Two hours from Dublin, you will find the Golden Vale.
Lush and green in every season, this area of South Tipperary is rich in farmland, producing the finest food and the best horses in the world.
Which might explain why just off the main street of Cashel is a palace.
Built in 1732 for the Archbishop of Cashel, this stylish Palladian building is now home to one of Ireland’s newest and most interesting luxury hotels.
Walk through the front door of the Cashel Palace and you’ll be greeted by friendly faces and a warm, inviting interior. As your bags are whisked up to your room, you might wander through the opulent sitting rooms . Gazing out the large windows at the Rock of Cashel, you get the sense that the Archbishop lived and died a happy man. There is a sense of calm here; crows fly from castle to church, tulips wave in the distance.
In the early morning quiet, we had tea with Adriaan Bartels, the manager of the Cashel Palace.
Born in Kenya to Dutch parents, Mr Bartels first came to Irelan…
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