The Rock of Cashel

The Rock of Cashel is a medieval site in Co. Tipperary, Ireland. This is a historic and mystical site that was the seat of the kings of Munster for hundreds of years. I had to pleasure of walking around this beautiful piece of history and I was amazed by it all. Like most of the castles here in Ireland, they are in ruin. However, even though the roofs are gone, and some walls are caved in, you can see and feel the meaningfulness and power as you walk around. The day we went was also cloudy with grays skies; that plus the crows squawking and flying above us added another level to the whole experience. I am all for sunny weather, but I felt like the overcast made the Rock of Cashel more enjoyable in a way. This building is very tall and daunting, and I feel a sunny day wouldn't do the site justice.

Normally on group trips I stay with my friends and discuss how we feel but at this site I found myself wandering off alone looking at the different tombstones and rooms of the castle. There was so much to see and for this place being so old, it was preserved beautifully. Like I have mentioned before, in America I do not have the pleasure of seeing ruins of castles and structures like here in Ireland. So, when the opportunity arises, I like to take as much time as I can exploring every aspect of these places.

While I was exploring, it brought me back to a poem written by William Yeats, The Falling Leaves. This poem is about time, change, mortality, and a bit of melancholy. The whole poem is beautiful but the lines that really stuck out to me are:

"And weary and worn are our sad souls now;"

"Let us part, ere the season of passion forget us."

The Rock of Cashel is a huge piece of history, and the outside grounds are littered with gravestones. I think these lines really relate to the meaningfulness of the passing of time and the death of a loved one. What once was a mighty castle as slowly turned into an inhabitable monument; and the people who once roamed the halls, beloved by others, are now passed on with most of their legacies forgotten. The castle was worn and with the gray skies covering the sun, a sense of weariness swept over the people visiting. This place is incredibly beautiful and even though there is now a lot of sadness within the walls of Cashel, there was still so much beauty left to see.

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