Rock of Cashel

I am so happy that I was able to visit this beautiful place! The Rock of Cashel is a historic place located in Cashel, Ireland. It is said that St. Patrick converted the King of Munster on this rock. The cathedral is built on top of a bed of limestone, and there are many gravestones and burial sites around the castle. The view from the top of the rock is fabulous! I highly recommend a visit to the Rock of Cashel.

A majestic historical site – well worth the visit! The Rock of Cashel is an impressive place full of history and atmosphere. The guided tour, included in the ticket price, was excellent – our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and brought the site to life with great stories and energy. The only downside is the paid parking, which could be better organized or included in the admission. Still, a must-see if you’re in the area!

Definitely worth a visit! Intricate stonework and the architecture is stunning. It has views of a castle down below that you could walk to if you’re able.

Great historical site - highly recommend the tour and extended tour into the Chapel. Niall was the most excellent tour guide - a lot of knowledge combined with a touch of humor! Tour was about an hour. One of the top historical sites in Ireland. Might be good to purchase tickets in advance during high times as there is only one ticket window. Car park is 2€ per hour but if you’re lucky, you can find free parking on the street leading up to the car park. Highly recommend.

This was a very lovely spot! I don't know if we got lucky but there weren't that many tourists and it made going into the buildings magical! My 18 months old LOVED walking inside the building and discovering the many engravings. The views around were also amazing!

First trip to Ireland....this place was amazing. I loved that there is a cemetery on site. Most of the markers weren't very readable but the ambiance of the whole thing was remarkable. Definitely itely glad we stopped!!

This is super cool. The guide was so much fun. She explained so many things and told fun stories. Lots of mythical legends and historical details about the area.

Old castle ruins with so much history and it's beautiful to look at an explore. Did a self guided tour so took my sweet time admiring and taking pictures.

Spectacular!!!!!! The pictures and videos don't do it justice. In person it is absolutely stunning! I had no idea that this existed and I'm so glad that we made time to stop and see this on our trip. It was well worth the experience! The castle is huge! And you can walk through it. It's on a hill and overlooks a grassland. We went when it was cold and rainy. The clouds and rain just added to the vibe of the cemetery in the back. Just amazing. I almost don't have words to describe it. 10/10 experience!

Absolutely beautiful attraction to visit. It is in your best interest to pay extra fee to access areas which you normally cannot visit. Tour guide was top notch.

The most significant and well preserved historical build we encountered as we toured Ireland. The guided tour is highly recommended. Our guide was exceptionally brilliant in her knowledge. Well studied go sure. The history goes back many centuries. The grounds were beautifully kept. The park system has done an amazing job.

We drove here from Kilkenny, and even at my slow, pull over repeatedly to let the locals pass, driving pace, it took less than an hour. Pay parking is well marked, down a short way to the right of the walking path up to the ruins, and reasonably priced. While I'm usually not that interested in ruins, this was very interesting. There is still a lot of the architecture remaining and the guide did a great job telling the history of the cathedral and other structures along with describing the ongoing restoration work. We were able to get spots to go into the chapel which is actively being restored which was a bonus. There is a couple Euro up-charge for chapel entry and it was worth it. Only a fixed number are allowed in per day to prevent visitors from bringing in too much moisture and raising the humidity beyond what even the high-tech dehumidifiers can handle. They give out wristbands to identify who can go into that area with the guide. There is also a much pricier "chapel tour". I don't know what that entails, but for us the "chapel entry" was perfect. An added bonus of coming here is that the views from the top of the hill are lovely even in less than optimal weather.

Wonderful. Easy to get to, park and wander around. The castle, grounds and views are absolutely beautiful. The tour guide was really knowledgable and seemed to enjoy everyone's interest. This was one of the unforgettable stops of our trip. We were lucky to be there at the end of March, so there was no shortage of baby lambs (well, I guess a lamb is a baby) cavorting around the grounds at the bottom of the hill. We had a truly delicious lunch at a place called Bowes & Co. that was a short walk from the castle. We went back up to the castle and grounds afterward to take more pictures and enjoy the view as dusk settled. It's worth a stop here for the castle as well as the town of Cashel, especially if you enjoy hiking/walking, medieval history/ruins.

