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BLARNEY CASTLE AND GARDENS
Blarney, County Cork
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Three castles have occupied the same location as the
current Blarney Castle. The first was a timber structure
that was razed around 1210 to make way for a stone fortress.
That structure was then fortified and enlarged in 1446
by Dermot McCarthy, King of Munster.
While the castle is known today for the Blarney Stone,
also called the Stone of Eloquence, the castle has seen
a lot of history.
In 1314, then King of Munster Cormac McCarthy is said
to have sent four thousand soldiers to aid Robert the
Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn. Bruce showed his gratitude
by gifting the McCarthy with half the Stone of Scone.
While this is a very romantic story and quite believable,
the Stone of Scone is actually red sandstone while the
Blarney Stone is bluestone, another type of sandstone,
which puts this romantic story to rest.
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There are many stories revolving around the Stone's history,
such as:
- it was part of the king's throne and possessed
mysterious powers...
- those powers were given to the McCarthy's for
having saved a witch from drowning...
- the Stone was the pillow used by St. Columba of
Iona on his deathbed...
- the Stone was the rock that Moses struck with
his staff to produce water for the Israelites, during
their flight from Egypt...
In reality, no one really knows where the stone came
from or why it ended up mounted on the inside of the uppermost
battlement, or if indeed the stone is anything but part
of the battlement and nothing more. But with all the conjecture,
you can bet there are naysayers who swear this is one
of Ireland's greatest hoaxes dreamt up to attract tourists
to the area in the early 19th century.
The term "blarney" was first coined when Queen
Elizabeth I ordered the McCarthy to hand over his holdings
to the British crown. The Earl of Leicester was sent over
repeatedly to take possession of the castle but was always
sent back to the Queen with the message that the McCarthy
promised his loyalty to the Queen but never actually gave
in to her demands. In the end, Elizabeth said she was
fed up with the McCarthy's "blarney", and since
then the phrase has come to mean misleading talk/nonsense/false
flattery/deception for personal gain, etc.
In the mid 17th century, Oliver Cromwell's general, Lord
Broghill, sought to take the castle by positioning guns
on Card Hill and succeeded in breaking through the surrounding
walls. Rather than the many soldiers Broghill expected
to find, the only men to greet him were a couple retainers
who told Broghill that the occupants of the castle had
escaped through the underground caves, known as Badger
Caves.
Upon return to the castle, Donogh McCarthy, 4th Earl
of Clancarthy, saw the castle fortified once more. But
not long after the castle passed into the hands of the
Hollow Sword Blade Company and was eventually sold in
1688 to Sir James St. John Jefferyes, Governor of Cork.
Sir James's son, of the same name and Minister Plenipotentiary
for England at the court of Charles Battle of Poltawa,
took possession of the estate in 1703, and in 1739 set
about building a grand manor house attached to the existing
castle that came to be known as The Court. In 1820 the
house suffered from a major fire which completely destroyed
it. After his marriage to Lady Colthurst (her family owned
most of the land from Inniscarra near Blarney west to
Ballyvourney), a Scottish Baronial mansion was built on
a site behind the castle, which also includes a private
walled garden and arboretum. The house was completed in
1874 and has been in the Colthurst family every since.
While the house is no longer open to tourists, the owners
have taken great steps to keep the house in as original
condition as possible. The turreted facade accents its
period interior which features a grand stairwell, family
portraits and Victorian decor.
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Today, little is left of Blarney Castle but the tremendous
stone walls, spiral stairwells and the dungeons. Yet,
every year hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of
visitors from all over the world flock to it to kiss the
Blarney Stone.
To reach the Stone means climbing several stories of
narrow circular stairway to the ramparts, then walking
along the weather smoothed parapet to where the Stone
is set in one of the parapet walls. (picture top)
One of the castle assistants will assist you in laying
down on the walk, then to bend over backwards into the
parapet opening, then to kiss the Stone while balancing
yourself upside down! (picture middle)
If it doesn't seem that high to you from up there, take
a look. (Picture bottom)
The Stone is located just to the left of the corner where
the parapet walls meet....ie: about six floors up! Blarney
Castle is one of Ireland's tallest tower keeps.
There are several rooms to explore inside the castle,
but the center of the castle is open to the elements.
Visitors will see where floor joists were once placed
and how the rooms were divided between floors.
These are a few things to take note of when visiting
the Blarney Estate:
1) The trek to the top of the castle is not for the weak
of heart. You will climb about six levels to the top of
the castle to reach the Stone.
