Posts Tagged ‘saint patrick’

The Rock of Cashel

Posted on: November 13th, 2011 by Sine Treanor No Comments

The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary is also known by several other names, Carraig Phádraig, St Patrick’s Rock and Cashel of the Kings. It is said that it was here that St Patrick converted Aenghus the King of Munster to the Christian faith in the fifth century A.D. This is uncertain but The Rock is known to have been the seat of power of the High Kings of Munster before the Norman invasion and Brian Boru was crowned High King of Ireland there in the tenth century. Unfortunately there is little left to indicate their presence, as most of the buildings are as late as the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The Rock was gifted to the church by the king of the O’Brien clan in the eleven hundreds and became the seat for the archbishop, this is when Cormacs Chapel was built. Later in 1647 Lord Inchiquin led Cromwell’s forces and ransacked The Rock.

The Rock of Cashel

The Rock of Cashel, County Tipperary.

The complex is unique and is considered to be one of the most important collections of Medieval architecture and Celtic art located anywhere in Europe. More recently, The Rock of Cashel has found new fame as the setting for the Medieval who-dunnits by Peter Tremayne, the “Sister Fidelma Mysteries“. It consists of a ruined abbey, a round tower, the twelfth century Romanesque chapel of St Cormac and high crosses and churches. In the thirteenth century Gothic cathedral are a central tower, and living accommodation, there is a roof top walk accessed from steps in the tower. At the entrance to The Rock is the Hall of the Vicars Choral, this has been restored and part of it converted into a museum with exhibits of silverware and other items including St Patrick’s Cross. From here you can take a guided tour which lasts for approximately an hour and a half. The views over the plains of Tipperary and the surrounding countryside are truly remarkable.

Surrounding the complex are stone walls and there is a large grave yard with many high crosses, but unfortunately one of the largest and most famous, Scully’s Cross was destroyed by lightning in 1976 when a bolt struck the metal rod which ran the entire length of the cross. Not surprisingly given its dramatic appearance and unusual size, legends abound about how the Rock of Cashel was formed. One is that it was as a result of St. Patrick banishing the Devil from a mountain cave near Templemore south west of Cashel, as he left the devil is supposed to have taken a bite out of the mountain, this was too much even for the devil and he broke his teeth on the rock and dropped it so that it fell to earth. Although The Rock of Cashel is one of Irelands most visited tourist sites, the town itself has many interesting features including the GPA Bolton Library with many unique books which are not found anywhere else in the world. There is a Heritage Centre and tourist information office in the main street, which has on display a model of Cashel in the 1640s and a multimedia presentation in various languages, there are also Tipperary crafts for sale, all in all, this is a superb part of Ireland to explore.

Climbing The Reek

Posted on: June 29th, 2011 by Sine Treanor No Comments

A journey to the top of Croagh Patrick

Climbing Mt. Croagh Patrick, at a little over 2,500ft, is not for the fainthearted. And yet, on the last Sunday of July every year, you are likely to find tens of thousands of people (some very young, some very old and everything in between) making the journey to the top. Some even do it barefoot! This is Reek Sunday and the Pilgrimage to the top on this day is done for penance. Following in the footsteps of St. Patrick himself, who was said to have climbed to ask god’s blessing for his work in bringing the Catholic religion to Ireland. He spent forty days and forty nights on the summit, fasting and praying for his new flock. It was while he was there he was said to banish the snakes from Ireland.

View From Croag Patrick

Croagh Patrick is locally known as The Reek. (Reek is a high hill, which is a bit of an understatement if you are about to climb it.) The mountain has been held sacred since long before Christianity and it is thought that the Celtic people believed that the Celtic God Crom Dubh lived there. The pagan harvest festival of Lughnasa was celebrated around the mountain. This was traditionally held around August 1st. During the festival, women would sleep at the top of the mountain to encourage fertility.

Of course there is another reason to climb this mountain. Located about 5 miles from Westport, Co. Mayo and overlooking nearby Connemara, it is in one of the most breathtakingly beautiful parts of Ireland. From here you can see the beautiful expanse of Clew Bay and its many islands. It is said there is an Island for every day of the year. This is not strictly true as many are not technically islands.

The view from the summit is spectacular and well worth the climb. Whatever your creed, this place is good for the spirit. It will truly grab you by the heart!

St. Patrick’s Day

Posted on: July 21st, 2008 by Sine Treanor No Comments

St. Patrick’s Day is a feast holiday celebrated by the Irish (and increasingly by many non Irish in the western world). It’s typically celebrated on the 17th of March, but this date can change based on decrees from church authorities. If, for instance, the holiday is scheduled to fall within a period known as “Holy Week,” the Church may move the date of the feast around.

While St. Patrick’s Day is a designated official holiday in Ireland and in parts of Canada and Newfoundland, it’s a “non official” holiday in places like the US and the UK. Indubitably, St. Patrick’s Day invites a flurry of festivals and parades. In Boston, the tradition of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade dates all the way back to the 1730s. Huge parades occur every year in both New York City and Boston to celebrate the occasion. Of course, Irish cities, such as Limerick, Cork, and Dublin get into the action as well.

Celebrants often wear green and orange to pay homage to traditional Irish colors. That said, it’s funny to note that the original “official” color of St. Patrick’s Day was not green but rather blue. Other ways people celebrate include eating green food and drinking green beer, wearing shamrocks, glugging down pints of Guinness, and going to church (for a small but dedicated few!) Though St. Patrick’s Day is a Christian holiday that in some senses dates back more than 1500 years, it’s only been around as a widely celebrated occasion since the 17th century. (St. Patrick is one of Ireland’s Patron Saints. His funeral was on the 17th of March in the year 461 AD, and thus the holiday is a feast in honor of him.)

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