This was one of my favored ruins that we stopped to tour on our trip, and unfortunately, like so many other sites, we did not budget enough time. Tours were included with the entrance fee, but they were group tours, so you had to wait for them to start. The cathedral ceiling inside is really incredible, and it was transporting walking through the empty halls. I'd have liked to have been on the tour when they went through and discussed the tombs inside, but I missed that part. The graveyard outside was really beautifully preserved and ancient and had a great history to it. I got to catch just the beginning of a tour before we had to leave, but the history of the site, the construction, and the relationship with the nearby Hore Abbey was really neat. The quality of the presentation and knowledge of the tour guide was top-notch.I peeked in on the chapel and living quarters, which was interesting as well. Beautifully preserved and definitely worth a few solid hours of your time.

Don't waste your money!!! Looks cool from the outside and that's the extent of it. Nothing more to see on the inside save for stone structure. You definitely do not get your moneys worth. The video they show is long and not engaging at all. I honestly wouldn't even bother stopping here.

If you can join one the the tours... they are not long but are very informative. Getting into the chapel is 1st come kinda thing capped at 50 people 3x a day ( last one at 3) we had 4pm tickets ( the last time for prepaid ticket entry) and were lucky to catch a tour. It is very windy and beautiful- we weee there max an hour. No bathrooms or store etc.

For something so simple is breathtakingly beautiful. It has to be a must see, especially on the way to Blarney Castle too.

This is a great place to stop and see a beautiful cathedral and original structures. The admission price is the same if you buy online or in person. They also offer guided tours at set times throughout the day. Seeing the Rock of Cashel and the history around it was awe inspiring.

We were driving from Dublin to Cork and had to stop and see this and I am so happy we did. It is absolutely stunning and worth a stop. We did not opt to do a tour which is free I believe and we just wandered the ground.

Really enjoyed the stop here on our tour. It's amazing so much of the building is still in tact. Would definitely recommend adding it to your list of spots. There's a few places eat nearby, and free restrooms at the bottom of the hill before you go in (and of course on site once you're up there and paid through).

Rock of Cashel was gorgeous! We came in November 2021 during COVID, so there wasn't any guided tours and you couldn't go on the inside portion to see Cormac's Chapel. We also came with a tour group since we didn't want to rent a car. Parking is at the bottle of the castle, where the gift shop and restrooms are also located. There is pretty much nothing once you get up to the castle (besides the castle, of course). The castle itself was amazing, we loved that we could walk through and take a look at all the incredible medieval architecture. The round tower is absolutely breathtaking. On the outside of the buildings is the graveyard, where you can also see Scully's Cross as well as a number of other graves. Beyond the castle, you can see the gorgeous and sprawling, green landscape in the town of Cashel. The town itself was adorable, it gave off a very "small town" vibe. I loved driving through it, it was so cute. Totally worth the trip if you're visiting Ireland!

We were visiting Ireland for two weeks, and this visit was the true highlight of our trip. We got there early, before some tour buses rolled in, and sometimes had the entire hill to ourselves. We recommend listening in on the tours, including paying a bit extra for the chapel tour. On this tour I found out more about my McCarthy ancestry! The site is beautifully majestic and a true glimpse into Ireland's history. I couldn't recommend it more.

This was the first castle I visited in Ireland with my tour group. Parking is at the bottom of the castle, near the gift shop and restrooms. I grabbed a hot coffee to help with the cold, damp, cloudy day. We joined the walking tour that took us around the entire grounds and the through the chapel and cathedral. Lot's of history and interesting stories. This is the ancient site of the Kings of Munster. Seeing the 12th century St Patrick cross up close was very cool, along with the Celtic art. Queen Elizabeth visited here in 2011 so there are a lot of photos on display as well as here signature from the guest book. I enjoyed walking the grounds (even though it was cold and a little rainy) beautiful countryside views in every direction. So many high crosses throughout the graveyard, very interesting walking around seeing all the dates so far beck in history. Glad I got the chance to visit this historical site and see first hand the architecture and items on display.

Very cool place. Parking was easy. Bathrooms were right by the lot. They have a gift shop right before heading up to the grounds. It is a steep walk up but not long. A little overpriced but it was pretty cool and the view was worth it.

What a great experience! We did both the outdoor tour and the chapel tours of the Rock of Cashel. It's pronounced Ca-shel. It worth it but I would suggest the outdoor tour of the Castle 1st and then the Cormack's chapel tour. The Office of Public Works has been working on the restoration of the Chapel and it's a special place where they uncovered Frescos of Christ that were covered with lime white wash. You could tell this was a holy place. It's fascinating to me learning about the history of Ireland and how people lived back in the day. The people of Ireland have been through a lot and suffered at the hands of many. It's amazing how so many of the artifacts and buildings were destroyed based upon stupid decisions back in the day. Thank you to the Office of Public Works for restoring this beautiful site. Be sure to visit the Rock of Cashel when in Cashel.

