Irish land is rich in attractions, famous people, picturesque places. When all these 3 points merge together, you get a place that will definitely become a point of confluence of endless tourist flows.
The Rock of Cashel is a place with a complicated history. According to legend, one of the most revered Irish saints, St. Patrick, lived and was baptized here. This castle was destroyed and rebuilt, it was feared and avoided, it was considered a religious and cultural value. If you are interested in how all these opposing concepts came together, it’s worth visiting Cough, and then everything will fall into place.
History reference
In the fourth century BC, one of the Eoganakht family, Conall Cork, built a stone structure, which for many centuries became a representation of the ruling persons. In 450, St. Patrick settled in this residence, who was baptized here, lived and preached. 15 years later, the castle was captured by Brian Bor, who subsequently passed the coronation ceremony in Cashel.
At the beginning of the 12th century, the king decided to give Cashel as a gift to the church authorities, and from that time on, the castle became a powerful religious and educational center of Ireland. After some time, it became the residence of the bishops, the construction of the main one, the cathedral, began nearby.
In the middle of the 17th century, Ireland was swept by an era of wars and battles, which also did not pass Cashel: thousands of clergymen were killed, the castle was destroyed, the relics stored in it were destroyed or stolen. Cromwell’s army burned the people who sought shelter in a castle or cathedral alive. After these tragic events, the castle-rock became the personification of the cruelty of the British and the courage of the Irish.
In 1975, the castle was included in the list of European architectural heritage. Thanks to this, funds were found for the complete restoration of the object, after which it reopened its gates - not only as a fortress, but as a cultural object.
Architecture
Of the entire castle and cathedral complex, the best preserved Cormac chapel, built in 1127 by Cormac Macartney with the assistance of King Desmond and Bishop Cash. The height of the chapel is 92 feet, with its top offering a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains and plains. The facade of the chapel is decorated with skillful details, arches, cornices with animal reliefs. During the restoration, 16th-century murals and a carved sarcophagus, which was recognized as the tomb of Cormac, were discovered inside the chapel.
The complex Cashel includes:
- Clerk Hall
- Abbey of Horus
- Museum of artifacts of the castle-rock of Cashel
- The ruins of the Dominican male temple, built in the XIII century.
Interesting Facts
- In 2008, the computer game Nancy Drew "Ghost of Malloy’s Castle”, which takes place in the Castle of Cashel
- There is a legend about the origin of the rock: when St. Patrick lived in the castle, he performed the rite of baptism over King Eogan, who became the first ruler of Ireland to be baptized into Christianity. At that time, the devil flew over the country and tried to prevent baptism. Out of anger, he scooped up a mouthful of ice water and created the Rock of Cough, so the mountain gap is named Bite.
- In Ireland, a coin of 20 € was issued, which shows the Castle of Cashel.
The object belongs to castles.
