Blarney Castle
Blarney Castle in County Cork is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Ireland, famous throughout the world for the Blarney Stone, a block of limestone set into the battlements of the fifteenth-century tower that visitors lean back over a significant drop to kiss, reportedly acquiring thereby the gift of eloquence and persuasive speech. The origin of the tradition is uncertain and probably relatively recent in historical terms, but the international fame of the Blarney Stone has made the castle one of the essential stops on any tour of Ireland and has brought visitors from virtually every country in the world to this otherwise pleasant but unremarkable corner of County Cork.
The castle itself is a substantial and well-preserved fifteenth-century tower house built by Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, whose family dominated this part of Munster for several centuries. The tower rises to impressive height within its ruined enclosure walls and the views from the battlements over the surrounding parkland and the woodland of the Blarney estate are extensive. The castle's most famous literary association is with Queen Elizabeth I, whose exasperation with the evasive diplomatic responses of Cormac MacCarthy to her demands for submission allegedly led her to describe his excuses as all Blarney, giving the language a new word for flattery and empty talk.
The Blarney Castle estate extends to considerable size and includes extensive woodland gardens, the Rock Close with its dolmen, witches' kitchen and druidic stone, and the formal gardens around the castle. The woodland walks through the estate are genuinely beautiful and often undervisited by those who come primarily for the stone, providing a rewarding hour of walking in mature mixed woodland beside the Blarney River. The walled garden and the arboretum add botanical interest.
Blarney village below the castle has developed into a lively destination with a variety of shops, restaurants and the famous Blarney Woollen Mills providing visitor facilities and gifts.