Saturday, 11th of August 2001:    Kilkenny - Cork - Killarney

The monastic ruins at the Rock of Cashel, near the town of Cashel in southern Ireland, belong to the most important tourist attractions in the country. The buildings on top of the "Rock", including a cathedral, a castle and a "Round Tower" (on the left), were built since the 12th century A.D..

Across Ireland you will find several Round Towers. These towers were used when a village or monastery was under siege. The citizens could hide in the top floors of the tower, together with their food supplies until the attacking army turned back home. Unfortunately, it didn't always work well, as the assailants sometimes hit upon the idea of burning a fire at the base of the tower.

The geologic history of the Rock of Cashel is also interesting, because it really is single rock protruding above a wide plain. Geologists believe that the rock was created during an earthquake, when a folded limestone-unit was pushed upwards and remained visible as a tens of meters high rock.