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Worth the Wait!

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My husband, Sean, spent many summers in his childhood on his family’s farm in County Tyrone. As an adult he continued to visit Ireland often, and we had the privilege of traveling there together several times. But one thing was missing, neither Sean nor I, in all our trips to Ireland, had ever visited the Rock of Cashel.

If it sounds like a spectacular natural site that’s true, it is an amazing place to visit. It’s history dates back to the legend that St. Patrick himself arrived in Cashel in AD 432 and baptized King Aengus to become Ireland’s first Christian ruler. The remains of the buildings you can tour today date back to the 12th century, in fact the round tower on the grounds is the oldest building there. Cormac’s Chapel is one of earliest examples of 13th century architecture in Ireland, and my visitors look for the famous St’ Patrick’s cross.

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When we took our family trip to Ireland in 2011, we decided we needed to go tour the Rock of Cashel. We drove from Dromoland Castle in County Clare, on our way to Dublin. It was a spectacular day! The sky was so blue and the sun was so bright, that many people were telling us they couldn’t believe that it was April, not mid-summer. As you drive to the Rock of Cashel, your first glimpse of the famous cathedral ruins is in the distance as it rises up from the country side. No wonder they say the ancient Kings of Ireland used this site. It is majestic from all angles.

We spent the morning walking through the remains of the church, and seeing the restorations of many of the carvings. Somehow the blue sky as the roof of the cathedral made it even more spectacular, as you marveled that the walls were her 800 years old. We still say that this was one of our favorite memories of any trip we have taken together. What made it even more special is that we toured the site on Holy Thursday before Easter, and seeing the ancient carvings of the crucifixion was so powerful. I felt surrounded by the prayers of countless people over hundreds of years, and it was humbling.