Blarney Castle in Ireland: photo, description, history, how to get there, map
Walls that remember history, in a necklace of greenery – Blarney Castle in Ireland. Everything here is imbued with a historical spirit. Mystical places, castle walls, a stone of eloquence shrouded in legends. And a lot of greenery around, among which you can rest calmly after all the impressions and you can even have a small picnic.
Story
The Irish province of Munster comprises the counties of Kerry, Clare, Cork, Limerick, Tippery and Waterford.
The chronology of the places of interest began from the 10th century. The Castle that we see today was built in County Cork. This is Blarney Castle. In a state of ruins, it still attracts tourists.
Majestic even now, in the days of its prosperity, Blarney Castle was a powerful five-story building with solid walls. To this day, there is a whole network of underground caves and passages under the castle, through which one could retreat in case of retreat.
In the 17th century, Lord Broghill, as a result of the siege, nevertheless won, it turned out that all this was in vain. The inhabitants left through the Badger Caves along with valuable things.
The history of the castle remembers that Elizabeth I was eager to acquire this castle for herself. To do this, her trusted person visited the castle several times. The owner of the castle was in no hurry to part with his home, arranged with great love. But he also had no desire to spoil relations with the dominant person.
In order to get out of the situation, Dermot McCarthy, the owner of the castle, each time arranged a magnificent reception in honor of the distinguished guest. Or invited him to hunt, before which he was a big fan. In general, he dragged things out. When the queen demanded an account from her messenger, she received a long letter about nothing with a bunch of flattering statements in her honor. It was then that the verb to blarney appeared in English – to flatter. In modern youth language, this is called – blah, blah, blah.
Main attraction
The fact that will finally convince you to come here is the Blarney stone, which, according to legend, bestows the art of eloquence. Despite the skepticism about this artifact, for many years there has been a line of people who want to merge with the Stone (Blarney Stone) in a kiss, and after that gain the gift of eloquence.
There are many legends surrounding this stone. According to one of them, this is a stone presented to the owner of the castle by a witch or sorceress, so that he would acquire the gift of eloquence and defend his house in court.
According to another, it went to the ancestor of Demort McCarthy as a token of gratitude for his help in the battle. It is part of the Skoon Stone where English and Scottish kings are crowned.
The daughter of Pharaoh Ramses II wandered for a hundred years in search of a paradise land. She found it in Northern Ireland. But all this time she did not part with a piece of sandstone. It served as a pillow for the biblical Jacob when he had a dream about angels who climbed the stairs leading to heaven. Since then, this famous stone has been kept in Scotland at Scoon Abbey, hence its name.
The Stone of Eloquence got its name after the 16th century, when one of the descendants of McCarthy became famous for his beautiful speeches.
For someone who dares to kiss, it will not be very easy to do so. First, you need to climb to the top of the castle, and this is no less than five floors. Then, you need to bend over and hold on to the handrails to kiss the stone. In the past, this was much more difficult and dangerous to do.
We continue the walk
But even if you are not thrilled with the idea of acrobatic studies, then climbing the castle is still worth it. From here you have a stunning view of the entire park. Everywhere the eye sees, well-groomed greens of different shades are everywhere.
Blarney Castle Gardens are a mix of natural and man-made places. It seems that this particular corner was created according to the project. And then an unexpectedly pleasant surprise intervenes in the form of a stream, which, in general, should not be. But it is so mesmerizing that you can wander here indefinitely. It is not forbidden to arrange halts and small picnics.
Many more mysterious stories hover over this place. In the garden that surrounds the castle, there is a magical place Rock Close, where a pagan altar, the Circle of Druids and the Witches' Kitchen still exist. Everything is saturated with mysticism and unearthly otherworldly forces.
The rock, overgrown with greenery, is split by a passage with slippery steps. This place is called “witch's stairs”. The legend says that a wish will come true. To do this, you need to go through the steps with your eyes closed. After all, only here in the greenery above you are small elves circling, which are not visible, but the imagination completes their merry faces.
Opposite the old castle is a beautiful mansion in the Scottish baronial style Blarney House, more reminiscent of the scenery for a fairy tale than a residential building. It can be visited only in April-May on Friday and Saturday.
Best time to visit
The weather in County Cork, where Blarney Castle is located, as in all of Ireland, is unstable even in summer. Of course, the best time to visit is from June to August. It rarely rains at this time and the temperature is quite comfortable, although the evenings are still chilly.
Entrance to the park is free. A visit to the castle is possible from May to September from 9-00 to 17.30, and in winter from 9-00 to sunset, except on December 24 and 25. These days the castle is closed to the public.
This pleasure costs 10 euros for adults, 3.5 euros for children from 8 to 14 years old.
How to get on your own
The castle with its attractions is located in the village of Blarney, literally 8 km from the city of Cork.
Bus number 215 departs from the bus station of this city Merchants Quay. Get off at the Blarney Village stop.
Cork can be reached by air and water. This city has an airport and a port. From St. Petersburg can be reached by ferry. For those who are afraid to fly, a great option, moreover, quite economical. A minute walk from the port there is a small railway station, from which a train to the city leaves every half an hour. Travel time is 25 minutes amidst greenery, ancient castles and sheep grazing everywhere.
Blarney Castle on the map
Where to stay
We offer interesting options for hotels where you can stay:
Come back with impressions!
Recommended reading Muckross Abbey, Ireland.