We spent 10 days in Ireland and Rock of Cashel was one of the highlights. Rock of Cashel is one of the few places Chad passionately shared that was on his Ireland bucket list, and with good reason. While it’s one of the most popular historic sites in Ireland, even in the peak of July, the crowds were moderate. And as we explored deeper, we found ourselves completely on our own and loving every minute of it!
Located in County Tipperary, we stopped here on our way from Dublin to Cork. Give it a couple of hours if you really want to enjoy the history, the beautiful grounds, and the hidden Hore Abbey just a hop, skip, and a jump away. Top it off with some Goat’s milk ice cream sold at the shop next door, it’s a great way to spend part of an afternoon.
There really is something for the entire family here. Exploration. History. Beauty. Cows. Sheep. Hills to roll down. Don’t miss it!
When you arrive there’s a parking lot, and it’s just a short walk uphill to the main entrance where you will purchase your tickets. From there you are free to roam the grounds for as long as you would like.
As always, you’ll enjoy viewing the sheep that are everywhere in Ireland! Did you know there are more sheep than people in Ireland?
What strikes you first is the magnificence of the grounds. 50 shades of green, beautiful pastures, and you can see for miles. It’s a perfect place to just quiet the mind and take in Ireland’s beauty.
And like all of these incredible historical structures in Ireland, there’s an entire history to learn, and unlike in America, you are completely free to wander in and out of the structure. It’s an incredible awareness when you realize just how OLD these buildings are and there are no barriers or glass to separate you from it. You can just be in it, and take it all in.
Perched on top of a hill, you truly can appreciate the natural beauty that is Ireland.
And for Grant, that meant rolling down the hill! Over and over again! Great place for kids to just wander and explore.
And the perfect spot for an Irish leap!
Now, once you have had your fill of Rock of Cashel…don’t leave. If you look down the hill, you’ll see another old structure in the distance. You’ll ask yourself, “should we really check it out?” You’ll debate it. I’m telling you…do it. Go down there. Because most people don’t. When we went down there we had it all to ourselves (well….sort of…get to that in a minute), and it was VERY cool.
As you make your way down, you’ll see awesome full views of Rock of Cashel.
And then in front of you, you’ll find another historic structure, Hore Abbey. We didn’t make this name up, we promise. But we connected with our 10 year old selves and had a good laugh. As we took the walkway into the Abbey, we noticed all the cows just freely walking around! So, watch out for those cow pies if you know what I mean. But that was one of the coolest things. I admit, a little part of me was scared…should I really be walking here with cows walking around? Is this their turf? Are these cows that attack? Is attacking cows even a thing? Crazy thoughts. But made for a very fun experience!
This was my “before” shot, in case I was attacked by an angry Hore Abbey cow.
There was no one else there to take our photo so we did what any tourist would do, the selfie stick!
Walking in and around the Abbey was so cool, and we had it all to ourselves! Yes, that’s Grant doing his thing.
Maybe it’s their Iowan genes, but the kids were mesmerized by the cows. Don’t be fooled by that wall between them and the cows. You could walk right around and pet the cow if you wanted to.
We then trekked through the grass and the cows, back towards Rock of Cashel. This is secretly where I thought we’d have death by cow. But we all survived.
This definitely was a highlight of our trip!
