An archbishop’s will, a backyard in Tipperary, and the palace lodge the place the entire thing began. Plus: a flute orchestra, the world’s most guarded stud farm, and the Michelin star that got here again after.
My oldest pal, whom I met after we had been 9, was from Dublin and horse-crazy. Each woman of a sure period was a bit horse-crazy — Black Magnificence did its work, Nationwide Velvet completed the job — however hers was the true situation, the type no ebook offers you and no maturity takes away. Due to her, I’ve spent my complete life associating the island of Eire with horses, lengthy earlier than I might have informed you the place Tipperary was or why anybody would sing about it.
So once I inform you I’ve discovered a narrative that ties the horses to the stout, perceive that this one was written for me. It’s additionally, because it occurs, the prequel to Home of Guinness — the Netflix collection from Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, and completely value your watch. That present opens in 1868 with the dynasty already an empire and the heirs circling the desire. This story is in regards to the different will, the one from greater than a century earlier, with out which there isn’t any empire, no heirs, and nothing to circle.
In 1752, the Church of Eire Archbishop of Cashel, one Arthur Value, died and left £100 to his godson. Value had climbed to the submit via his father’s friendship with William Conolly, the good political fixer of Georgian Eire, and alongside the best way he had purchased a malthouse in Celbridge and put his land steward — Richard Guinness, the godson’s father — accountable for producing what was remembered as a brew of a really palatable nature. The need, although, was by no means signed. Value was seized abruptly by his remaining sickness and died earlier than he might execute it; his executors swore the unsigned pages into impact anyway. Buried in them: £100 apiece to Richard and to his son Arthur, every described not as household pal or godson however because the archbishop’s servant. That hundred kilos turned the seed capital for probably the most well-known stout on earth.
Right here’s the irony: the desire that financed Guinness was written by the person who destroyed the medieval fortress at Cashel. Restoration was already underway when Value arrived. Specialists stated the Twelfth-century maintain may very well be re-roofed. Value stated it couldn’t. He had it gutted as an alternative. His reminiscence at Cashel is just not held in excessive esteem. (Hmm, remind you of anybody?)
However the gardens—designed with the Rock of Cashel as their organizing precept—survived. So did the mulberry bushes planted in 1702 through the Queen Anne period, when somebody thought silkworms would possibly really flourish in Eire. They didn’t. The bushes did. Hops nonetheless develop the place Richard Guinness as soon as brewed for the archbishop’s desk.
The famend Rock of Cashel itself sits on the foot of a limestone outcrop that rises from the Golden Vale. Within the 1130s, Cormac McCarthy—king of Munster—constructed a stone fortress there. It turned the seat of the kings of Munster, and legend says St. Patrick as soon as baptized a king on that rock. (The king, named Aengus, took a knife to the foot with such equanimity that he assumed the blade work was a part of the ceremony. That’s one studying of religion.) The McCarthy household dominated from the Rock for hundreds of years. Their descendants constructed Blarney Citadel—the one with the well-known kissing stone that you simply do a backbend to kiss—and from there discovered the artwork of speaking their method out of bother. Queen Elizabeth I supposedly coined the time period “blarney” after one in every of them stalled her calls for with infinite flattery.
So you have got two stones: one a throne, one a celebration trick.
The lodge that now occupies the palace grounds—Cashel Palace, a 1732 Palladian home—was acquired in 2016 by Susan Magnier. Her father was Vincent O’Brien, a legendary horse coach who had owned the property earlier than her. When Susan purchased it again from closure, it wasn’t a millionaire buying a trophy. It was a daughter reclaiming her father’s home. Between 2017 and 2022, she oversaw a complete restoration with London designer Emma Pearson dealing with interiors and panorama architect Del Buono Gazzarowitz shaping the grounds. The result’s an previous nation property finished proper: pink brick entrance, limestone again, Venetian home windows, and a harp—Eire’s image—marked in topped reduction all through.
The Bishop’s Stroll is the trail that connects the lodge grounds to the Rock—the identical route the palace’s bishops walked for 2 centuries. At sundown, the sunshine alongside that stroll is supposedly one thing value anticipating. You’re climbing towards the break the best way its homeowners did, from beneath upward, from dwelling to throne.
The gardens maintain 1702 mulberry bushes—Queen Anne’s failed silkworm gamble, now three centuries previous. The artwork is vintage and closely weighted towards horses. There’s a spa, fishing, kayaking, and outside bathtubs constructed for 2. (Wouldn’t an outside bathtub in an iron-wrought tub be scrumptious?)
Previous friends have included Jackie Kennedy, Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Ronald Reagan, and Princess Diana. And their names are inscribed on the partitions of the Guinness bar.
