Historical Postcard Collection: Cashel - The Rock of Cashel
Bailiúchán Chártaí Poist Stairiúla: Caiseal – Carraig Chaisil
An image of the Rock of Cashel is something that every Tipperary person, and others from further afield, will always hold in their memory. The monument's vivid history is reflected in the magnificence of its' buildings' architecture, and today it hosts 250,000 visitors per year. In the past, however, it was not tourists that flocked to the Rock, but kings, archbishops, soldiers and pilgrims.
Gaelic, Romanesque and Gothic Architecture
The Rock comprises of five buildings, the oldest of which, the Round Tower, dates from the early 12th Century. The outstanding Romanesque chapel, named after King Cormac, dates from the same period, while construction on the largest building on the site, the Cathedral, began in the 1290s. Archbishop Richard O'Hedian, in the 15th Century built the Vicar's Choral which housed his choir; he also fortified the Cathedral and built his Palace onto its nave.
CASHEL - Exterior Cormac's Chapel
The Visit of St. Patrick
The site is dedicated to St. Patrick (its name in Irish is Cárraig Phádraig) who visited Cashel around 448. Whilst there he baptised King Óengus of Munster who, during the ceremony, silently suffered the pain of having his foot accidentally pierced by Patrick's crozier. The Saint's memory is immortalised on the Rock today by St. Patrick's Cross, the base of which was once thought to be the coronation stone of the kings of Munster.
The Cathedral - Site of Murder and Infamy
CASHEL - Cathedral's Northern Transept
The Cathedral has been the site of bloodshed and violence on more than one occasion through the ages. In 1491 Gearóid Mór Fitzgerald torched it, and it was in the Cathedral that the townsfolk sought refuge from "Murrough of the Burnings" in 1647. It failed to protect them, however, and Inchiquin would later claim that all the refugees on the Rock, save one, died during his assault. That sole survivor died of his wounds soon after. The Cathedral's choir is the final resting place of Archbishop Miler McGrath, known to history as "the Scoundrel of Cashel". He gained his nickname for having switched from Catholicism to Protestantism (and possibly back again), and his tomb inscription carries the wise warning "Let he who stands, take care lest he fall".
Modern Celebrations
The Rock has always been a focal point of celebration, in modern times as well as ancient. The Catholic Emancipation Centenary Celebration took place there in June 1929, and mass was then celebrated on the Rock for the first time in 300 years. The famous voice of Count John McCormack was among those that once again made the famous walls of the Rock ring in song. More recently, in 1996, the Cathedral was host to Suzanne Murphy, Finbar Wright and the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
Sources - Dúchas, "Rock of Cashel"; Moloney (ed.), "Times to Cherish"
Read more about:
- The Rock of Cashel
- St. Patrick's Cross
- Cormac's Chapel Hore Abbey
- Click here for the complete online collection of postcards
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Clonmel - Nenagh - Tipperary - Roscrea - Templemore - Carrick on Suir - Cashel - Cahir - Thurles - The Glen of Aherlow
last updated on: Friday, 03-Feb-12 19:32:16 GMT
Beidh íomhá de Charraig Chaisil ag gach uile dhuine ó Thiobraid Árann, agus ag roinnt daoine ó áiteanna eile, ina gcuimhne acu go deo. Tá stair bheoga an séadchomhartha seo le feiceáil in ailtireacht a fhoirgnimh, agus tagann 250,000 cuairteoir chun é a fheiceáil gach bliain. Sa stair, áfach, ní turasóirí a tháinig chun na Carraige, ach ríthe, ardeaspaig, saighdiúirí agus oilithrigh.
Ailtireacht Ghaelach, Rómhánúil agus Ghotach
Tá cúig fhoirgneamh ar an gCarraig agus tagann an cheann is sine, an cloigtheach, ón 12ú hAois. Is as an tréimhse chéanna don séipéal iontach Rómhánúil, anmnithe i ndiaidh an Rí Cormac. Tosaíodh ag tógáil an fhoirgnimh is mó, an Ardeaglais, sna 1290daí. Thóg an tArdeaspag Risteard Ó hEidín Cóir an Bhiocáire, inar chónaigh sé, sa 15ú hAois; neartaigh sé an Ardeaglais chomh maith agus thóg sé Pálas ar a corp.
CAISEAL – Séipéal Chormaic, Seachtrach
Cuairt Phádraig
Tugtar Carraig Phádraig chomh maith ar an áit, a ainmníodh i ndiaidh Naomh Pádraig, a thug cuairt ar Chaiseal thart ar 448. Agus é ansin, bhaistigh sé Óengus, Rí Mumhan, a d’fhulaing go ciúin nuair a bhain bachall Phádraig pleac as a chos trí thimpiste. Ar an gCarraig anois tá Crois Phádraig, a mbíodh corónú Ríthe Mumhan ar a buncloch.
An Ardeaglais - Suíomh Dhúnmharú agus Mhíchliú
CAISEAL – Croslann Thuaidh na hArdeaglaise
Tharla doirteadh fola agus foréigean go minic san Ardeaglais le linn a staire. Dhóigh Gearóid Mór Mac Gearailt sa bhliain 1491 í agus ba ansin a lorg muintir an bhaile faoiseamh ó “Murrach na nDó” sa bhliain 1647. Níor chaomhnaigh sí iad, áfach, agus déarfadh Inchiquin níos déanaí gur éag gach teifeach, ach amháin duine aonair, le linn a hionsaí. Cailleadh an duine aonair sin níos déanaí toisc a ghortuithe. Tá an tArdeaspag Miler Mac Cráith curtha sa chóir. Tugadh “Bithiúnach Chaisil” air, toisc gur athraigh sé ón gCaitliceachas go Protastúnachas (agus b’fhéidir ar ais arís), agus ar a thuama tugtar rabhadh don té a sheasann, ar fhaitíos go dtiteann sé.
Céiliúradh na Linne Seo
Bíodh céiliúradh riamh ar an gCarraig, sa lá atá inniu ann agus sa tseanam. Bhí Comóradh Céad Bliain Fhuascailt na gCaitliceach i mí an Mheithimh 1929, agus céiliúradh an tAifreann ar an gCarraig don chéad uair in os cionn 300 bliain. Bhí guth cáiliúl an Chúnta John McCormack i measc na nguthanna líon ballaí na Carraige. Níos déanaí, i 1996, bhí Suzanne Murphy, Finbar Wright agus Ceolfhoireann Areagail na hEireann san Ardeaglais.
Foinsí - Dúchas, "Rock of Cashel"; Moloney (ed.), "Times to Cherish"
Léigh níos mó faoi:
Brabhsáil an bailiúchán chártaí poist stairiúla:
Cluain Meala - Nenagh - Tipperary - Roscrea - Templemore - Carrick on Suir - Cashel - Cahir - Thurles - Gleann Eatharlaí
nuashonraithe ar: Friday, 03-Feb-12 19:32:16 GMT