Day 5 Cashel

Royal and saintly Cashel! I would gaze
Upon the wreck of thy departed powers,
Not in the dewy light of matin hours,
Nor the meridian pomp of summer's blaze,
But at the close of dim autumnal days,
When the sun's parting glance, through slanting showers,
Sheds o'er thy rock-throned battlements and towers
Such awful gleams as brighten o'er Decay's
Prophetic cheek. At such a time, methinks,
There breathes from thy lone courts and voiceless aisles
A melancholy moral, such as sinks
On the lone traveller's heart, amid the piles
Of vast Persepolis on her mountain stand,
Or Thebes half buried in the desert sand.

~The Rock of Cashel,  Aubrey De Vere

We are heading through the eastern side of Co. Tipperary to Cashel. I post the map as a compliment to the Irish. The roads are better. Signage is better. Maps are better. Travel on this trip was much much easier. (I am sure it was done for us.)

So often we saw pine forests - a crop. The trees are uniform, planted in rows, and harvested about every 20 years. I guess I have seen two generations of these forests since I first saw Ireland.

The empty road reminded us we were already on our way home. Our last two stops, Cashel and Cahir are places we have visited before. Cashel would be a short stop, while we planned to be in Cahir for two days.

The Rock of Cashel is so high above the surrounding countryside one can see it from a distance. We came in hopes to see it once again without scaffolding. But that was not to be. [Clear in '77 and '97. Not in '07 and '16.]*

Hore Abbey below.**

We know this is one of the most visited sites in Ireland. It is summer and people are on holiday. But we stopped anyway, planning a fast trip. We were more than a little overwhelmed by the crowds. The only reason we were on the rock and in town as long as we were was waiting for people to move (so we could get a clear photo) and waiting to be served our lunch.

We were successful with the photos, but not with lunch. ***

On my first visit here I was almost entirely alone. I think there was an elderly man working the gate. I had the run of the place. And nothing was blocked/nothing locked. I climbed up into the walls and walked along through passages. It was thrilling and only a little frightening. I was surprised when I brought the children in 1997 to find things were locked. We have found the same changes everywhere we travel.****

Arched vault. The scaffolding is a reminder that conservation is an ongoing process (even if it spoils the photos).

I can imagine statues in the alcoves and prayers chanted.

Driver, W. Ryan, Royal Field Artillery, 22nd July 1919, aged 47. Since seeing the first of these on this trip (in Nenagh) my eye seems drawn to them. This is another to research.

Weather and lichens are doing their work on the headstones in the cemetery.

This photo was taken by our youngest child in January, 1997. It was in a "throw-away" camera. We didn't find it and develop it until she left for college in 2004 ("Mom, I just found this camera. I don't know what's on it."). We think this accounts for the odd filmy color.

 I was to show the birds in flight. This is not the cross pictured above, but it is the same general view YC captured (hedges and fields match).

Sacred to the Memory of

Owen Davern, M.C.C., 

[maybe Member County Council?]

Ballydine, Cashel

Who died on October 24^th 1929

Aged 58 years

This monument was erected

By his many friends in recognition of his

Inestimable services to the ratepayers

In general and the poor in particular

During thirty years Membership

Of Tipperary South Riding County Council

And Subsidiary Bodies

[Something in Irish – my best guess: “God rest his soul” or “May God have mercy on his soul”]

A statue of Our Lady and a Celtic cross.

Replica of St. Patrick's cross. The original is safeguarded in the museum on site.

Locked.

Still beautiful.

A Panorama from the top of the rock.

Looking down on Hore Abbey

Can you see there were hollow walls in places. As I recall there were stairs in the corners.

In Loving Memory

Of Our Dear Mother,

Julia Comerford,

Died 1 November 1927

Aged 48

Nora Comerford
Died 10^th April, 1962

Aged 64

The other stone in the foreground: 

In loving Memory Of

Anne Keane

Died 24^th Jan 1989 Aged 69 years

Her Husband Paddy Keane

Died 7^th May 1975, aged 76 Years

Their son William (Billy) Keane

Died 5^th Dec. 1971 aged 47 Years

Their Daughter Nancy Keane

[cut off by photo]

I believe this is the first round tower I saw in Ireland. I do not believe I have ever been up in one. There are supposed to be two you can climb (in Kilkenny and Kildare). When we were in Kilkenny in 1997 we could not climb up as it was raining and too dangerous.

One doesn't mention Cromwell in Cashel. Like many other places in Ireland, Cromwellian troops killed many here - men, women, and children. [Links below can take you to the story. It's not pretty.]

I know we walked down to the priory ruins in town, but it was locked. We opted to leave the crowds and move on. Our time in Ireland was growing short and we knew there were things to do in Cahir, our next stop.


NOTES:

* Cashel Town - http://cashel.ie/
   Rock of Cashel - http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/south-east/rockofcashel/
   Legend and lore - http://www.obrienclan.com/seanchas-old-lore-blog/the-rock-of-cashel
   Also - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_of_Cashel
   And I love this one about "Thin Places" - http://www.thinplace.net/2008/05/rock-of-cashel.html

**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hore_Abbey

***We are not normally "those people." We were hungry, arrived at the cafe before it filled up, ate our soup, and then watched while people (who arrived long after we did) were served. We even gave them another 10 minutes after that before deciding it was time to move along.

****Every now and then, at one of the sites people do not visit often, one can climb and explore. I think we found the ruins at the Hill of Slane to be open in 2007. But insurers (concerned about lawsuits) have locked many gates. Darned lawyers. They ruin everything!