The Rock of Cashel, also known as Cashel of the Kings, and St. Patrick's Rock sits on a hill overlooking the rolling plains of Tipperary. The Rock was handed over to the Church in 1101 by Murtagh O'Brien.
This is the remnants of St. Patrick's cross. He baptized King Aengus at the Rock of Cashel around 450AD. Legend has it that St. Patrick accidently speared the foot of the king during the ceremony! The pagan king held his tongue, thinking it was part of the painful process of becoming a Christian! Needless to say, not many other converst stepped forward that day.
The alter of the church used to be along this wall
The oldest and tallest part of the Rock is the round tower.
A waiting list for this graveyard was established in 1930! Plots can be passed down thru ancestors. Only a handful of plots still remain.
Lots of beautiful Celtic crosses dot this graveyard. It is believed that St. Patrick combined the Christian symbol of a cross with the sun cross to give pagan followers an idea of the importance of the cross. Linking the life of the sun, and Christ's supremacy over the sun!
Welcome to Cahir, built in the 13th century and one of the largest castles in Ireland. It is nestled on an island next to the river Suir.
Barryscourt Castle was built in the 16th century. We weren't able to tour the inside because it is currently closed for some restoration work. However, it has a beautiful garden area and a small apple orchard.
Gate leading to the apple orchard
Loads of different types of apples, unfortunately we were discouraged from picking them.
We had this adorable cabin all to ourselves in Cobh. It had a little garden the kids could play in, and was just a 10 minute walk from a park and the ocean.
We took advantage of the kitchen and the opportunity to save on a meal and cooked dinner!
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