2) The walk around the parapet is very smooth from centuries
of weathering and tourist traffic who visit the castle
every year. This also includes the stone stairways inside
the castle. Be especially careful in damp weather!
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3) Some stairways are extremely small and some passages
may only be large enough for children to pass through.
4) The castle dungeons are open but it is not recommended
to venture into them unescorted as they are not lighted.
Take flashlights with you and spare batteries.
Be sure to take the time to explore the rest of the public
estate, which includes:
The Rock Close -
- The Witch's Stone and Kitchen - If
you arrive early enough in the morning, you will
still see the dying embers of a fire. This is lit
every night by the Blarney Castle witch, as she
fights to stop shivering on her nocturnal escape
from the Witch Stone. Some say it was she who first
told the McCarthy of the power of the Blarney Stone.
Fortunately for visitors, she only escapes the witch
stone after nightfall. Visitors are safe though,
as the estate closes at dusk.
- Fairy Glade - Round the hill from the Witch's
Kitchen and you'll find yourself in a magical world
of the Fairy Glade. When in season, giant gunnera
leaves stretch for the sun, their sticky stamen
attracting...err...fairies from all over the estate.
Gunnera have often been called giant rhubarb and
can reach heights of up to 20 feet! Even the tallest
man will feel small when he walks into the glade.
Be nice to the fairies or they're likely to pitch
you into the stream or cast a spell on you!
- The Wishing Steps - Legend says if one
can walk backwards down and back up these steps
with closed eyes and without stopping for one moment
to think of anything other than a wish, then that
wish will come true within a year. However, as fanciful
as this sounds, it's very dangerous, especially
in damp weather, so if you try it, the estate takes
or accepts no responsibility!
- Druid's Circle and Sacrificial Altar -
This is a traditional stone circle, beside which
is a large flat elevated stone
- Druid's Cave - Reputed to be where the
head Druid priest lived when Druid worship was practiced
in the area.
- Rocking Dolmen - There's a giant stone
teetering on a smaller stone at the foot of the
Wishing Steps just past the bamboo forest.
Badgers Cave - there are three passages to
find in the darkness beyond – one to Cork, one to the
lake, and one all the way to Kerry. But is this true
or just another bit o'blarney?
Castle Dungeons and Well - Most of the dungeon
is now inaccessible, even to the most avid spelunker,
but the curious will find the few chambers worth seeing.
This is not part of the estate that one who's claustrophobic
will want to visit as passages are very narrow, dark
and wind deep into the earth. There are two parallel
stairwells within the upper dungeon, one leading to
the "prison" and one to the castle's water
well.
Blarney Lake - Legend tells that the McCarthy
fortune was thrown into the depths of the lake. Despite
one of the ancestors having almost drained the lake
in the search, nothing has been found.
Blarney Groves - Throughout the estate are
wild and manicured plants and flowers, including rare
trees, varieties of bright rhododendrons, wild bluebells
and native species. The Martin River and Blarney River
join at the castle, and streams meander trough the estate,
attracting many varieties of birds and insects and spawning
fish who come up from the larger nearby rivers.
Blarney Woollen Mills
Blarney Woollen Mills is Irelands most famous retail
outlet. The greater Cork City area has a long-standing
history of merchantiles that dates back to the Viking
era, and Blarney Woollen Mills was the last of the great
wool producers and weavers.
In the summer months, those visiting the Mills you will
see a member of staff operating one of the original shuttle
looms upstairs in the Aran Sweater department.
Shoppers will find more than 30,000 square feet within
the building which offers a number of popular industries,
including Belleek Pottery, Waterford Crystal, Stephen
Pearse Pottery, Irish linen, Tipperary Crystal, Galway
Crystal, Royal Tara China, Genesis Fine Arts, Mullingar
Pewter, Irish gold and silver jewelry, and many other
crafters who've made names for themselves in Ireland.
You will find many great deals here, especially the after-Christmas
in the sales. And you can ship your purchases home to
save on paying tax and duty.
At one time, shoppers could still hear the machines producing
Blarney's Tricot wool, but sadly no longer. The upper floor
has been converted and the sister store Meadows & Byrne
homestore has been put in. M&B offers a wide selection
of items for every room in the home.
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~ Fee-paying attraction
~ Free car parking available
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Easy access from car park, uneven paths through
gardens, limited castle access
~ Gift shop on site
(Blarney Castle)
(Blarney Woollen Mills...shops also in Bunratty,
Dublin, Killarney, Tipperary)
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