Rock of Cashel

About the museum

The limestone outcrop above Cashel was a royal seat of the kings of Munster long before it became a church site. Tradition links it with Saint Patrick, and the Eóganacht dynasty is said to have built a fortress here in the early medieval period. Brian Boru is recorded as being crowned king at Cashel in 977. In 1101 the king Muirchertach Ua Briain handed the rock over to the Church, and it became one of the main ecclesiastical centres of Munster.

The oldest standing building on the rock is the round tower of about 1100. Cormac's Chapel, begun in 1127 and consecrated in 1134, is a small Romanesque church that keeps the only surviving Romanesque wall paintings in Ireland. The large Gothic cathedral was built in the thirteenth century, and the fifteenth-century Hall of the Vicars Choral stands at the entrance to the enclosure.

In 1647 Parliamentarian troops under Lord Inchiquin stormed the rock and killed the Confederate soldiers and clergy sheltering there. In the 1730s the archbishop had the cathedral roof taken off, which left the building roofless as it is today. The site is now run by the Office of Public Works. Visitors pass through the Hall of the Vicars Choral, where an exhibition and the original St Patrick's Cross are displayed, and an audio-visual show introduces the history of the rock.

Highlights

• Cormac's Chapel with Ireland's only surviving Romanesque frescoes (guided tour only)
• Round tower of about 1100 and the roofless Gothic cathedral
• Exhibition in the Hall of the Vicars Choral with the original St Patrick's Cross
• Audio-visual show on the history of the rock
• Views over the Golden Vale

Permanent exhibition

• Rock of Cashel exhibition and audio-visual show – An exhibition in the Hall of the Vicars Choral shows the original St Patrick's Cross, and an audio-visual show tells the story of Cashel.

Operated by

Office of Public Works (OPW) – Heritage Ireland

Admission & discounts

The ticket price is the same for guided and self-guided visits. Tickets can be booked online. A limited number of places for the interior tour of Cormac’s Chapel can only be bought on site.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Heritage Ireland warns of uneven walkways, low doorways and the need to hold the handrail, and the site is very exposed. It lists no wheelchair or toilet details for this site. Assistance dogs are welcome at all Heritage Ireland sites.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

Discover Ireland lists the site as family friendly. Children and students pay a reduced rate and there is a family ticket. The enclosure has uneven ground and exposed edges.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Gift shop on site. Exhibition and audio-visual show are in the entrance building.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Heritage Ireland lists the site as an events venue; no details are published on the site page.

Plan your visit