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Rock of Cashel, Moor, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland

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Rock of Cashel, Moor, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland

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Rock of Cashel, Moor, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland

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This gorgeous castle and beautiful landscape around it makes it a very intruiging area to be. It is very popular, but it has very strict rules on visitation. A good portion of the buildings on the current site date from the 12th/13th centuries when rock was given to the Church. It is very intruiging area and I would like to visit there.

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Phone: 062 61437
[email protected]

It's huge, it's complex, it's iconic, there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world and it's right here in Cashel at the heart of Tipperary. The Rock of Cashel (Carraig Phádraig), more formally St. Patrick's Rock, it is also known as Cashel of the Kings.

Reputedly the site of the conversion of Aenghus the King of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century AD. Long before the Norman invasion The Rock of Cashel was the seat of the High Kings of Munster, although there is little structural evidence of their time here. Most of the buildings on the current site date from the 12th and 13th centuries when the rock was gifted to the Church. The buildings represent both Hiberno-Romanseque and Germanic influences in their architecture.

To quote from the WIKI entry "The complex has a character of its own, unique and native, and is one of the most remarkable collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture to be found anywhere in Europe." The Rock is the setting of the fictional "Sister Fidelma Mysteries" mediaeval whodunits from Peter Tremayne.
Opening Hours with Limited Access & Limited Visitor Numbers
Exterior only, Half price admission, Booking required , no Toilets or Café. Self guide only, last admission strictly 16:45 each day, Cormac's Chapel, Hall of Vicars Choral and Audio Visual are closed.

Closed 24th to 26th December inclusive
Please note that all entry must be pre-booked by Phone: 062 61437
Average Length of Visit: 1 - 1.5 hours
Admission Fees is half price until December 2020.
Adult : €4.00
Group / Senior : €3.00
Child / Student : €2.00
Facilities
Public toilets and car/coach park close to site
Credit Card Facilities available

About Cashel

Our mission is to promote and publicize the many wonders that exist in Cashel beyond the iconic Rock of Cashel. This website is part of our efforts to ensure that people get to learn about the history and many attractions of this wonderful world famous location.Our purpose is to develop the historic town and ensure that people come to Cashel and have a pleasant, entertaining, informative well priced and memorable visit that they would be happy to recommend to friends. If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact the Cashel Heritage Centre and Tourist Information Office at [email protected]

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Phone: 062 61437 rockofcashel@opw.ie It's huge, it's complex, it's iconic, there is nothing like it anywhere else in the world and it's right here in Cashel at the heart of Tipperary. The Rock of Cashel (Carraig Phádraig), more formally St. Patrick's Rock, it is also known as Cashel of the Kings.

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Céide Fields, Glenurla, Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland

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Céide Fields, Glenurla, Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland

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Céide Fields, Glenurla, Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland

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With this being one of the oldest sights of Ireland, it is a very popular tourist destination. It's somewhere over five and a half millennia old.

It is a different landscape of world importance, which has changed perception of the Stone Age people.

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The Céide Fields in North Mayo will certainly give you a unique experience.

For this is not just another archaeological monument or visitor centre. Here you can indulge yourself in a vast prehistoric landscape, a natural wild ecology of blanket bog, dramatic cliffs and coastline, and a much acclaimed building, which has received Ireland's most prestigious architectural award.

The Céide Fields are the oldest known field systems in the world, over five and a half millennia old.

It is a unique Neolithic landscape of world importance, which has changed our perception of our Stone Age ancestors.

The remains of stone field walls, houses and megalithic tombs are preserved beneath a blanket of peat over several square miles.

They tell a story of the everyday lives of a farming people, their organized society, their highly developed spiritual beliefs, and their struggle against a changing environment beyond their control.

Visit the multi-award winning Centre, which has exhibitions, audio-visual show and tearooms and take a guided tour with our professional guides and discover a buried wall for yourself using a centuries old method of probing.

