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I had the wonderful opportunity of visiting the Blarney Castle a few times. The Blarney Castle is located in Blarney Village. It is approximately five miles from Cork. It is open to the public in the summer months. Each time I was able to kiss the Blarney stone, which has been embedded high up in the walls of the castle for many, many years.
The castle is a great sight, but if you tire easily this might not be for you. You have to walk about six stories to get to the top level. The castle was originally a hunting lodge in the tenth century. The stone castle replaced it in the 1400’s. Walking through the castle there are some passages that only a child can fit into, so do not attempt these. Also the dungeon is not lit so be sure to bring a flashlight if you are so daring to go down into it.
Once you get to the top level, the scenery is awesome. The castle overlooks beautiful landscaping, flowers, and an array of trees. You can see the Blarney house and gardens from there. The top level is where you can kiss the ‘Blarney Stone’. You have to lean back into the parapet hole (head first), there are bars for you to hang on to. Each time I kissed the stone there was someone to hang on to me for extra support. When your head is in the parapet hole all you can see is the rock face which you are about to kiss. Below are trees (keep in mind you are six stories up). It can be a bit scary, but it is fun.
Apparently when the castle was built in the 1400’s it was built by Dermot McCarthy, he was the King of Munster in 1446. After a time, Oliver Cromwell attacked the castle with cannon guns and took over. Fifteen years later King Charles of England returned the castle to the McCarthy’s. Then there was a battle in 1690 and all of the Irish leaders had their powers taken away, and the McCarthy’s once again lost the castle. It was then sold to Sir James Jefferyes, who was the Governor of Cork. Now the castle is owned and operated by the trustees of the Blarney Castle Estate.
The Blarney Stone is said to be half of a ‘stone of scone’, which belonged to Scotland. Scottish kings were crowned above the stone, to give them special powers. The stone was given to Cormac McCarthy by Robert the Bruce in 1314 in return for support in a battle. Supposedly McCarthy handled royal requests handed down from the Queen of England. He promised her loyalty without totally giving in to her requests. The Queen proclaimed that McCarthy was giving her a lot of blarney. Apparently this is where the legend comes from.
If you are ever lucky enough to visit the castle, you can find accommodations in Blarney Village or Cork City. In this part of the country the Irish accents are very thick, make sure to pay close attention when conversing with the locals, it takes getting used to the dialect. It will provide you with a memorable trip.
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