Blarney Castle

Blarney Castle stands a short distance from Cork city, a powerful medieval stronghold built in its present form around 1446 by Cormac MacCarthy, King of Munster. The roofless tower house rises nearly 27 metres above the surrounding parkland and is one of Ireland's most visited historic sites, drawing visitors who climb the spiral staircase to reach its famous battlements.

At the top of the keep sits the Blarney Stone, set into the wall beneath the machicolations. Tradition holds that anyone who leans backwards over the parapet and kisses the stone will be granted the gift of eloquence, the so-called "gift of the gab". The custom has been observed for centuries and the word "blarney", meaning smooth, persuasive talk, entered the English language as a result.

Beyond the castle itself, the grounds are a major attraction in their own right. The estate includes the Poison Garden of toxic plants, the atmospheric Rock Close with its ancient yews and druidic stones, riverside walks along the River Martin, an arboretum and the elegant Blarney House, a Scottish baronial mansion. The nearby village of Blarney offers cafés, pubs and the long-established Blarney Woollen Mills.