Blarney Castle, Ireland

If you want to feel like Madmartigan entering Tir Asleen for the first time, minus the disappointment, then Blarney Castle, in Blarney, Ireland is the place for you. This isn’t a pristine, restored castle, or a château pretending to be a castle, this is the real deal. This castle has fortified stone walls, lookout towers, creepy caves and most important of all, a magical relic, the Blarney Stone.

The castle has a history before the current layout, mainly of wood structures that were destroyed, but the current keep and majority of the towers were built in the mid 15th century. The castle saw many wars, and changed hands many times, which is partly the cause of the current state of partial ruin. But one thing in this castle has remained the same, the magical Stone of Eloquence, or The Blarney Stone.

The Blarney Stone is a smooth greenish blue stone built into the wall on the upper level of the castle keep. You will have to climb to the top and wait in line to kiss this stone, a stone that purportedly gives the kisser the gift of eloquent speech. Once at the top you don’t get to simply kiss a stone, you have to lay on your back and wiggle over the edge of the keep to lock your lips with the stone. There are a couple of guys there that will help you out, hoping you will buy a picture from them. They obviously haven’t kissed the stone because they didn’t talk me into buying a picture.

Surrounding the castle are a lot of paths to hike and parks to hang out in. This really is a place you should plan to spend all day at. Admission for adults is 10€, students 8€.

Blarney Castle Map