Experience the unique ecology of the bogland, with it's colourful mosses, sedges, lichens, heathers, flowers and insect-eating sundews while listening to the larks.

Find out the fascinating story of an ever-changing landscape, such as why bogs grow and the huge influence a subtle change in climate can bring about.

The Céide Fields Visitor Centre is one of over 60 Heritage Sites run by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in Ireland.

Heritage Cards are available which give unlimited free admission to all OPW sites for one year from the date of purchase.

Facilities

Displays and exhibitions in English and Irish with written translations available in Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish

A 20 minute long audio-visual show

Guided walking tours of the site lasting between 45 - 60 minutes. As the tour is outdoors on uneven and sometimes wet terrain visitors are advised to wear weather protective clothing and appropriate footwear

Tearoom providing home made cakes, scones, soup, sandwiches etc.

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ceide fields archaeology ballycastle county mayo ireland neolithic farm stone age megalithic duchas irish heritage ceide fields visitor centre ballycastle county mayo ireland archaeological neolithic irish ancestors duchas heritage ireland

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Ceide Fields Visitor Centre, Ballycastle, County Mayo, West of Ireland

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The Céide Fields in North Mayo will certainly give you a unique experience. For this is not just another archaeological monument or visitor centre. Here you can indulge yourself in a vast prehistoric landscape, a natural wild ecology of blanket bog, dramatic cliffs and coastline, and a much acclaimed building, which has received Ireland's most prestigious architectural award.

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Hill of Tara, Castleboy, County Meath, Ireland

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Hill of Tara, Castleboy, County Meath, Ireland

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Hill of Tara, Castleboy, County Meath, Ireland

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This is something I would read up on myself and visit along my way. It has a very interesting past. It''s history is very interesting and what it represents also is. It is also in a very pretty area and something to sight see on.

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Mythical Ireland | New light on the ancient past

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One interpretation of the name Tara says that it means a "place of great prospect" and indeed on a clear day it is claimed that features in half the counties of Ireland can be seen from atop Tara. In the distance to the northeast can be seen the brilliant white quartz front of Newgrange and to the north lies the Hill of Slane, where according to legend St. Patrick lit his Paschal fire prior to his visit to Tara in 433 AD.

A map of the Hill of Tara.

Early in the 20th century a group of Israelites came to Tara with the conviction that the Arc of the Covenant was buried in on the famous hill. They dug the Mound of the Synods in search of the Arc but found only some Roman coins. Official excavation in the 1950s revealed circles of post holes, indicating the construction of substantial buildings here. A new theory suggests Tara was the ancient capital of the lost kingdom of Atlantis. The mythical land of Atlantis was Ireland, according to a new book.

There are a large number of monuments and earthen structures on the Hill of Tara. The earliest settlement at the site was in the Neolithic, and the Mound of the Hostages was constructed in or around 2500BC. There are over thirty monuments which are visible, and probably as many again which have no visible remains on the surface but which have been detected using special non-intrusive archaeological techniques and aerial photography. A huge temple measuring 170 metres and made of over 300 wooden posts, was discovered recently at Tara. Only two monuments at Tara have been excavated - The Mound of the Hostages in the 1950s, and the Rath of the Synods at the turn of the 19th-20th Centuries. Click here to see a comprehensive map of the monuments on Tara. Click here for the Tara photo gallery.

The Stone Of Destiny (Lia Fáil) on top of An Forradh (the King's Seat) at the Hill of Tara, pictured at sunset.

The Stone of Destiny

Sitting on top of the King's Seat (Forradh) of Temair is the most famous of Tara's monuments - Ireland's ancient coronation stone - the Lia Fail or "Stone of Destiny", which was brought here according to mythology by the godlike people, the Tuatha Dé Danann, as one of their sacred objects. It was said to roar when touched by the rightful king of Tara.

Which Stone?

