23 June 2024 Rock
of Cashel and the Blarney Stone
Today we ventured outside of Dublin to visit the Rock of Cashel and Blarney Castle. The drive through the countryside was beautiful with fertile fields of lush green (in every shade) dotted with sheep and cattle. Our guide pointed out one field where much of Braveheart was filmed. He also pointed a bridge that we went under on the highway that was built for the sheep to safely cross over the road.
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| Field Where Braveheart was Filmed |
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| Sheep on a Lush Green Field |
Standing tall overlooking the lush green fields of the Plains of Tipperary, the
Rock of Cashel, also known as St. Patrick’s Rock, has not only played an
important role in the history of Ireland, but is featured prominently in the Irish
legends. According to legend, the Rock
originated in the Devil’s Bit, a
mountain to the north, and got its name from St. Patrick’s banishment of
Satan. In revenge, Satan took a bite out
of the mountain, but in the process, he broke a tooth and subsequently spit out
the bite, thus creating the Rock of Cashel.
The
name Cashel comes from the Irish word Caiseal which means “strong
fortress.” The first fortress, Castle of
the Kings, was built here during the 4th century and it became the
seat of the ancient kings of Ireland. According
to legend, King Aengus of Munster, was baptized here by St Patrick in the 450
AD and became Ireland’s first Christian king.
Another of its kings in residence was Brian Boru, perhaps Ireland’s most
famous king, who defeated the Vikings in 1014 at the Battle of Clontarf. and
unified Ireland under one rule.
In
1101, the fortress was donated to the Church and it became the ecclesiastical
center and home to one of the most remarkable collections of Celtic art and
literature. During the 12th
and 13th centuries, the thatched buildings were replaced by the
stone structures of today. The Gothic
Cathedral was built between 1235 and 1270.
In
1647, during the Irish Rebellion against British rule, the British forces under
the command of Oliver Cromwell, damaged the church and its relics, as well as
killing over 1000 Irish troops and clergy.
And as a further destruction of the cathedral, the Archbishop removed
the roof in 1749 to avoid paying taxes.
Today
the high plateau is home to the ruins of the fortress, the roofless cathedral,
a 15th century castle, a round tower, a High Cross, the Romanesque Cormac’s Chapel, and the Hall of
Vicars with its Celtic relics including the original Cross of St. Patrick. Although the buildings may have changed over
the centuries, the views of the countryside are still as spectacular as they
were for King Boru.
It
was a beautiful day for a visit – warm temperatures and a clear blue sky (the
first we have had since we arrived). As
we approached the Rock and had our first view of the Castle, we stopped by a
memorial to St. Patrick. Here we also
got a good opportunity to take pictures of the rock and its ruins. To reach the Castle and Cathedral, we had to
walk up a 41 degree high hill, but fortunately it was a relatively short
hike. And it was worth every panting
step. The views from the top were
spectacular with groups of buttercups mixed among the green grass. The cemetery behind the Cathedral was
beautifully laid out – as it should be as it costs 25,000 euros to be buried
there. What ruins remain are well
maintained and worthy of a visit should you ever be in Ireland.
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| Memorial to St. Patrick |
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| Cashel Rock Castle and Cathedral |
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| Roofless Cathedral at Cashel rock |
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| Cathedral |
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| Cemetery in Back of Cathedral |
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| Ruins of Cathedral and Castle |
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| Ruins of Cathedral and Castle |
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| Cashel Rock |
From the Rock of Cashel we traveled to
County Cork to visit Blarney Castle and the Blarney Stone which are located
just outside the city of Cork.
Blarney Castle, now in ruins, was built about 600 years ago by Cormac MacCarthy, the Lord of Muskerry, on the runs of a 10th century wooden building. Still standing next to the ruins is the watch tower. Beneath the castle is a maze of underground passages and a dungeon. While most of the castle lies in ruins, you can still see the dungeon and then walk up the steps to the battlements at the top of the castle for spectacular views of the countryside. The grounds around the castle contain 60 acres of parkland dotted with wooded hollows, strange rock formations, and a river with a waterfall. There is even a poison garden with its collection of poisonous plants from around the world, including wolfsbane, mandrake and ricin.
However, it is not the ruins that attract most of the visitors – it is the legendary Blarney Stone. The term “blarney”means “beguiling, but misleading talk”. MacCarthy was first associated with the term by Queen Elizabeth I when she became frustrated at his ability to talk a lot without saying much. By kissing the stone people hope its magical powers will give them “the gift of gab.”
They are several legends that attempt to explain the origins of this rock:
· One story proclaims that Jacob used the stone as a
pillow and that he had a dream of the ladder being used by angels to ascend and
descend into heaven and that it was brought to Ireland from the Holy Land after
the crusades.
· Another legend says that the stone was given to
MacCarthy by Rober Bruce to thank him for sending 5,000 soldiers to Scotland to
help him in his fight with Edward II and that the stone is part of the Stone of
Scone where the Kings of Scotland were inaugurated.
· Yet another version says that MacCarthy rescued an
old woman (who was actually a witch) from drowning in a river. She then told him that a stone already on the
castle grounds had magical powers that he could possess by kissing the stone.
· But perhaps the most romantic legend tells the story
of the Queen of the Fairies, who was the beautiful daughter of a leading
druid. She fell in love with a young
chieftain who did not return her love.
Killed in a battle, she found his body on a stone, soaked with his
blood, on the banks of the River Lee.
Heart-broken, she cried, and her tears joined his blood on the stone. When
she continually kissed the stone her magical powers were absorbed by the
stone. Then when MacCarthy found himself
in trouble by some intransigent problem, he was told by the Queen of Fairies
that if he kissed the stone, which had by then been built into the castle, his
problem would be solved.
The stone itself is found at the top of the castle just below the battlements. To kiss the stone, you must lean over backwards while holding on to handrails with a guide “hopefully” holding onto your legs. That is one feat I will not try – the Blarney Stone will just have to be satisfied with me blowing it a kiss! Besides think of all the germs that stone has absorbed over the years!!!
To reach the Blarney Stone you had to walk up the castle tower – 126 uneven stone steps with only a rope to hold on to. This was not a venture I wanted to take, and as Bill will attest – I do not need the gift of gab from kissing the stone. So I wandered around the ruins and into the Badger Cave located underneath the castle. It was dark and wet with a very low ceiling. Reminded me of our duck walk in one of the pyramids in Egypt. I then just walked around the beautiful grounds enjoying its lush green grass and many blooming flowers. I would not have gone to the Blarney Castle on my own, but all the tours to Cashel Rock out of Dublin include this visit. But the grounds are beautiful and it was a peaceful way to spend an hour or two (inspite of a cruise ship docked in Cork that sent about 1,000 passengers to the Castle. Fortunately, by the time we arrived, many of the passengers had finished their excursion and left, but it was still about a 2 hour wait in a slow climbing line to reach the top of the tower. Bill and I found a pub just outside the entrance to the Castle where all the buses park and enjoyed a delicious fish and chips lunch with wine (me) and beer (Bill).
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| Blarney Castle |
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| Lookout Tower |
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| Blarney Tower where Stone is Located |
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| Badger Cave Under Blarney Castle |
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| Blarney Castle |
After a brief stop in Cork to drop off 5
of passengers who were staying overnight in Cork, we headed back to Dublin,
arriving about 8 PM. It was a full 12
hour trip but we both found it very educational and a well planned trip.