There's so much Christian and Celtic history dating back to the 12th century that informs this must-see sight that it would be disingenuous of me simply to copy-paste passages from Wikipedia to help you appreciate it from a Yelp review. Just realize that as you drive on the wrong side - I mean the left side - of the road in the middle of Ireland, you are bound to find yourself here. Getting off the M8, you may find yourself in a tricky spot following your GPS, so the smarter thing to do is follow the tour buses because they will lead you to the large parking lot at the base of the rock. The short climb up the paved road leads you to the small entrance where you pay a reasonable €7 admission fee. You immediately come upon the Hall of the Vicars Choral built in the 15th century and then the 90-foot Round Tower next to the north transept of the cathedral (photo: http://bit.ly/2hMcih3). The remains of Cormac's Chapel are the most dominant feature on the rock as the masonry patterns and faded frescoes still provide a sense of awe as you see the birds flay among the ruins. Once you walk out of the chapel, the expanse of the Tipperary Plain beckons. An extensive graveyard with striking high crosses dominates the grounds around the buildings (photo: http://bit.ly/2iZbq5a). You can see the dramatic ruins of Hore Abbey, a Cistercian foundation of 1272, to the west (photo: http://bit.ly/2hMDbQv). It's an eternally remarkable sight.

If you visit one place in Ireland, one ruin, then it needs to be The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary. The Rock of Cashel is where it all began for Saint Patrick. Urban legend has it that Saint Patrick, after casting out a demon or two nearby, baptized old King Munster around 500 C.E. and then much later they built a castle on the spot. The tour books say, that it is "... a spectacular group of Medieval buildings set on an outcrop of limestone in the Golden Vale including the 12th century round tower, High Cross and Romanesque Chapel, 13th century Gothic cathedral, 15th century Castle and the restored Hall of the Vicars Choral. In 1647, during the Irish Confederate Wars, Cashel was sacked by English Parliamentarian troops under Murrough O'Brien. The Irish Confederate troops guarding Cashel and the local Catholic clergy were all killed by forces loyal to Crowell. Incredible history and incredible beautiful. A must see visit. Even her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II visited the Rock of Cashel during her 2011 visit to Ireland. Keep in mind, her ancestor Charles II was killed by this same Cromwell army. If you would like to know more about Cromwell in Ireland, I would highly recommend Micheál Ó Siochrú's "God's Executioner".

The Rock of Cashel also known as Stwas my first castle visit in Ireland. I didn't realize just how much I would love the history and beauty that each castle offers. Most of the buildings on this site was date from the 12th and 13th centuries when the rock was gifted to the Church. It is an ancient royal site of the kings of Munster. Two of the most famous people of Irish legend and history are associated with this castle. One being King Aengus who arrived in Cashel in AD 432 and became Ireland's first Christian ruler. (St Patrick baptized him)The second was Brian Boru who was crowned High King in 990. This castle has one of the most remarkable collections of Celtic art and medical architecture. The oldest and tallest of the castle is a round tower about 90 feet tall. Scully's Cross is one of the most famous high crosses here. It was originally built in 1867 to commemorate the Scully family. It was struck by lightning in 1976. A broken piece from the top of the cross sits at the base of the cross. There is a cemetery with beautiful untouched memorials on the property. You can take a formal tour that gives you special access to some of the areas that are blocked off to non paying tourists. The castle is open year round and one of the busiest tourist spots.

Sad fact I must admit: I had never heard of the Rock of Cashel before today. This is apparently one of Ireland's richest archaeological sites. Queen Elizabeth has visited (and there are pictures available as proof). St. Patrick's Rock is inside just after you enter. Apparently they brought it inside to shield it from the elements, but they did create a replica outside. Old graves galore. Chapel under restoration. Beautiful fortress. Audio-visual movie to learn more about the history. Insane views of the countryside. If you need a selfie with cows, you got one here. You can even see an old abbey from the grounds. It's high up and offers a gorgeous view of the town of Cashel in addition to the fields of green. It's really just astounding and I recommend visiting if you can. Keep in mind, there's also a ton of scaffolding. But if you're creative, you can take wide shots of the fortress without the scaffolding. Adults are 7 euro to enter. I think it was worth every cent. Visit if you can.

