Cashel (pop. 4,805) is a popular tourist town in County Tipperary in the Republic of Ireland. It is also an important market town in a rich farming district known as the Golden Vale. In Irish, Cashel is called Caiseal. A large limestone outcrop, the famous Rock of Cashel, rises above the town. Officially called St. Patrick’s Rock (Carraig Phádraig), the Rock of Cashel is home to a number of significant medieval ruins. Among them are a round tower, a cathedral, and Cormac’s Chapel, an excellent example of Irish Romanesque architecture. The nearby Hoare Abbey (also spelled Hore Abbey) is one of the most famous monastic sites in Ireland. Cashel was the seat of the Munster kings from about A.D. 370 to 1100. See also Brian Boru; Ireland, History of; Tipperary, County.
