The Rock of Cashel (Irish: Carraig Phádraig ), also known as Cashel of the Kings and St. Patrick’s Rock, is a historic site located at Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland.

History

According to local mythology, the Rock of Cashel originated in the Devil’s Bit, a mountain 20 miles (30 km) north of Cashel when Patrick banished Satan from a cave, resulting in Rock landing in Cashel. [1] Cashel is known to be the site of the conversion of the king of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century.

Rock of Cashel was the traditional seat of the kings of Munster for several hundred years before the Norman invasion. In 1101, King of Munster, Muirchertach Ua Briain, donated his fortress on the Rock Church. The picturesque complex has a character of its own and is one of the most remarkable collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture to be found anywhere in Europe. [2] Some remnants of the early structures survive; the majority of buildings on the current site are from the 12th and 13th centuries.

Building on the Rock

The oldest and longest of the buildings are well-preserved round tower (28 meters or 90 feet), dating from c.1100. Its entrance is (3.7 m) 12 feet from the ground, is needed because of a slab (about 3 feet) typical of round towers.The tower was built using stone approach. Modern conservationists have filled in a part of the tower with the use of safety.

Cormac’s Chapel, the Chapel of King Cormac Mac Carthaigh, started in 1127 and opened in 1134. [2] It is a very sophisticated structure, unlike most Irish Romanesque churches, which are usually simple in plan with isolated decorated features. The Irish Abbot of Regensburg, Regensburg Dirmicius, sent two of his carpenters to assist in the work and the twin towers on either side of the intersection of the nave and chancel are strongly suggestive of their Germanic influence, because this function is otherwise unknown in Ireland. Other notable features of the building include interior and exterior arcading, entunn vaulted ceilings, a carved tympanum over two doorways, the magnificent northern door and the chancel arch. It contains one of the best preserved Irish frescos from that period. The chapel was built mainly of sandstone which have become waterlogged over the centuries, significantly damage the inner fresker.Restaurering and conservation required chapel be completely enclosed in a rain-proof structure with dehumifiers to wipe out the stone.

Cathedral, built between 1235 and 1270, is an aisleless construction of cross plan, having a central tower and terminating west in a massive residential palace. The Hall of the Vicars Choral was built in the 15th century. The vicars choral were laymen (sometimes minor Canon) have been appointed to assist in chanting the cathedral services. At Cashel there were originally eight vicars choral works with his own seal. This later reduced to five honorary vicars choral singing that appointed men as deputies, a practice that continued until 1836. The restoration of the Hall were made by the Office of Public Works as a project in the context of the European architectural heritage year 1975. Through the visitors now come enter the site. [1]

1647, during the Irish League of war, was sacked by the English Cashel Honourable troops under Murrough O’Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin. The Irish League of troops which massacred, who was Roman Catholic priests, including Theobald Stapleton. Inchiquin’s troops looted or destroyed many important religious artifacts. [2]

1749 Main cathedral ceiling removed by Arthur Price, the Anglican Archbishop of Cashel. [1] Today, what remains of the Rock of Cashel has become a turistattraktion.Pris decision to remove the roof of what had been the jewel among the Irish church buildings was criticized before, and for. [3]

Queen Elizabeth II visited the Rock of Cashel during his 2011 visit to Ireland.[4]

other features

The entire plateau buildings and graveyard lie walls. The grounds surrounding the buildings an extensive cemetery contains a number of high crosses. Scully Cross, one of the largest and most famous high crosses here, originally built in 1867 to celebrate the Scully family, was destroyed in 1976 when lightning struck a metal rod that ran the length of the cross. The remains of the upper part of the cross is now at the base of the cross next to the rock wall.

funerals

  • Malcolm Hamilton (archbishop)

See also

  • Eóganachta
  • Kings of Munster
  • Kings of Desmond
  • The synod in Cashel
  • Hore Abbey

References

  1. ^ Jump up to: abc . Seymour, John (1907) Minutes of the past. 6 . Records of the Past Exploration Society. pp. 259-263.
  2. ^ Jump up to: abc Howitt, William. (1864) ruined abbeys and castles in the UK. 2 . AW Bennett. pp. 159-161.
  3. Jump up ^ Rev. John Healy, LL.D (Anglican rector of Kells and The Canon of St. Patrick’s, Dublin) history of the Diocese of Meath: Vol. II.(Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1908), p. ’93.
  4. Jump up ^ “The Queen in Ireland: day four as it happened,” The Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/queen-elizabeth-II/8517953/The-Queen-in-Ireland-day-four-as-it-happened.html