Rock of Cashel

We left Kilkenny on Wednesday and headed West. Our first stop is the crown jewel of ruins, the Rock of Cashel.

This site was originally a fortress on a hill that changed hands from clan to clan depending on the current ruler of the day. However, in about 1100 a particularly clever clan ruler decided that if he gave the ground to the church, it would never be taken from him. From there the actual cathedral was built from local (11 miles away) limestone quarry.

The "rock" sits on a hill overlooking a lush green valley of farms below. Its location is ideal for spotting danger, although attacks on the castle were rare. The combination of Roman, Gothic and Celtic design makes it an interesting place to visit. The sheer magnitude of size of the place is overwhelming and certainly reminds us of the effort put into building this house of worship.

The rock is reportedly where St. Patrick baptized King Aengus. The story goes that St. Patrick was so nervous about the ceremony that he accidentally stabbed King Aengus in the foot. Thinking that the stab was a part of the religious ceremony (symbolizing the required pain for becoming a Christian), Aengus said nothing until the service was over. A cross was erected to St. Patrick in honor of this event but it was so well loved  (i.e. locals would touch and rub it believing it held healing powers) that all that is left is a lumpy bump.

The sun was shining as we explored the rock, making our visit even more enjoyable. Thankfully we arrived early and left just as the site was getting overrun with buses.