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Blarney, Co. Cork
Description
"Baloney is flattery laid on with a trowel. Blarney is flattery laid on with the lips;
this is what you have to kiss the stone to get."
The famous stone is set in the top of Blarney Castle. It is said to have given the MacCarthy clan
their power and legendary entertaining abilities.
Kissing the stone, touring the castle, exploring the grounds
- it can be a fabulous experience. But
it takes guts to have fun. Though
crowded with tourists, we had a lot of fun here.
How to get there
By car:
From Cork city, take the N20 north to Blarney.
By bus:
See www.buseireann.ie
website for all current travel details and restrictions.
Opening times
Blarney Castle and Rock Close:
Monday to Saturday-
May: 9AM to 6:30PM
June, July, August: 9AM to 7PM
September: 9AM to 6:30PM
October-April: 9AM to sundown
Sunday-
Summer: 9:30AM to 5:30PM
Winter: 9:30AM to sundown
House, Garden, and Lake Walk:
Open summer months only, Monday to Saturday.
Last admission is 30 minutes before closing.
Admission fee
Adults 8 euro
Senior Citizens over 60 yrs 6 euro
Students 6 euro
Children ages 8-14 yrs 2.50 euro
Family (2 adults, 2 Children) 18.50 euro
Cash only.
Facilities
Two souvenir shops, Bureau De Change, Refreshments, Blarney
Lake and wildlife, Arboretum and
Address
Blarney Castle
Blarney
Co. Cork
Ireland
Tel: (021) 438 5252
Email:
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Web: www.blarneycastle.ie
My experience
I had fun here. First
of all, I can't believe they let us tour the castle. It is very authentic - meaning not restored -
and I wondered about safety and insurance issues. We found many ruined castles all around
Ireland, in various stages of decay.
Some we could explore, some were closed up. If Blarney Castle were in the U.S., it would
either be fully restored for the public, or closed up. That is what makes it such fun to wander
through. The whole time I wondered if
one of the spiral stairwells would collapse or something. Or a wall would crumbled from too many
tourists carving their names into it.
Modern tourists don't really know how to appreciate
this. They need a map and a guide to
tell them where to take the first step.
We found a pitch, dark passageway under the castle and began to
exploring it. It was completely
thrilling - wet, narrow, not a speck of light, no map telling us where it led
too. I think it was an escape route out
of the castle -there is a whole network of underground caves built by the
MacCarthy in this area. My travel
companion began using his digital camera flash to help us go deeper into the
passageway. It was so fun! Then, a more adventurous dad led his family
in behind us, waiting to see what we would find. After we had gotten our thrill, we turned and
head out. The dad asked my travel
companion if any other people where ahead of us in the passageway. The truth is, we didn't know who or what was
in there.
Kissing the Blarney Stone - boy, it takes guts to have
fun. This is a kiss to remember for the
rest of your life. Get ready to be
acrobatic. You are high up in the
turrets at the top of the castle. The
ground is a far drop below. Lying on
your back, you stretch out backwards, out over the open turrets. It is a totally unnatural position. It feels dangerous and wrong, a bit like the
moment in skydiving when you have to step off the plane. But keep your wits, keep your eyes on the
spot -- the stone it is cold and wet on the lips. "It's like being baptized," my travel
companion said afterward.
Rock Close is gorgeous, with many other fun things to
do. At the Wishing Steps, walk up and
down the steps backwards, with your eyes closed, focusing your mind only on
your wish, and it will be granted. This
is almost impossible to do, especially with other people around, impatient to
race up the stairs. The Witch's Kitchen
is a cave-like kitchen inside a rock. An
ancient tree's root structure is matted over the top of the rock face - it is
an old place. The perfect setting for a
witch to cast spells and maidens to comb their hair. The grounds are a place of magic and mystery,
with a Fairy Glade, Druid caves, and Dolmen stones.
Unfortunately, the house was closed and will reopen next
summer.
I highly recommend Blarney Castle.
Written by Liz O'Malley - Summer of Travel 2007
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