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| The Rock of Cashel in Co. Tipperary |
When
I wrote Building in Stone, for English Heritage, professional work as a
geologist at places like Roche Abbey, Conisbrough Castle and Brodsworth Hall
gave me the initial idea, but it was visits to Peveril Castle and Housesteads Roman
fort on Hadrian’s Wall, long ago, that had really inspired me.
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| Cormac's Chapel |
Just
a few kilometres away from Cahir Castle, the Rock of Cashel is also built on Carboniferous limestone, but
the rock here is arched into a distinctive landform, with rocky bluffs, that
protrudes from the surrounding landscape.
Reputedly the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century, this fortress was given to the church in 1101, long before the invasion of Ireland by the Normans, and contains fine examples of mediaeval architecture and Celtic art. Both Carboniferous limestone and Devonian sandstone are again the principal building stones used in its construction, with the latter being used to build the elaborately carved Cormac’s Chapel.
Reputedly the site of the conversion of the King of Munster by St. Patrick in the 5th century, this fortress was given to the church in 1101, long before the invasion of Ireland by the Normans, and contains fine examples of mediaeval architecture and Celtic art. Both Carboniferous limestone and Devonian sandstone are again the principal building stones used in its construction, with the latter being used to build the elaborately carved Cormac’s Chapel.
Arriving
at 15.00 in the afternoon, I was there until 16:15 – when it started to close –
but I still hadn’t had time to look at all of the ruins or to walk around the
outside of the walls, so I could look at
the geology in detail. I can easily see how groups of geology students or
school groups can spend a good afternoon’s field work here.
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With
time moving on, I still had to drive another 130 km to Killarney, in Co. Kerry,
where I had to get something to eat and find a place to sleep for the night –
before travelling to Valentia Island, which is not very far off being the
furthest place away from Dublin as it's possible to be.
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| On the way to Killarney - The Galtee Mountains |
