One of the most iconic (and touristy) things to do in Ireland is kissing the blarney stone. In fact, I think it’s mandatory. They won’t let you out of the country until you do it.
Sometimes, the touristy attractions draw a crowd for valid reasons. The theory around the blarney stone, of course, is that kissing it rewards you with “the gift of the gab”. Although, when we told friends and family that we were going to go kiss the blarney stone, they all agreed that neither of us needed help in that department.
The blarney stone, is located in Blarney Castle, about 8 km northwest of Cork.
The best course of action is to show up to the castle just before opening time. I suspect (and hope?) that they probably hose off and scrub the blarney stone every night, or before the next group of tourists arrive in the morning. Either way, you want to increase your chances of pressing your lips on a relatively clean stone.
The History of Blarney Castle
The first building on this site was built in the 10th Century, and constructed out of timber. Around 1210 a stone structure replaced it, which was later demolished. The McCarthys of Muskerry built Blarney Castle, as you see it now, in 1446.
The castle was attacked during the Irish Confederate Wars, and seized in 1646. But after the Restoration, the castle once again became property of the McCarty family. Ownership changed hands numerous times over the following years.
The castle sits on an 8-meter rock cliff. This same rock was quarried for the construction of the castle.
This is the North-facing wall. There is a visible seam in the wall which indicates that they built the castle in stages. The oriel window looks into the Earl’s bedchamber. To the left of the seam, you can see three square holes in the wall. These are garderobe outlets – a very fancy term for medieval latrines. Everything just kind of….splooshed out of these holes, often into a cesspit or moat beneath.
The castle is mostly a ruin now. But you can explore the interior on your way to the Blarney Stone, which is set high up in the battlements.
Be mindful on these stairs, which are twisty, narrow (people had smaller feet back then) and uneven! It seems like every castle, fort, church and cathedral across Europe and the United Kingdom has at least one set of similar spiral staircases.
This is the interior of the castle as it looks now. Not so impressive, maybe, but I bet it was quite beautiful in its day. The Family Room was originally decorated with ornate stucco and a plaster ceiling.
The History of Kissing the Blarney Stone
The castle ruins are nice, but of course, everyone comes here for one sole purpose – pressing their lips to a stone that millions of people before them have smooched.
The history of the blarney stone is foggy at best. While the stone has been part of Blarney Castle since 1446, its origins are still unknown. One of the more endearing legends states that it was once a piece of the Stone of Scone, the coronation seat for the monarchs of Scotland. When Robert the Bruce of Scotland battled England’s Edward II at Bannockburn in 1314, the McCarthy’s, the original inhabitants of Blarney Castle, sent 5,000 men to fight alongside him. As thanks, Robert the Bruce gifted the McCarthy’s with the stone. However, modern analysis has since debunked this theory.
Back in the day, in order to reach the stone to kiss it, visitors had to be held by the ankles as they dangled head first over the battlements. Thank goodness those days are over! You do still have to check your dignity at the door though. Kissing the stone requires lying down, grabbing hold of two iron railings, and lowering your top half down and backwards into vast nothingness. Luckily, there are “helpers” to guide you. And to hold your shirt down to help maintain your modesty.
My initial attempt at kissing the stone missed its mark. I planted my lips on the stone – well, a stone – only to have the gentleman tell me that I’d just kissed a regular, old stone and I had to aim lower. The real Blarney Stone was even further down. It’s actually right at the base of this outer wall. My second attempt was successful, and I shimmied back to safety.
Exploring the Blarney Castle Grounds
After you’ve finished kissing the blarney stone, make sure to take a moment to admire the spectacular views from the battlements. The landscaping around the castle is just so picturesque:
We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon strolling through the gardens and grounds surrounding the castle. This is a lookout tower:
There are several gardens on the premises to explore, including a poison garden, fern garden, and a water garden. We chose to just wander and see where the paths led us.
Along our walk we stumbled upon Blarney House. Sir James St John Jefferyes, then governor of Cork City, built a mansion here after he purchased the castle in the early 1700s. When the house burned down in a fire, this mansion was built to replace it in 1874.
I mean, can you even imagine living here? Just look at all the little decorative details on the facade.
There’s so much to see here that we honestly didn’t get to it all in one visit. There’s a lake, caves, gardens, and several walking paths. So even if kissing the Blarney Stone doesn’t interest you (although, once you’re here, you may as well experience it), you can easily spend a day just exploring the castle and its extensive grounds.
Admission Fees
You can purchase tickets online in advance for a small discount here. These are the admission prices for Blarney Castle as of 2018:
Adult Admission: €16 (Normally €18)
Student/Seniors: €13 (Normally €14)
Children (8-16 years / under 8 free): €7 (Normally €8)
Family (2 adults + 2 children): €40 (Normally €45)
I would also recommend getting the audio guide for €6.
Hours of Operation
Monday-Saturday
November to February: 9.00am to 5.00pm (Last Admission 4.00pm)
March to April: 9.00am to 6.00pm (Last Admission 5.00pm)
May: 9.00am to 6.30pm (Last Admission 5.30pm)
June to August: 9.00am to 7.00pm (Last Admission 6.00pm)
September: 9.00am to 6.30pm (Last Admission 5.30pm)
October: 9.00am to 6.00pm (Last Admission 5.00pm)
Sundays and Bank Holidays
November to February: 9.00am to 5.00pm (Last Admission 4.00pm)
March to October: 9.00am to 6.00pm (Last Admission 5.00pm)
Getting There
Blarney Castle is in Blarney Village, 8 km northwest of Cork.
From Dublin:
- By Car: Take the N8 motorway and follow the signs south for Cork, then on to Blarney. The drive takes approximately 3-4 hours.
- By Train: Trains leave for Cork on a regular basis. Check www.irishrail.ie for timetables. Or phone Kent Train Station, Cork; Telephone + 353 21 456 766 www.buseireann.ie for bus timetables
- By Aircoach: A bus leaves Dublin airport eight times a day directly for Cork. This is the cheapest way, but can take anywhere from 5-7 hours depending on traffic. See www.aircoach.ie for more information.
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