However the true draw is the Equine Concierge. It arranges time at Coolmore Stud, probably the most consequential thoroughbred operation on this planet and about as simple to stroll into as Fort Knox. That’s, except the Magnier household owns your lodge. Coolmore stallions sired eleven of the fifteen Epsom Derby winners between 1998 and 2012 — an equine dynasty John Magnier constructed the best way archbishops as soon as constructed cathedrals, one bloodline at a time. The horses you’ll meet there aren’t on any public registry.
The Bishop’s Buttery sits within the vaulted cellars the place the palace kitchens was. Declan Ryan managed the property in 1980 and 1981. Ryan had skilled in France at Michelin-starred eating places and got here again to Eire as a part of the primary era of Irish cooks making use of French methods to Irish substances—a motion that finally turned the Sluggish Meals motion now flourishing throughout the island. The lodge earned its Michelin stars in 1982 and 1983 beneath his route. Then he left meals solely and have become a baker.
The celebrities disappeared from Cashel for forty years. They returned in 2024 beneath new route—Stephen Hayes on culinary, Stefan McEnteer as head chef. A star regained after 4 many years is a greater story than one awarded.
Eire’s racing dynasties have spent the final decade turning their nation estates into resort locations. J.P. McManus rebuilt Adare Manor in Limerick, which is able to host the 2027 Ryder Cup. The Magniers rebuilt Cashel Palace. Michelin referred to as Tipperary a “new should keep.” The luxurious infrastructure has adopted the horses inland, away from Dublin. And away from the algorithm-approved itineraries.
Most American vacationers deal with Tipperary as a windshield view between Dublin and Kerry — ninety minutes of inexperienced blur on the best way to some place else. In the meantime, from the Bishop’s Stroll, earlier than the coach excursions arrive on the Rock, you’ll be able to hear a flute orchestra, meet a Derby winner’s neighbors, eat a starred dinner in an eighteenth-century cellar, and sleep upstairs from the backyard that financed Guinness.
The previous music (a fav of mine) insists it’s a protracted strategy to Tipperary. It’s two hours from Dublin, one from Cork, and the one great distance left is the century everybody has spent driving previous it. Give it at the least three nights.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
What’s the connection between Cashel Palace and Guinness?
Richard Guinness, land steward to Archbishop Arthur Value, brewed for the archbishop’s desk at Value’s malthouse in Celbridge. When Value died in 1752, his unsigned will (executed anyway by his executors) left £100 apiece to Richard and his son Arthur — the seed capital that turned the Guinness stout empire.
Is that this associated to the Netflix present Home of Guinness?
Sure. Home of Guinness opens in 1868 with the Guinness dynasty already established and the heirs circling the desire. That is the sooner will — the one with out which there’s no empire, no heirs, and nothing to circle.
Who owns Cashel Palace now?
Susan Magnier, daughter of legendary horse coach Vincent O’Brien, who as soon as owned the property himself. She purchased it again from closure in 2016 and oversaw a restoration from 2017 to 2022 with designer Emma Pearson and panorama architects Del Buono Gazzarowitz.
What’s the Equine Concierge at Cashel Palace?
A lodge service that arranges entry to Coolmore Stud, the Magnier household’s thoroughbred operation and one of the crucial consequential breeding packages on this planet. Coolmore stallions sired eleven of the fifteen Epsom Derby winners between 1998 and 2012.
What’s the Rock of Cashel?
A limestone outcrop within the Golden Vale the place Cormac McCarthy, king of Munster, constructed a fortress within the 1130s. It served because the seat of the kings of Munster, and legend holds that St. Patrick baptized a king there. The Bishop’s Stroll connects the Cashel Palace grounds on to it.
Does Cashel Palace have a Michelin-starred restaurant?
Sure — the Bishop’s Buttery, within the palace’s authentic vaulted kitchens. The lodge earned stars in 1982 and 1983 beneath chef Declan Ryan, misplaced them for 4 many years, and regained a star in 2024 beneath Stephen Hayes and head chef Stefan McEnteer.
How far is Cashel from Dublin?
About two hours by automotive, and roughly one hour from Cork — nearer than most vacationers assume, given how usually Tipperary will get handled as a drive-through on the best way to some place else.
What number of nights ought to I plan to remain?
At the very least three, to permit time for the Bishop’s Stroll, the Rock of Cashel, the gardens and their 1702 mulberry bushes, and a go to via the Equine Concierge.
If that is your first go at Eire, I’ve bought a broader place to begin in 3 Should-Have Experiences When Touring to Eire.