The Rock of Cashel

Our next stop after leaving Kilkenny was a visit to the Rock of Cashel. It’s the site where kings were crowned, notably the legendary High King Brian Boru. A 12th-13th century church was built on the remains of the former ring fort, complete with secret passageways for the abbot to spy on his priests or even escape in times of attack. One section of the tower was struck by a storm and blew over.

Here’s a view of the secret passageway. Inside the walls was the narrow area where the abbot could move around the church. While we were at Cashel, we saw many gravestones. I’m still bothered by the graves of infants and children. Another interesting item at the site was a cross of St. Patrick. It contained a hollowed-out section in the base to hide religious treasures, if needed. Also, the legend goes that if you hug the statue, you’ll never get a toothache. I can hear the ADA groaning now.

I was most interested in the frescoes and hidden paintings at Cashel. A few years ago, they were renovating a wall and came across a painting hidden beneath the whitewash. It makes you wonder who covered it up and why. There’s a story here . . . They also found more hidden paintings in a smaller chapel. Did they cover them up to protect them? Was it meant to hide certain images? Or maybe there’s a hidden religious treasure on the grounds, and the frescoes are the treasure map, and all we have to do is follow the clues! Sorry. Writer’s imagination got carried away there. But it is fun to imagine. I love stories like this.

By the way, I’m still trying to get the smilies fixed. If you have a preference for a particular one you’d like me to bring back, just let me know!