Rock of Cashel
Perched above the County Tipperary plain, the Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of Munster's kings from at least the 4th century. In 1101 it was gifted to the Church, and most surviving structures date from the 12th–13th centuries: a round tower (~1100), Cormac's Chapel (consecrated 1134, commissioned by King Cormac Mac Carthaigh with Germanic craftsmen from Regensburg), and an aisleless cathedral (1235–1270). In 1647 Parliamentary troops under Murrough O'Brien sacked the site, massacring Confederate troops and clergy. In the 1730s Archbishop Arthur Price stripped the cathedral roof.
Cormac's Chapel contains Ireland's only surviving Romanesque frescoes, now protected by a dehumidification system. Open to visitors via Heritage Ireland.
Visitor information
- Location
- Ireland
- Country
- Ireland
- Tier
- B (Great castles)
- Coordinates
- 52.52, -7.89
- Official site
- http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/south-east/rockofcashel/
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Rock of Cashel?
- Rock of Cashel is in Ireland, Ireland (approximately 52.52, -7.89).
- Can you visit Rock of Cashel?
- Yes — Rock of Cashel is open to visitors; see the official site at http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/south-east/rockofcashel/ for hours and tickets.
- What tier is Rock of Cashel on the Castle Atlas?
- Rock of Cashel is rated B tier on the Castle Atlas — Great castles.
- What can you see at Rock of Cashel?
- Perched above the County Tipperary plain, the Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of Munster's kings from at least the 4th century. In 1101 it was gifted to the Church, and most surviving structures date from the 12th–13th centuries: a round tower (~1100), Cormac's Chapel (consecrated 1134, commissioned by King Cormac Mac Carthaigh with Germanic craftsmen from Regensburg), and an aisleless cathedral (1235–1270). In 1647 Parliamentary troops under Murrough O'Brien sacked the site, massacring Confederate troops and clergy. In the 1730s Archbishop Arthur Price stripped the cathedral roof.