Formerly located just north of the Mound of the Hostages (see map), it was moved to its current site after the Battle of Tara during the Irish revolution of 1798 to mark the graves of 400 rebels who died here. Some say the true Stone of Destiny was formerly the Pillow of Jacob from the Old Testament. They also claim it was flat and that it was moved from Tara by King Fergus of Scotland and was named the Stone of Scone which then became the coronation stone of British kings at Westminster Cathedral. Many historians accept that the present granite pillar at Tara is the true Stone of Destiny, but a number of people have argued that the Stone of Scone is in fact the real thing. One legend states that it was only one of four stones positioned at the cardinal directions on Tara - and it is interesting to note that the Hall of Tara, the ancient political centre of Ireland, is aligned north-south.
Read more about the mythology of the Stone of Destiny here.
The following verse is from the Dindshenchas story about how Tara got its name:

Cathair Crofhind ('twas not amiss), was its name under the Tuatha De Danand, till there came Tea, never unjust, the wife of Erimon lofty of mien. Round her house was built a rampart, by Tea daughter of Lugaid; she was buried beyond the wall without, so that from her is Temair named. The Seat of the Kings was its name: the kingly line of the Milesians reigned in it: five names accordingly were given it from the time when it was Fordruim till it was Temair.

Sunset over Duma na nGiall, the Mound of the Hostages, on the Hill of Tara.

The Mound of the Hostages

The "Mound of the Hostages" is a megalithic 'passage tomb' and is the oldest monument on the hill of Tara, dating to about 2,500BC. The name "Mound of the Hostages" derives from the custom of overkings like those at Tara retaining important personages from subject kingdoms to ensure their submission.

One of the legendary kings of Tara was named Niall of the Nine Hostages in recognition of the fact that he held hostages from all the provinces of Ireland and from Britain.

The passage at the Mound of the Hostages is short, and is aligned on the cross-quarter days of November 8 and February 4, the ancient Celtic festivals of Samhain and Imbolc. Just inside the entrance on the left is a large decorated orthostat.

The passage of the Mound of the HostagesThis picture shows the short passage at the Mound of the Hostages at Tara. As a solar construct it is not as accurate as other passages, which are notably longer, but according to Brennan (The Stones of Time, 1994) the daily changes in the position of a 13-foot long sunbeam are more than adequate to determine specific dates. The passage would, without any doubt, also capture the light of the Full Moon at certain times in the 19-year cycle, specifically the minor standstill rising position.

Blocc and Bluigne, two ancient standing stones in the churchyard at Tara. The stone on the right has a Sheela-na-Gig carved onto it.

Ancient Standing Stones

In the churchyard at Tara there are two standing stones, which are believed to be ancient - remnants of a time when there were many stone monuments on Tara. The taller of the two stones is thought to feature a figure of the Celtic fertility god Cernunnos, and is similar to many of the 'Sheela na Gig' representations found across Ireland. These stones may date to the Neolithic period, although are more likely to have their origin in the Bronze Age.

In the early histories it was noted that on this section of the hill there once stood a monument called "The Cross of Adamnan" commemorating a seventh century saint who called a church synod at Tara to enact laws that gave greater rights to women.

A storm approaches Tara.

Tara at dusk.

Huge temple found under Hill of Tara

A HUGE temple, once surrounded by about 300 huge posts made from an entire oak forest, has been discovered directly beneath the Hill of Tara in Co Meath. Conor Newman, an archaeology lecturer at NUI Galway, said the discovery at the ancient site made sense of the positioning of other graves and monuments in the area.

Mr Newman, who has been working on the Hill of Tara under the State-funded Discovery Programme since 1992, was delighted by the find. "It fills a very important place in the jigsaw because it allows us to make sense of the distribution of other monuments all around it."

The Discovery Programme, set up under the auspices of the Heritage Council, carried out a survey of the Hill of Tara between 1992 and 1996 when Mr Newman was director.

