Cashel Caiseal Mumhan

Cashel (Caiseal Mumhan, "Stone Fort of Munster") lies in southern Ireland on the N8. On all the roads which converge on Cashel over the plain the famous Rock of Cashel is a prominent landmark: a steep-sided crag to the north of the town, crowned by a magnificent group of ruins. These fine monuments of Ireland's past make Cashel one of the country's most-visited sites.

Picture - Rock of Cashel, a hill top monastery.

Picture - Irish traditional musicians and dancers.

View a slideshow of Cashel Pictures

The rock was fortified by the kings of Munster as early as the fourth century. In 450 St Patrick baptized King Aengus here and made Cashel the see of a bishop, and a number of later kings were also bishops. The celebrated Brian Boru was crowned here, and in 977 made Cashel his principal seat. An O'Brien presented the Rock to the Church, and soon afterwards, in 1127, Bishop Cormac MacCarthy began the construction of Cormac's Chapel. In 1152 the bishopric became an archbishopric. After the Reformation Elizabeth I appointed Protestant archbishops.

The Cathedral, built in the 13th century, was damaged by fire in 1495 and again in 1647. After being restored in 1686 it was abandoned in 1749 and thereafter fell into decay. Finally in 1874 it was taken over by the State and declared a National Monument.

Related Attractions

Rock of Cashel

The Rock of Cashel, high above the town of Cashel, is topped with a collection of stone buildings dating from the 12th to the 15th C. Of particular note is the Romanesque, Cormac's Chapel.

Highlights:	Cormac's Chapel	Rock of Cashel Cathedral

Brú Ború Cultural Center

Near the parking lot for the Cashel Rock the Irish organization Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Éireann, which seeks to promote Irish folk music and art, has opened the Brú Ború Cultural Center. Each year three plays are produced daily (except Sun. and Mon.) in the adjoining theater, and other events are organized. A restaurant, an exhibition room and a shop selling artistic handcrafted articles complete the complex.

Dominican Friary

Near the base of the Rock of Cashel the Dominican Friary (National Monument) preserves a number of handsome old windows.

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Cathedral of St John the Baptist

The Cathedral of St John the Baptist in John Street is a good neo-Classical building (1750-83; tower 1812) erected to replace the cathedral on the rock, then falling into disrepair. Set into a wall in the churchyard are a fine series of tomb effigies from the medieval churches of Cashel.

Bolton Library

Near the Cathedral of St John the Baptist is the Diocesan Library, with a collection of rare printed works.

The Bolton Library holds a collection of over 12,000 volumes, which range in subject from history to theology and includes "the smallest book in the world".

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Surroundings

Hore Abbey

West of Cashel is Hore Abbey (National Monument), a Cistercian house founded in 1266, with the ruins of the church and conventual buildings; the chapter house is well preserved.

Cashel Folk Village

The folk village is in 18th, 19th, and 20th C. style, consisting of well, pub, Tinker's Caravan, exhibition hall, tool and trades display, Panel Chapel and museum.

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