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Set within a magnificent regal manor dating back to 1732,and with views of the iconic Rock of Cashel, this landmark address has recently been meticulously restored to create a truly desirable destination hotel in the heart of Ireland.
Optimally located between town and countryside, Cashel Palace offers elegant bedrooms, suites and public areas, complemented by expansive gardens, a world class Spa and the convivial Guinness Bar.
The restoration of old buildings is important; they are the caretakers of history for generations to come. It is why the preservation of great architecture like Cashel Palace is so necessary, because for every wall that falls into disrepair, we lose with it the stories it had to tell and anchors to our ancient past.
The story for Cashel Palace began in 1728 when Archbishop Goodwin called upon Edward Lovett Pearce, the chief exponent of Palladianism in Ireland, to design himself a beautiful home. In doing so, Pearce created one of Ireland’s most impressive architectural ensembles.
In its most recent guise as a 42-bedroom hotel, Cashel Palace has not only been restored to its former condition, but also extended in a way that tastefully incorporates the old with the new.
When the Magnier family purchased Cashel Palace in 2016 it was a majestic building in need of attention. The main brief of this project was to return this Palladian manor to its former condition, at the same time as weaving into it modern features to meet the needs of today’s discerning guest.
In addition to the restoration and preservation of the original building and those buildings on the avenue, a new wing was to be added on to it to incorporate 19 extra bedrooms, as well as a state-of-the-art spa and expansive ballroom to cater for up to 200 guests.
Following international best practice, the conservation and building teams have worked meticulously to breathe new life into this old building, working from the inside out and back again to create a spectacularly unique offering in the heart of Tipperary.
The seamless connection between the historic characteristics and the modern architectural design features, conceals the many challenges posed and expertly executed by the project team.
One of the greatest challenges on this type of project is bringing modern services into an historic building, because even something as small as making a hole for wiring is subject to planning. The real wizardry lies in the fact the old Cashel Palace seems just as it always has been. Master craftsmen have weaved their magic to bring back to life its understated grandeur, at the same time as fully servicing it with updated and most efficient systems.
Scouring the archives with a painstaking attention to detail, conservationists replaced the roof with what would have been before –Blue Bangor Slate – a Welsh stone traditionally used to roof many homes around the country at the time. Work on the roof also revealed beautiful old pitch timbers which, having been restored, can now be enjoyed as features in the bedrooms on the top floor.
Another notable element in the archivist’s discoveries were the height of the chimney tops. As it transpired, in the 1950’s the chimneys had been knocked down and rebuilt but only to two-third’s of their original height. In line with Pearce’s design intent, the ill-proportioned stacks were recreated during the resurrection process, with second hand bricks sourced to be the same colour, size and shape as they would have been in the18th Century. The resulting elegant chimney stacks allow the Cashel Palace to stand as tall as ever, both literally and figuratively speaking, making it quite unique in its appearance.
Indeed, the Cashel Palace has great allure to its singularity. Setback from the town’s Main Street, with a long avenue up to the front steps, on first impression it is more French chateau than Irish country house. Then there’s the red brick façade – another Pearce trademark - which is extremely rare outside of big cities, and particularly for this era. Ordinarily, the expense of buying and transporting brick would have been prohibitive and the fact that it has a limestone rear makes it even more unusual. Both façades have been repaired and repointed in fitting tribute to their handsome past.
On discovering damp in the basement, the entire flagstone floor was lifted to allow time for it to dry out. A fully breathable base was then put down and, in what can only be described as some kind of extreme jigsaw puzzle for enigmatologists, the numbered flagstones were then returned to their exact original positions. Bringing new meaning to the phrase, “no stone left unturned”.
One of the hotel’s most notable features are the windows, which are certainly over 150-years-old. While it is unlikely that these were the originals, they are believed to be early 19th century. All of the old glass was kept, each window was carefully removed by hand so that experts could repair them. Any missing timber was replaced with new timber, and, while you won’t find double glazing or anything so modern there, you will find wonderful old shutters for extra warmth.
The restoration and building of Cashel Palace was heavily dependent on the talents of a magnificent team of craftspeople. These experts brought their skills in many areas, working with lead, stone, brick, wood and plaster. All of the building’s ornate plasterwork was restored, with new plaster ceilings put in where they were missing. Everywhere you look, inside and out, you will find the meticulous work of master craftspeople, weaving the old with the new throughout this project.