not bad for the construction methods of the day.
The Cathedral, built in the 1200s, is amazing, even if it doesn’t have a roof.
The masonry details are impressive. This is an example of one of the many heads carved into the walls.
The arches cause me to wonder how they built this 8oo years ago. Not to mention how it managed to stay up with all the water. Check out all that growth in the center.
The grounds surrounding the Rock of Cashel house a large cemetery, much like the other cathedrals/fortresses we’ve visited. High Crosses are a prominent feature here, just like at Clanmacnoise.
More photos can be found in the Rock of Cashel gallery.
Our next stop, Cahir Castle, will also be our last. Hope you’ve enjoyed the ride so far.