Cashel has the most iconic skyline of any town in Ireland.

Now home to more than 3000 inhabitants, it was once the seat of power for the High Kings of Munster, the southern province of Ireland.

St Patrick’s Rock in Cashel was the situation for this royal seat. According to legend, Aonghus of the Eoganacht, King of Munster, was baptised here by St Patrick in the 5th Century AD. The site later served an ecclesiastical purpose when it was handed over to the Church by Muircheartach O’ Brien in 1101.

Cashel is now a small but bustling town with a rich heritage. A captivating sense of history echoes through the buildings and lanes and streets around the town. Due to its location in the rich, fertile countryside of the Golden Vale, Cashel has always had a sense of energy through the farmers and traders who focus their business here. There are also a number of charming pubs and shops as well as a good choice of cafes and restaurants.

It is well worth staying in Cashel during the Arts Festival. There is a wide range of accommodation on offer, details of which are supplied by the Heritage Centre located on the Main Plaza in the centre of the town.

Cashel (/ˈkæʃəl/; Irish: Caiseal, meaning ‘stone ringfort’)

“A captivating sense of history echoes through the buildings and lanes and streets around the town.”

Cashel Heritage Centre and Tourist Information:

  • November-February 9.30-17.30 / Monday- Friday
  • February- November 9.30-17.30 / Monday-Sunday