Cashel

The Rock of Cashel rises sharply above the plains of Tipperary, crowned by a cathedral, round tower and chapel. Once a seat of the kings of Munster, the rock became a great ecclesiastical centre after its gift to the church in the twelfth century. Cormac's Chapel and the Gothic cathedral stand among the buildings raised on its summit. The town below grew around this remarkable stronghold of religious authority.

In 1647, during the wars of the Irish Confederation, Parliamentarian forces under Lord Inchiquin attacked Cashel. The cathedral was sacked and many who had taken refuge on the rock were killed. The buildings survived the assault, but the violence marked a profound rupture in the history of a place long associated with the kings and archbishops of Munster.