The Rock of Cashel is a historic site in County Tipperary that was the seat of the Kings of Munster…read morebefore becoming a religious site. It is a complex of medieval buildings on a limestone outcrop, including a 13th-century cathedral, a round tower, and a 12th-century Romanesque chapel called Cormac's Chapel. Legend states that Saint Patrick converted the King of Munster here in the 5th century, and the site is also known as St. Patrick's Rock. This description just scratches the historical surface as centuries of church, government, and colonial generations have come and gone here. As our tour bus pulled into Cashel, you really can't miss this place as it dominates the skyline. We hiked up the hill and it was damn cold and windy up there! And as we wandered through the Cathedral and around other buildings, a historical timeline unfolded with the help of our guide. It's really a spectacular sight of which my posted pictures don't really get to the heart of this place or which only shells remain.

We drove up and entered right around opening. We had to pay for parking. The only bathrooms were…read morelocated here as an FYI. The walk up was not difficult for us just at an incline. With our Heritage Card we gained free admission and did the self tour. Unfortunately the guided tour of the chapel wasn't until late morning so we could not see it due to our schedule. The chapel undergoes UV radiation as a means to conserve the remaining 12th century wall paintings. Only a limited number of people can visit per day. The original St Patrick's cross had been moved indoors for preservation but that room was under renovation so wasn't accessible. We settled for the panoramic views of the countryside which was beautiful on the sunny, clear day. The cavernous ruins were quite nice to walk around and we came across some very faint wall paintings on the wall behind the chapel. A taste of what we missed inside the chapel.

We stopped on our way back to the ship at the cathedral to see the beautiful architecture and the…read moreResurrection Angel. It was a rainy day but we could still see the outside of the cathedral. The legend of the Resurrection Angel is the ringing of the trumpets will sound an alert to the people of the imminent end of the world. I wish we had time to go inside but it was a beautiful church.

The Cathedral was designed by Willam Burges and was consecrated in 1870, also the Cathedral is…read moresituated in the centre of Cork City Ireland. It has a striking early French Gothic look to the building with three spires. It has a peel of eight bells and contains some fine carvings. The central doorway is a splendid one depicting the five wise and the five foolish virgins coming to meet the Bridegroom. Many the carvings of the cathedral were casted in plaster before being permitted by the Architect, which were then committed to stone. Architecturally i think its the finest building in the city of cork. I think the cathedral is a real gem for Cork.