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A HISTORY OF THE CASHEL
PALACE HOTEL
The Cashel Palace Hotel was built in 1730 by Archbishop Theophilus
Bolton. It was designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce who was also
the Architect of the Old Parliament House in Dublin, which isnow
the Bank of Ireland, College Green.
In style, it can be placed
between Queen Anne and Early Georgian. The Cashel Palace is faced
with red brick to the front and with limestone at the rear, making
it a very rare and unusual feature for the period.
A crowned harp is to be found
over the entrance, this is a fire mark issued by the Hibernian
Insurance Company of Dublin who were in business from 1771 to
1839. They were the first company in Ireland to transact Fire
Insurance.
The entrance hall retains its
original wood panelling, with two Corinthian columns. The magnificent
staircase off the entrance hall is of Red Pine, in an early Georgian
style with an intricate foliate design and superb examples of
‘barley sugar’ banisters. This staircase leads to the
upper floors where a selection of elegant, individually decorated
bedrooms are offered.
Some of these rooms were damaged
during the Wolf Tone Rebellion of 1798. They were remodelled
after 1800 in the Regency Style by the 1st Earl of Normanton,
the then Archbishop of Cashel.
Following a decision by Archbishop
Richard Lawrence to transfer the Diocesan headquarters to Waterford
in 1833 the Palace was divided for use by the Dean of Cashel
and a Canon of the Church of Ireland. The decision was made by
the Church to sell the property in 1959 and in May 1962 it was
first opened as a Luxury Hotel by Lord Brockett, who also owned
the Wicklow Hotel in Dublin and Benner’s Hotel in Tralee
at that time.
To the rear of the Palace are
beautiful gardens, which include two ancient Mulberry Trees planted
in 1702 to commemorate the Coronation of Queen Anne. The gardens
also contain the descendants of the original hop plants used
by Richard Guinis, an agent for Archbishop Price of Cashel in
the 1740’s to brew the first “Wine of Ireland”.
Mr. Guinis and his son Arthur
went on to brew this beer in Dublin and to found the famous Guinness
Brewery at St. James’ Gate. The garden also contains a private
walk (The Bishops Walk) to the Rock of Cashel, the 13th Century
Cathedral and the ancient seat of the Kings of Munster.
The Palace is described as
“a place of notable hospitality” in Loveday’s
Tour of 1732, a description which we feel applies today also.
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