When Mr Newman moved to Galway he continued to be involved in the project Using sophisticated technology, he and his team of experts mapped what was underground. The work was slow and tedious because it yielded such a huge amount of information.

What they uncovered eventually at the crown of the hill was a huge, oval-shaped monument measuring about 170 metres at its widest point. Around it are 300 post holes measuring two metres wide, indicating a massive human effort involved in the construction.

"We think it probably dates from 2500 to 2300BC and still had a big physical presence even after the posts were taken out or rotted," Mr Newman said.

While the monument is located just below the ground's surface, there are no plans yet to dig it out.

"There was a time when excavation was the first step in archaeological research. That's not the case now because it really is the systematic destruction of a monument. When you are dealing with something as important as the Hill of Tara, you don't do something like that lightly."

Mr Newman reckons they will be able to learn more about the site from the data before the ground itself is finally excavated. "What we have is the clearest underground image I have ever seen. This one jumps off the page."

Mr Newman is concerned about a planned extension of the N3 motorway from Clonee to just north of Kells. One of the sections from Dunshaughlin to Navan runs along the east side of the Hill of Tara.

"I have absolutely no doubt that they will be destroying dozens of monuments connected to Tara." See more about the motorway threat to Tara.
From the Irish Examiner.

An aerial view of the Hill of Tara.

100 new monuments discovered at Hill of Tara

At least 100 new monuments have been discovered on the Hill of Tara, thanks to the deployment of non-invasive exploratory techniques. Geophyscial survey allows archaeologists to record the magnetic properties or electrical resistance of the soil, which is permanently altered by human activity, therefore proving that people once inhabited the area. For example, a bonfire or a burial will permanently enhance the magnetism of the soil around it. Similarly, a buried wall will act as a barrier to the movement of electric current passed through the soil and therefore significantly increases its electrical resistance.

An aerial view of TaraMr Conor Newman and Mr Joe Fenwick of the Department of Archaeology at NUI, Galway and the Discovery Programme, which is funded by the Heritage Council, have been researching Tara since 1992. The earliest monuments at Tara date from around 4000 BC. Close to 30 monuments had been recorded prior to the deployment of geophysical survey, which has greatly aided the research process and facilitated the discovery of approximately 100 additional monuments.

In three field seasons since 1999, the team at Galway has increased the geophysical survey area on the Hill of Tara by more than 13 hectares, making this by far the most extensive geophysical survey ever undertaken in Ireland. Plans are in place to survey the rest of the state-owned part of Tara in the next few years.

A host of new and interesting features have been revealed in the work so far. One of the most spectacular finds is a huge oval enclosure, equivalent to the size of Croke Park (170m North to South), which is believed to date from around 2500 BC. Referred to as a henge (see illustration), it comprises a 4m wide ditch, possibly up to 3m deep, on either side of which are great 2m wide pits. These pits probably held around 300 wooden poles between them. This oval enclosure encircles Ráith na Senad or Rath of the Synods and takes in the whole of the present day churchyard. It also includes a passage tomb known as the mound of the hostages. Like most of the monuments on Tara this is a temple or sacred compound of some sort.

A full report on this monument and others found in the course of the survey has just been published in the 6th volume of the Discovery Programme Reports and is available from the Discovery Programme and the Royal Irish Academy. The Discovery Programme has produced a detailed map of all of the monuments on the Hill of Tara using a combination of the geophysical survey finds and topography.

The topography map is in digital format, which means it is fully interactive. It can be interrogated and manipulated in order to reveal features that are otherwise barely visible. These techniques have confirmed that many of the monuments built on the Hill of Tara incorporated older monuments into their fabric. This allowed some of the ritual and historical importance associated with the older monument to be included in the new structure.

"Every new monument discovered at Tara adds to our understanding of the development of the complex," said Mr Newman. "For the most part, the monument builders of each generation observed, preserved and accommodated all of the older ones in a way that contributed positively and sensitively to the developing authority of Tara as a place apart," he added.

