South East Ireland's Castles & Ancient Settlements

Ireland has more than its fair share of outstanding archaeological sites, but the Rock of Cashel is arguably the most impressive. The 'rock' from which it takes its name is, in fact, a limestone hill, covered in luscious green, rising from the plain which characterises the surrounding area. The word 'cashel', by contrast, is derived from the Irish Gaelic word caiseal, meaning stone fortress.

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In both respects, the Rock of Cashel lives up to its title. The rock itself is vast and imposing, and one can only imagine the difficulties it would have posed for attackers throughout the ages who had designs on the stone fortress above. The masonry of the fort itself is no less spectacular and is remarkably well preserved almost a full millennium after its original construction.

The history of the site itself is long and varied. First used as a base for Welsh invaders, the Eóghanachta clan, who would become kings of this region of Ireland. The clan, and hence the rock, have been closely associated with St. Patrick (considered by many historians to be a Welshman), earning Cashel's pseudonym, St. Patrick's Rock.

Although under Eóghanachta rule, Cashel would rival Tara as Ireland's centre of power, it was wrested from their control in the Tenth Century before being presented to the Church in 1101. The site would change hands many times again in the centuries to follow, giving rise to the various buildings whose remains now occupy it.

Kilkenny Castle stands proudly on the banks of the River Nore. It is a prominent feature in the landscape of this famous tourist town, which is located less than two hours from Dublin. Built by the powerful Butler family in 1195, the original fortifications were made of wood and designed in the prevailing Norman style of that period. By the 18th century, the Butler family began to lose their power and their wealth and Kilkenny Castle fell into disrepair. When Anne Wandesford married John Butler, wealth was once again brought into the family and the castle was once again refurbished and brough back to its past glory.

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What visitors see today is a 19th century structure that has undergone numerous expansions and renovations and is more akin to a Renaissance-style mansion than a castle. Every year, around 500,000 people come to visit the estate and wander through its fifty-acre park, which is packed with a variety of wildlife and ancient trees. The main attractions include the intricately designed rose garden, the expansive woodlands, and the man-made lake.

Like the Rock of Cashel, Tintern Abbey owes its heritage to Wales, founded as it was by the Earl of Pembroke in the Thirteenth Century for the benefit of its Welsh monk inhabitants. Today, there remains a Welsh counterpart with the same name. The abbey became the living quarters of the Colclough family in the 16th century and has a long history as a private residence. 45-minute guided tours of the property are available.

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Much of the original building still stands, including the cloister walls and crossing tower, as well as the chancel and transept chapels. But visitors will enjoy the surroundings at least as much as the abbey itself, with lakes, streams, woods and ruins providing distractions for all age groups. Perhaps most alluring of all is the Colclough Walled Garden, built over 200 years ago and restored since 2010. During these restorations and conservations works, special measures have been taken to protect local bat colonies.

With its monumental round tower, St Canice's Cathedral rises majestically above the north of Kilkenny's city centre. Perhaps understandably so: ranking just behind St Patrick's in Dublin, it is Ireland's second-largest medieval cathedral. Gothic in style, it is characterized by its iconic round tower which affords commanding views of the surrounding area. There are only two round towers in Ireland that you are allowed to climb and this is one of them.

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The history of the building itself, long and varied, began - at least according to legend - in the Sixth Century with the establishment of a monastery there by St Canice, Kilkenny's patron saint. Inside the building you will find the tomb of Bishop Ledrede. In the 14th Century, the bishop accused Alice Kyteler of witchcraft. The first person in the Irish records condemned for Witchcraft

Founded in the second half of the Twelfth century and recently partially restored, Jerpoint Abbey is one of Ireland's finest Cistercian ruins. It is located close to Thomastown in County Kilkenny. The main church, with its Romanesque flourishes, dates from these earliest days in the abbey's long history, but visitors will also find tombs dating from the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries, the tower and the cloisters date back to the fifteenth century. Look out for figures carved into the cloister pillars, some of them are quite entertaining.

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The abbey itself was built around 1180 and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Jerpoint Abbey continued to prosper until the English King, Henry VIII, called for the 'Dissolution of the Monasteries' between 1536 and 1541. The last abbot of the abbey, Oliver Grace, surrendered it to the king during this time. Since 1880, Jerpoint Abbey has been classified as a national monument and has been in the care of the Office of Public Works.

If you were looking for a single example of what people might expect a picture-postcard Irish castle to look like, Lismore Castle might be the one. Although the original castle dated back to 1185, what visitors see today was in fact built in the early 1800s, so its turrets and towers are in immaculate condition.

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What might impress visitors rather less is the lack of access, so take note before you make a special trip: you won't be able to go inside the castle itself, the interior spaces of which are closed to the public. You will, however, be able to explore the extensive and ornate gardens which, considered the oldest in Ireland, are arguably worth the trip in themselves, especially for the more green-fingered visitor.

The first stone castle in this location was built in the 1190s by Anglo-Normans whose descendents continued to reside here for 200 years. The structure which tourists and historians visit today was built in the Fifteenth Century and the history of the setting since that time is the story of Ireland itself. The castle was occupied by Cromwellian forces in 1649 and was used as a prison during the 1798 rebellion.

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Against this striking historical backdrop, the castle commonly plays host to various exhibitions whose connection to the castle isn't always obvious. Some visitors love this, though some have found it confusing.

First established in 1225AD, Black Abbey was one of the first houses of the Dominican Order in Ireland and is architecturally Normal in style. Historically, "Black Friars" was the term used to describe members of the Dominican Order, and it is from this that the Abbey takes its name. Perhaps the biggest draw for tourist visitors the Abbey is the spectacular Rosary Window in the south transcept. The thirteenth century alabaster statur of the trinity is no less impressive.

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