The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-02-24
ROC K OF CASHEL.
Assstony Eninenoe in Tipperary
Which Contains a Noble Group (
OF Historic Ruins.
SEAT OF THE MUNSTER KINGS

tSAA Va IA - IVA OAN0 LIN kAlNuOI
The Spot Where Pope Adrian's
Bnll Was Read to the Assem-
bled Prelates Of Erin.
Down in the southot Tipperary county,
. few miles to the east OF the winding
8uir, and reared IN the midst of an ex-
tensive plain, stands the vast stony emil
nence know as the "Rock of Cashel." 1t
overlcoks the famous 'Golden Vein'' of
Npperrary--the most fertile valley in
all ireland. On q clear day, from the
summit Of the rock, it is said no fewer
than q hundred castles can be counted,
bearing silent but emphatic witness to
the conviction which possessed the
Founders OF those buildings, that the soil
was worth fighting for" The great
brown peaks OF the Galtees tower up
and stretch away to the horizon towards
the aouth; in another. direction Sieve,
snamon lies, vast and ponderous; north
wards. the swelling masses Of the Sieve
bloom range ring in thu scene; while
through the plain for many mile the
.tsilvsr SUR" CLEANS and flashes from the
midst OF luxu7iant fields.
But Cashel has sources OF interest for
4rishmsn greater than any that could
arise from mere advantage OF situation.
The nobiest group OF ruins in the island
crowns the historic rock Church and
fortress comnaingled, they tell OF the
living fsithsWhich dlled the breasts of
our fotefathsrs IN far-back centuries. and
disclose to as sonsthing Of the condi..
tions OF life in those remote and ;troubled
Aras.
And Cashel hs.s a history SEQ. Around
it cluster stirring memories both Of psace
and war; rs we'll as odious recollections
,of apostasy, and vandalism, and massacre
II was The sea- OF the royal court Of
Munster long befcre the introduction OF
Christianity: .as1d for some hundreds of
years afterwards the chief palace fortress
OF the Mononian kings reposed on the
summit OF the rock. St. Patrick, the
Apostle Of Ireland, in the course Of his
singularly fruitful mission, visited Cashel.
The king Aeugua, hearing of his ap
proach, courteously set out to meet the
venerable stranger, whose fame had al
ready filed the land. Aengus was con-
5verted and baptized by the Saint. This
visit OF st. Patrick to Cashel is asoribsd
TO the. year As. He hold synod in the
old CITY, in which St. Ailbe, st. Deolan,
st. Kieran, 81. Iber, and other holy men
took part. 9he Apostle at that time ap-
pointed st. Ailbe the chief Prelate Of
Munster, though the seat of his cathe-
dral was Eraly, not Caahel. Towards
the close of the ninth century, learned
prelate, Cormac McC Cu]linan by name, was
invested with the sovereignty of Mum
ster, and held his court and xercised his
episcopal fun ctions at Cashel. He erected
a church on the summit of the Rock.
In 1lO1, Murtogh O'Brien, King Of
Munster, convened at Cashel an assem-
bly, Of thc'olergy and people Of the prov
ince, and then and there, with the con-
cent Of all parties, surrendered the
HRock" to Che church. Fifteen years
Afterwards the same Murtogh resigned
his crown to his brother Dermot, and re-
tired to the monastery of st. Carthage,
at Lismore.
But few years passed when another
Cormac, who WAS both prince and pre-
late, became King of Munster. This was
Cormac MacCarthy, Archbishop of Cash
oil who founded the stone rooted church
called "Cormac's Chapel the remains
OF which stall astound and delight every
intelligent beholder. The chapel was
completed in 1897. The three things Tor
which '.Cor,nac's Chapel is remarkable
are first, it's extraordinary state of pre-
servation; secondly, it's architectural
style; and, thirdly, it's surprising beauty.
In style the church is magnificent
specimen Of what is sometimes termed
the Romanesque. but what may be more
accurately styled the Rounded period of
architecture. Nothing can exceed the
grace and beauty OF the decoration, alb
2solutely lavished both on the inferior
and exterior OF this gem Of ancient Irish
srt. The vaulted root, the noble. door
way, the elaborateay carved pillars, the
s1qniaiee grace of the towers, all vic with
each other in charm of design and won-
drous finish of sxeoutiop Scarcely !
sin this fairy temple but is enriched
traoery % delicateNas laoework,
aosyS purely Irish ID its character,
akin g the ornamsntati ton 8 the
Kslls' and the bsll-shrine of
ySff tick, and spea king volumes for
lllli i|l.ll md the high soult1rs q
q I11I 4 g T. 4 & ss9 81. u .sss, s