Close to half of the State-owned land on the Hill of Tara has been examined using geophysical survey so far and plans are in place to continue with this research and to survey the rest of the hill. However, much concern has arisen lately about the proposed route of the M3 motorway, which if approved, will pass right along the eastern foot of the Hill of Tara, crossing an area intimately connected with the great royal complex. This area also boasts an impressive concentration of archaeological monuments. "It is a reckless dereliction of our role as guardians of our common cultural heritage to drive a motorway through it," said Mr Newman. "If you disassociate a society from its past, it becomes rootless. Tara is a national treasure and a massive tourist attraction for Co. Meath. It should be managed not simply as a hilltop site but rather as a cultural landscape, just has been the case with places like the Boyne Valley," he added.

Further reading

Does the myth of Cath Maige Tuired (Second Battle of Moytura) provide an insight into how the megalithis were moved? Click here to read about the giant stone that Lugh threw at Tara and how it had been moved previously.

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Mythical Ireland | Ancient Sites | The Hill of Tara - Teamhair

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The Hill of Tara, known as Temair in gaeilge, was once the ancient seat of power in Ireland - 142 kings are said to have reigned there in prehistoric and historic times. In ancient Irish religion and mythology Temair was the sacred place of dwelling for the gods, and was the entrance to the otherworld.

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This Monastic City seems to be a gorgeous place with a lot of history, somewhere I would like to visit. It being part of "Ireland's Ancient East" makes it all the more enticing, and going there would be a day trip to itself. There's a lot of things to see and learn.

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Glendalough is home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland. This early Christian monastic settlement was founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century and from this developed the "Monastic City". Most of the buildings that survive today date from the 10th through 12th centuries. Despite attacks by Vikings over the years, Glendalough thrived as one of Ireland's great ecclesiastical foundations and schools of learning until the Normans destroyed the monastery in 1214 A.D. and the dioceses of Glendalough and Dublin were united. Close to the monastic city is the interactive centre. The centre features an audio visual and has a model of the monastic site on display. You will be welcomed by a friendly and knowledgeable staff where all your questions will be answered. Glendalough is one of the top attraction on Ireland's Ancient East

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Glendalough Monastic City - Ireland's Ancient East

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Glendalough is home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland. This early Christian monastic settlement was founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century and from this developed the "Monastic City". Most of the buildings that survive today date from the 10th through 12th centuries.

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Newgrange, Newgrange, Donore, County Meath, Ireland

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Newgrange, Newgrange, Donore, County Meath, Ireland

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Newgrange, Newgrange, Donore, County Meath, Ireland

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Very intruiging, the history behind it and it is something I would like to go see. Seeing the ancient site myself and learning about it would be quite interesting, and it looks to be in a secluded area, something you might stop and pass by to see on your way across Ireland.

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Newgrange is a 5,200 year old passage tomb located in the Boyne Valley in Ireland's Ancient East.

Newgrange was built by Stone Age farmers, the mound is 85m (279ft) in diameter and 13m (43ft) high, an area of about 1 acre.

A passage measuring 19m (62ft) leads into a chamber with 3 alcoves. The passage and chamber are aligned with the rising sun on the mornings around the Winter Solstice.

Newgrange is surrounded by 97 large stones called kerbstones some of which are engraved with megalithic art; the most striking is the entrance stone.

Access to the Newgrange monument is via the Brú na Bóinne Visitors Centre.

Newgrange is a Stone Age (Neolithic) monument in the Boyne Valley, County Meath, it is the jewel in the crown of Ireland's Ancient East. Newgrange was constructed about 5,200 years ago (3,200 B.C.) which makes it older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza. Newgrange is a large circular mound 85m (279ft) in diameter and 13m (43ft) high with a 19m (63ft) stone passageway and chambers inside. The mound is ringed by 97 large kerbstones, some of which are engraved with symbols called megalithic art.