Went exploring up here while visiting Cashel. Small 8 Euro fee for 1 adult. I enjoyed reading more on the signage about the Rock itself and listened into the free walking tour they did. I visited a couple months ago and there are no COVID restrictions.

This was the first "Castle" we visited on our tours of castles in Ireland. It's technically called the Rock of Cashel (which sounds similar to castle, makes it super confusing). This thing is basically only the shell of the castle remaining, but it's massive and sits on a huge hill. So you can take some pretty epic pictures from the bottom of the hill.

There isn't much to see or do in the town of Cashel besides visit the Rock of Cashel, but if you are driving from Dublin to Dingle this breathtaking archaeological site is worth a stop. The Rock of Cashel (aka: Cashel of the Kings or St. Patrick's Rock) is a large mound of limestone that sits on top of a grassy, green hill. A local legend claims the Rock of Cashel originated in the Devil's Bit, a mountain located twenty miles north of Cashel. According to the legend Satan took a bite from the mountain and broke some of his teeth. Satan's broken teeth formed the Rock of Cashel. Originally the Rock of Cashel was the castle for the High Kings of Munster in the 5th century AD. In 1101 the King of Munster donated his fortress to the Church and the first cathedral was erected on the Rock of Cashel in the 12th century. Today there are few remnants of the early structure; the surviving buildings date back to the 12th and 13th Century. The existing buildings at the Rock of Cashel include: ROUND TOWER - The medieval stone Round Tower or "bell house" is the oldest and the tallest of the buildings on the Rock and dates back to 1100. This 90 foot sandstone tower has an entrance 12 feet from the ground level. The entrance to the tower was only accessible by ladder which could be pulled up in the event of an attack. CATHEDRAL - The single-nave cathedral dominates the Rock of Cashel. This 13th century cathedral consists of one huge, cross-shaped room. The cathedral was used for worship until the mid-1700s. CHORAL HALL - The entrance to the Rock is through the 15th century Hall of the Vicars Choral. The Hall of the Vicars Choral was once home to the male choristers who sang in the cathedral. Today the choral hall is the ticket office for the Rock of Cashel. The exhibits downstairs include several rare pieces of silver as well as St. Patrick's Cross. The cross originally stood in the castle's courtyard, but it was moved inside to prevent further erosion. A replica of the cross stands outside where the original cross used to be. CHAPEL - Cormac's Chapel, built in 1127 and consecrated in 1134, is a small sandstone roofed chapel in the shape of a cross. This Irish Romanesque chapel contains one of the best preserved Irish frescoes from the 12th century. Other notable features of the chapel include a series of arches on the interior and exterior, a barrel-vaulted roof, and a carved tympanum over both of the doorways. Since the chapel is made of sandstone the frescoes inside were damaged from the damp air. In order to dry out the stone and preserve the frescoes a rain proof structure is being built around the chapel. MONASTERY - Hore Abbey (aka St. Mary's) is a ruined Cistercian monastery located about a kilometer north of the Rock. Archbishop David MacCearbhaill banned the Benedictine monks from the abbey after he had a dream that they were about to kill him. He gave the abbey to the Cistercian monks in 1270 and endowed the abbey generously with land, mills and other buildings that previously belonged to the town, which caused the locals to resent him. Today the ruins of Hore Abbey are surrounded by sheep and cattle. We visited the Rock of Cashel in September 2014. During our visit several areas of the Rock of Cashel was under restoration and preservation and a large section of the exterior was covered in scaffolding. Cormac's Chapel is undergoing the largest restoration. Until the restoration is completed the Chapel is only open for guided tours from May to September.

STAR DATE 4272014...Captain Kirk has sent me, Security Officer Chun, to look after Science Officer Erica on an away mission to the Rock of Cashel. To our shock, we just happened to land on the 1000th Earth year anniversary, and therefore the primitive inhabitants waived the 6 euro entry fee, saving the Federation equivalant of $16.50. We watched the inhabitants re-enact an ancient ceremony...but after 5 minutes we found it extremely dull, so we set about to explore the ruins. Given the primitive techologies during time of construction, the structure is impressive. Exploring the ruins took us just under an hour, so we beamed back up to the Enterprise ahead of schedule. As Spock would say..."Fascinating" ;)

