Tourist information is at the Heritage Centre on Main Street, open M-F 9:30AM-5:30PM.
Get in
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By road follow M8 from Dublin or Cork.
Bus Éireann 245X runs four times a day from Dublin Busáras and Heuston station to Cashel, taking 2 hr 10 min, and continues south to Cahir, Mitchelstown, Fermoy and Cork.
Bernard Kavanagh Bus runs twice a day from Clonmel to Cashel, 45 min, and continues to Holycross and Thurles.
Local Link Bus 828 / 858 runs 3-4 times a day from Portlaoise via Abbeyleix, Durrow, Johnstown, Urlingford and Thurles to Cashel, taking 90 min.
Bus 855 runs four times a day between Tipperary, Limerick Junction, Cahir, Cashel and Golden, with an extra evening run F Sa.
The bus stop in Cashel is along Main St.
Get around
[edit]Walk, the town is compact. You only need wheels to reach Golden and Athassel Priory.
Taxi firms are Tommy Dolan (+353 87 645 0400) and Moon Cabs (+353 89 455 1160).
See
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- 1 Rock of Cashel (Carraig Phádraig, St Patrick's Rock), Cashel E25 KX44, ☏ +353 62 61437. Daily Apr-Oct 9AM-5PM, Nov-Mar 9AM-4PM. One of Ireland's top sights, mobbed by coach tours in summer, a fortified enclosure on a limestone outcrop. This natural stronghold has probably been settled for millennia; legend says that the devil took a bite out a mountain 30 km north, broke his teeth, and spat out the rock which landed here. The first documented occupants were the Eóganachta, who ruled Munster from the 6th to 10th century AD. They were ousted by the O'Briens under Brian Boru, whose great-grandson King Muircheartach O'Brien gifted the site to the church in 1101. Park at the foot of the rock and follow the walkway. Enter through the Hall of the Vicars Choral, built in the 15th century to house the cathedral choristers. Then pass through the cathedral (13th-century Gothic) and Archbishop's Residence (15th century), with the Round Tower (11th and 12th century) by one corner. The highlight is the Romanesque Cormac's Chapel, completed in 1127: give your eyes time to adjust to the gloom, to pick out the rich carvings and frescos. There are High Crosses in the graveyard. Adult €8, senior €6, child/student €4.
- St Dominic's Abbey is a ruin on Dominic Street 300 m southeast of the Rock. It was a Dominican abbey founded in 1243 and dissolved in 1540, though diehard friars were somehow still there 300 years later. You can't go in.
- 2 Cashel Folk Village, Moor Lane E25 A470, ☏ +353 87 915 1316. M-Th, Sa 10AM-5:30PM, Su noon-4:30PM. Reconstruction of thatched village shops, a forge, and other businesses, together with a penal Chapel, IRA museum and presentation of events of 1916-1923. Adult €8, child €5, conc €7.
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Bolton Library
This huge collection of antiquarian books was amassed by Theophilus Bolton, Archbishop of Cashel 1730-1744. They include a 12th-century manuscript, the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493 and works by Dante, Swift, Calvin, Erasmus, Machiavelli and the physicist Robert Boyle. Several bear library stamps showing ownership by Catherine of Aragon, or Francis Bacon. After Bolton died, the library remained in the archbishop's palace for almost a century then was moved to the chapter house of St John's Cathedral. Conditions there were unsuitable and many books deteriorated. In 1995 the collection passed into the care of the University of Limerick: their task of stabilising, restoring and cataloguing the contents continues. The books are now in the Glucksman Library on UL's Castletroy campus; it's not known when or where they might be exhibited. |
- Main Street is brightly painted. Note the Fountain.
- 3 St John's Cathedral is Church of Ireland (Anglican), a Georgian building on John St.
- City walls survive in scraps just south of the cathedral.
- St John the Baptist is the Roman Catholic church facing the cathedral across Friar St. It was completed in 1795 over the site of a Franciscan friary.
- 4 Kearney's Castle, 15 Main St. Closed. Just admire the exterior of this 15th-century tower house, which was used as a garrison by Lord Inchiquin's Parliamentarian army. The Kearney family lived in the building for many years, and Fr John Kearney was hanged in the castle in 1652. The building in modern times was a hotel but this closed in 2016.
- 5 Hore Abbey (Mainistir Iubhair), Loughnafina, Cashel. 24 hours. This was founded by the Benedictines in the late 12th century, but in 1270 was granted to the Cistercians. The legend goes that the Archbishop ejected the Benedictines because he dreamed they planned to murder him. This doesn't seem likely, it was everyone else in town that was sharpening their knives for him, and there may have been an England versus Ireland twist to it. The abbey fell into ruin at the Dissolution. Free.