Newgrange was built by a farming community that prospered on the rich lands of the Boyne Valley. Knowth and Dowth are similar mounds that together with Newgrange have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Archaeologists classified Newgrange as a passage tomb, however Newgrange is now recognised to be much more than a passage tomb. Ancient Temple is a more fitting classification, a place of astrological, spiritual, religious and ceremonial importance, much as present day cathedrals are places of prestige and worship where dignitaries may be laid to rest.

Newgrange is a large kidney shaped mound covering an area of over one acre, retained at the base by 97 kerbstones, some of which are richly decorated with megalithic art. The 19m long inner passage leads to a cruciform chamber with a corbelled roof. The amount of time and labour invested in construction of Newgrange suggests a well-organized society with specialised groups responsible for different aspects of construction.

Newgrange is part of a complex of monuments built along a bend of the River Boyne known collectively as Brú na Bóinne. The other two principal monuments are Knowth (the largest) and Dowth, but throughout the area there are as many as 35 smaller mounds.

Tomb of Newgrange

Visitor Information

Visitor access to Newgrange is only by guided tour from the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre on the south side of the river Boyne. Newgrange is on the north side of the river Boyne, visitors cross the river by pedestrian bridge and take a shuttle bus to Newgrange. There is no direct public access to Newgrange by road, except for mornings around the Winter Solstice, so if using a GPS Satellite Navigation System, your destination is Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre.

Experience the heritage and culture of the Boyne Valley with our exclusive full-day private tours. Delve into the past with a visit to Newgrange and Knowth World Heritage sites. Explore the fascinating Hill of Tara, the historic seat of power of the High Kings. Journey to the Hill of Slane, where Saint Patrick famously lit the Paschal fire. Book Now

Winter Solstice

Newgrange is best known for the illumination of its passage and chamber by the winter solstice sun. Above the entrance to the passage at Newgrange there is an opening called a roof-box. This baffling orifice held a great surprise for those who unearthed it. Its purpose is to allow sunlight to penetrate the chamber on the shortest days of the year, around December 21st, the winter solstice. At dawn, from December 19th to 23rd, a narrow beam of light penetrates the roof-box and reaches the floor of the chamber, gradually extending to the rear of the chamber.

As the sun rises higher, the beam widens within the chamber so that the whole room becomes dramatically illuminated. This event lasts for 17 minutes, beginning around 9am. The accuracy of Newgrange as a time-telling device is remarkable when one considers that it was built 500 years before the Great Pyramids and more than 1,000 years before Stonehenge.

The intent of the Stone Age farmers who build Newgrange was undoubtedly to mark the beginning of the new year. In addition, it may have served as a powerful symbol of the victory of life over death.

Each year the winter solstice event attracts much attention at Newgrange. Many gather at the ancient tomb to wait for dawn, as people did 5,000 years ago. So great is the demand to be one of the few inside the chamber during the solstice that there is a free annual lottery (application forms are available at the Visitor Centre). Unfortunately, as with many Irish events that depend upon sunshine, if the skies are overcast, there is not much to be seen. Yet all agree that it is an extraordinary feeling to wait in the darkness, as people did so long ago, for the longest night of the year to end.

Newgrange Resources

Education Packs follow the school curricula and are an aid for teachers and students.

Immerse yourself in the rich heritage and culture of the Boyne Valley with our full-day private tours. Visit Newgrange World Heritage site, explore the Hill of Slane, where Saint Patrick famously lit the Paschal fire. Discover the Hill of Tara, the ancient seat of power for the High Kings of Ireland. Book Now

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Newgrange Stone Age Passage Tomb - Boyne Valley, Ireland

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Newgrange in the Boyne Valley is a 5000 year old Passage Tomb famous for the Winter Solstice illumination which lights up the passage and chamber at sunrise