Rock of Cashel

The moment I laid eyes on the Rock of Cashel, I knew that this was someplace special. It is a cashel which was built on a large lump of rock. It certainly looks impressive and it is a wonder that I never knew about this place until recently. It is considered to be one of the most amazing collections of medieval architecture in Europe. I really couldn’t wait to explore this place. But first it is time for some story telling. Irish history or legend, has a lot of interesting and amusing stories to tell about places and people. The Rock of Cashel is no different from this.

Because of Ireland’s remoteness at the edge of Europe, it was said that this was the gateway to hell. When Saint Patrick came to Ireland to convert the people to Christianity, he came upon the land of Tipperary. It was said that the devil was here and Saint Patrick picked a fight with him. Saint Patrick naturally won the fight, and in desperation, the devil bit off a piece of a mountain, now called Devil’s Bit, and ran back to his hideout. Finally, the devil spit out the piece of rock which it bit off and the massive rock landed in modern day Cashel. It is from this rock that the the Rock of Cashel was built.

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