- 6 Golden Castle is one helluva name to give to a dilapidated stump on an island in the River Suir. "Golden" is the Anglicised version of An Gabhailín, "The Grange", though the richness of the farmland is indeed precious. You only come this way along N74 to reach the Priory, turn south here and see below.
- 7 Athassel Priory, Athassel North, Golden. Extensive riverside priory founded by the Augustinians in the late 12th century. It was energetically built up and equally energetically burned down, as was the adjacent village, and finally ruined by the 16th century Reformation. Parking only for 3 cars and you have to scramble over the field wall.
Do
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- Brú Ború Centre, The Kiln E25 YE89 (by Rock of Cashel car park), ☏ +353 62 61122. Performance venue for Irish music, song, dance and theatre. It also has a genealogy centre and restaurant.
- Golf: Cashel driving range is 3 km north of town off R639. County Tipperary GC is 10 km west on R505.
- 1 Tipperary Raceway, Tullamain, Rosegreen. This track midway between Cashel and Fethard stages Karting, Hot Rod, Stock Car and Banger Racing.
- Angling for salmon and trout on the river Suir is 17 March-30 September. Angling licences needed, you can buy from Casale 2000 sports shop at 4 Bank Place, Cashel.
- Walk: Tipperary Heritage Way is a 55-km trail from The Vee above Goatenbridge via Cahir along the course of the River Suir. The northmost section is 11 km between Cashel and Golden: from the Rock, head west along the lane to the river bank, and follow the waymarked trail.
Buy
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- Supermarkets are south along Cahir Road, with Aldi, Lidl and Tesco, which has fuel.
Eat
[edit]- Chez Hans, Moor Lane E25 VK57 (foot of Main St), ☏ +353 62 61177. F Sa 5:30-10PM, Su 12:30-3PM, 5:30-8PM. Upmarket restaurant in an old church, probably the best cuisine in the county.
- Ruen Mying, Lower Gate St (top of Main St), ☏ +353 62 63801. W-M 5-10PM. Not that you'd admit to wanting a break from Irish, but here's a Thai.
- Main Street also has Grogan's Cafe, Saffron, Bowes, Spearman's Tearoom, Eskimo Pizza and Orchid Garden, plus takeaways.
Drink
[edit]- Feehan's Bar, 105 Main St E25 T386, ☏ +353 62 61929. M-Sa 11AM-11:30PM, Su 2-11PM. Friendly bar, serves food to six-ish, but when it's gone it's gone.
- Brian Boru Bar, 49 Main St E25 W966, ☏ +353 62 63381, [email protected]. Su-F noon-11:30PM, Sa noon-2:30AM. Friendly place, decent food. Live music and DJ's Thursday-Monday.
- Others west to east on main drag are TJ Ryan's, Davern's, Mikey Ryan's, Donoghue's (within Cashel Palace Hotel), City Bar, Billy Foley's, Byrne's Capitol Bar and Gleesons.
Sleep
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- 1 O'Brien's Holiday Lodge and Campsite, Rock House, Mountjudkin E25 PY79, ☏ +353 62 61003. B&B in 200-year-old granary, plus camping and caravan pitches. Clean, welcoming and well-run. B&B double €125.
- 2 Cashel Holiday Hostel, 6 John St E25 VY79, ☏ +353 62 62330. Budget place, gets very mixed reviews for cleanliness and comfort. Large common areas, kitchen and laundry facilities. Has dorm, they also run Town Centre Inn next door.
- Cashel Town Centre Inn, 5 John St E25 N564, ☏ +353 62 62330. Basic B&B with six rooms in a refurbished Georgian town house.
- Ashmore House, John St E25 PY68, ☏ +353 62 61272. Clean welcoming B&B behind the yellow door. B&B double €120.
- 3 Rockville House B&B, 10 Moor Lane, The Rock Industrial Park E25 YA38, ☏ +353 62 61760. Splendid little B&B with a great host. No dogs. B&B double €120.
- Baileys Hotel, 42 Main St E25 XF79, ☏ +353 62 61937. Charming 1709 building with great comfort and dining. B&B double €190.
- 4 Cashel Palace Hotel, Main Street E25 EF61, ☏ +353 62 62002. A magnificent manor built in 1732 for Archbishop Bolton, the fellow who amassed the library. Great reviews for decor, comfort and service. B&B double €450.
Connect
[edit]As of April 2025, Cashel and its approach roads have 5G from all Irish carriers.
Cashel Public Library on Friar St is open M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM. Internet access is free for library members.
Go next
[edit]- Cahir has a castle on a river island, the fanciful Swiss Cottage, and Mitchelstown Cave.
- Thurles: go to the races.
- Waterford is the oldest city in Ireland, with a wealth of Viking, medieval and Georgian / Victorian heritage.