You know when you hear about a famous place when visiting a country and decide to go there without actually doing any research?? Well that was our group's experience with the Rock of Cashel! We were driving from Tralee to Dublin and this popped up as a place of interest en route with a 30min detour, so our group was like, let's go check it out. I think we were confusing this with the Stone of Scone from Scotland and expected the Rock of Cashel to be somewhat similar so imagine our surprise when we finally got to it and it was this amazingly gorgeous Castle perched upon massive rock. We had only allocated 30mins to tour the place and that would have been an injustice cause you need a proper 2-4 hour to tour the place. So we just walked around, took pics and the really nifty thing was that the original 12th century St. Patrick's Cross was in the castle's reception area and you could see this plus some other archeological artifacts for free! Oh some other things: -Parking is an absolute challenge/ nightmare. The council car park is too small and also expensive. We lucked out and got a spot super quickly. Also free for the first 20mins but I think €4 per hour after that. - check website for the free guided tour that comes with entry to the castle!! - when we visited in Aug 2016, massive construction works going on so you really can't get that famous silhouette, instead all you get is majority scaffolding. The small taste we had only just whetted my interest and so checking out the Rock of Cashel is on my list for the next trip! Note: #276 of Yelp 100 challenge for 2016

I saw so many castles during my Ireland trip. And I truly feel this is "The Castle" to see. I mean come on even Queen Elizabeth was here. This cathedral like castle is built on top of a solid rock with cool limestone graphic arts inside and medieval walk way for knights and a gathering room for choir to practice. You can also see the dinning area inside the building and the cross that can hide treasure from 1200 A.D. I particularly like the fact you can see the neighbor's castle and sheep from the Rock of Cashel. The guided tour is a must-do if you have extra time after walking around the castle. The guide tells many interesting facts and explains every building in details.

This place was amazing!! The views were absolutely beautiful. Just a warning for those who may not walk much: You do have to walk a good ways up but don't let that stop you. It is so worth it! It can be very windy at the top so be prepared.

Only got to see the outside of Rock Cashel, but it is beautiful. If I ever return to Ireland, I will have to do the tour. But, definitely drive past here if I'm the area.

Beautiful place with easy parking access that can be visited in about an hour and hour on your way!

We had a great experience at Rock of Cashel! My friends and I planned an admittedly too-packed six day road trip, and by the time we got to the Rock, it was nearing closing time. They have a cut off about 45 min to an hour before closing, so when we arrived at the parking lot, a man advised us to get to the ticket booth as quick as possible. When I realized that we had literally a minute to make the cut off, I ran up the hill and got to the booth (and a sign advising they shut off sales at 5:15) at 5:16. I was devastated that we messed up, but the ticket ladies let my friends and I in, which was very nice. There were a few closed areas due to an event, but we were just happy to not have missed out completely. They told us they closed up at 6 on the dot. The views were spectacular and the graves against the green fields make for some interesting, if a little morbid, photo ops. The cathedral is more of a ruin, but there are cool little alcoves and murals to take in. I asked the people who were leaving a question on my way out, and she asked if I had seen the golden chapel. I said no, but that I blamed myself for having to speed through and not planning correctly. The woman sighed and said "Well alright, but we have to be quick" and basically gave my friends and a guided tour and all sorts of interesting history about the site. She really didn't have to do that, but the people who work there clearly love history and that was really the best part.

Gorgeous historical site to check out. If you have time to travel to Cashel, do! If you spend 15 euros at any shop/restaurant in town you receive a free voucher to visit the Rock for up to two adults and two kids. Loved wandering around this site and they do free tours if you're interested. It also offers the best views of the countryside!!

Rock of Cashel was very deep in history very impressive views would have liked more time but it was fine. Rain stopped just I time to get of motor coach.

Cool little castle. We were on a bus tour and this was the last attraction of the tour. It was a cold and rainy day and the tour guide did a nice job of explaining everything. She was with us for about 20 minutes. After that we got to explore the castle.

This is an absolutely beautiful location. It has great elevation and a beautiful view of the countryside. Our tour guide was excellent - well informed and very open to questions. She explained the history and the architecture. Unfortunately, we could not get into see the chapel that has been restored due to concerns about moisture, but the rest was really interesting. It must have been an amazing place when it was new(er).

Completely worth an afternoon on your drive south out of Dublin. Park on the right adjacent to this land mark. We didnt take the tour, just dipped in and out of one & it was informational, enthusiastic & cleared up some misconceptions. Worth the extra $$. Take your time if you choose to go it alone. Great views of the Wicklow Mountains & the Devil's Pass. Many stories come out of this landmark: a golden Chablis down the well to save a child, monks burning to death in the tower, foreign raiders, the spectacular faith of St. Patrick, family burials that date to the present, and it's eventual abandonment. There remains quite a lot of detailed relief work, paintings, unique architectural design - almost everything served a dual purpose. The scale and remains are in remarkable shape considering that this landmark is almost a millennia old. The brief video is also worth a watch so your facts are straight before you tour. Wifi is non existent. No real gift shop to speak of either.

Despite part of the grounds not being open due to renovation this was still a spectacular spot to visit. Also people that complain about something being closed for renovations and dinging a place clearly do not understand the importance of preservation. This is a place where the views are just spectacular. The entrance fee is worth the views you get here alone. You really see far out into the horizon. You can even see Hore Abbey just down the way. The grounds are very well preserved. It can be a bit tricky to make your way around without a tour, but it is possible. We used Rick Steve's guide to this place and he had a good self guided tour. Given that we arrived in the off season their wasn't a regular tour for us to go on. If you have a good walking guide then do that, otherwise wait for the tour. There is a lot of well preserved architecture and artifacts at this spot. It is also stunningly beautiful. 83/100

I loved the town of Cashel, and especially the Rock! This was a beautiful place to visit. I cannot wait to visit here again!

One of the most amazing sites I've seen. Absolutely gorgeous buildings set in a perfect location with all of the grande history and emotional attachment that seemingly every stone carries with it. It certainly is worth taking a tour through the Cathedral and then walking around outside. All in all a must see!

Great tour, beautiful views. Restroom is down by gift shop. Gift shop could include more rock of cashel merchandise.

Skip the hefty entrance fee - it's just not worth it! There's very little to learn inside the compound (few historical plaques, a handful of artifacts.) You can see the structure itself just fine from the exterior. If you want to really explore something, (for free!) wander down the hill to Hore Abbey and get up close and personal. Worth a stop off the motorway, but don't waste your money to get in!

like many others who stopped here, bf and i were on our way from dublin over to cork and on a whim decided to stop here since it was about halfway and we were hungry...stopped at cute place for lunch and then drove a minute or so over to the bottom of the castle... WOW WHAT A VIEW!!! granted, bf and i were lucky in that it was just blue skies, smattery of puffy white marshamallow clouds and not a rain drop in sight... the tour was informative and interesting, but really hand's down, the view is just amazing...cross your fingers for a clear day and you'll see what i mean!

At a loose end in Tipperary, I headed up to the Rock of Cashel for a look. Set on a limestone outcrop, it is not so much a rock as a series of medieval buildings and Celtic art, including a 12th century round tower, High Cross and Romanesque Chapel, 13th century Gothic cathedral, 15th century castle and a graveyard. Luckily, when I arrived there was a school party taking a tour, so I was able to tag along and get some free knowledge. The buildings are well preserved, although it can be quite bleak on a rainy day.

Definitely worth going to. The sight is great and the town is cool too. Our guide sang Danny Boy at the end of the tour in the chapel and it was fantastic! Very lovely.

This is a beautiful and historic place to visit. The tour is fairly brief (30min), however, you learn quite a bit in that short window. You can then peruse the grounds on your own to read the various informational plaques. The views from the site are also fantastic. On a clear day, you can see for miles in all directions, including a wonderful view Hore Abbey.

This is one of the most beautiful sites in a country filled with beauty. The rock of cashew is located in my moms hometown which in itself it a quaint little town filled with wonderful shoppes and restaurants. The rock itself is a massive structure that just underwent a magnificent renovation. This is a must stop when in Ireland !

Driving from Dublin to Cork, armed with just our Michelin Map and time, my sister and I happened upon this place. Coming down M7 (I think, we were going through Kildare) you can see it from your car. It's breathtaking. We decided there was no way we were going to pass it up and just took the first exit after we saw it. We drove toward it without really knowing where we were going, and eventually started seeing signs. It's really easy to access from the highway and easy to navigate back. This place is really beautiful. The town, Cashel, has several sites that you can tour. It's just amazing, you can walk around the graveyard and through the old cathedral, with a tour (or just on your own). We just walked around. It was one of my favorite things that we saw the whole time we were there.

One of my favorite castle/ruins along with Bunratty and Clomanoise. Sits atop a hill/rock with fantastic views. Rich history related to St. Patrick.

A beautiful scenic view above a cute town. Well worth the stop on your way out of Dublin.