What they don't tell you is you have to do it upside down, 50 feet in the air, with one man holding you, and a big, gaping opening underneath with only a couple of bars to stop you if you fall. And as a 5'1 woman, more of my body hung off the side than my 6 foot husband. Yet, I was determined, being pregnant, that the gift of eloquence would run through me to my unborn child. He better be thankful someday.
Anyways, BLARNEY CASTLE was the first place we went to:
"Blarney was built nearly 600 years ago by the great chieftain Cormac MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry, known as “The Strong." While much of the structure is in ruins, there is no lack of things to see here.
Beneath the main structure lies a labyrinth of underground passages, built throughout the Middle Ages. Most of them are inaccessible but you can still visit the chilling dungeon, which was used to hold unfortunate prisoners. From these underground depths, climb the stone steps to the battlements at the very top of the castle and enjoy the views of the surrounding countryside. And if you’re wondering about that tall structure beside the castle, that’s the watch tower, still standing and casting a suspicious eye over the Blarney demesne.
In spite of its ruin, Blarney Castle still captures the imagination. As you descend from the battlements, you can peer down into the roofless structure and picture just how it might have looked in its prime – the banqueting hall bustling with medieval nobles and their servants, the family room, glazed and luxurious by the standards of the time. Let's not forget the sinister murder hole – a pit in the floor used to drop rocks or boiling water on invaders."
(Source: https://www.ireland.com/en-us/things-to-do/attractions/blarney-castle-blarney-stone/)
A layout of the castle
I think it's worth noting that there's a part in the castle where it says something like "last chance to turn back." I would have felt a lot better if they DIDN'T have that sign.
Different rooms and areas throughout.
The kitchen
Beautiful views from the top
My favorite photo from the day - it just highlights Ireland perfectly.
A view of the poison gardens from up top
Peaking over at Blarney Castle House (look to the left).
Sights down below
Looking down from the top into a part of the castle. And the photo above shows a cool bell on the other side of us. Up here is where we laid up in the air, hoisted our bodies over a gaping hole with a couple little bars, and kissed the stone upside down. I remember just being upside down and slightly over the gaping hole, I said "I can't do this," and the Irish man who was there to hold us over said in a thick accent, "ah it's okay, I've got ya." And I did it, quickly and terrified. Most of my body was over the hole. Worth doing, but I'll also probably never do it again.
Also, all along the way to kiss the stones were many, many plaques highlighting different legends of how the stone became magical. I didn't get pictures of all of those, but here is a site that goes into some of the various plausible legends of how the stone got it's ability to bestow the gift of eloquence (or gab) after you've kissed it.
Last shot I took before leaving the castle. Right here is where castle guards would throw hot tar down at enemies coming through during sieges, etc.
THE SQUARE AFTER THE CASTLE
A gypsy setup. They pop up everywhere, don't they?
This dog was right next to us in the same square with the gypsies. There was a little café where we had some amazing scones, butter, and jam. There were also birds that begged from us here as we ate.
Stunning garden overhead. This was right through a passageway from the café square.
Remember seeing this from up top?
BLARNEY CASTLE HOUSE
"Located just steps from the famous castle in Blarney, County Cork, Blarney House dates back to 1874. It is surrounded by an expanse of parkland with rare trees, formal gardens, manicured lawns, rose beds and more.
Blarney House and Gardens in Blarney, County Cork, is a Scottish Baronial mansion designed by John Lanyon and is open to the public during the summer months. The house sits in the middle of the parklands situated less than 200m south of the great castle itself. Built in 1874, it has now been restored to its former glory. The house is situated overlooking Blarney Lake and features a magnificent interior.
Blarney House and Gardens is set in hectares of parkland filled with rare and unusual trees including many maples, southern beech and giant western red cedars. There are formal gardens around the house with manicured lawns, rose beds and mixed shrub beds. Many different gardens are to be found around the estate, and exploration will be rewarded. There is a fern garden with the atmosphere of a tropical jungle to be found deep in the woods. The Poison Garden, adjacent to the battlements, contains an interesting and educational collection of deadly and dangerous plants from around the world, including caged specimens of deadly nightshade, wolfsbane and poison ivy."
Source: https://www.discoverireland.ie/cork/blarney-house-and-gardens
THE POISON GARDENS
Speak of the devil
Some highlights from the garden
The little border wall on the garden. After this, we left the poison garden.
A GATEWAY TO MAGIC AND LORE
This right here was what we entered (and slightly beyond) to see the rest of the sites on the grounds. They're all entrancing so I hope to highlight each one.
THE WITCH STONE
"It takes little imagination to see who is imprisoned here. The Witch of Blarney has been with us since the dawn of time.
Some say it was she who first told MacCarthy of the power of the Blarney Stone. Fortunately for visitors, she only escapes the witch stone after nightfall - and we close at dusk"
My own picture of the witches stone is above, and there was a rock right in front that people left coins on (pictured above the witch).
WISHING STEPS
"For hundreds of years, the Blarney Witch has taken firewood from our Estate for her kitchen. In return, she must grant our visitors wishes.
If you can walk down and back up these steps with your eyes closed - some suggest walking backwards - and without one moment thinking of anything other than a wish, then that wish will come true within a year.
We say only that the steps can be slippery and that we take no responsibility..."
Being six months pregnant, I did NOT try this.
WITCH'S KITCHEN
"Historians will tell you that this was home to the very first Irish cave dwellers. But if you arrive early enough in the morning, you may still see the dying embers of a fire.
Firewood, paid for by your wishes on the Wishing Steps, is lit every night by the Witch of Blarney, as she fights to stop shivering on her nocturnal escape from the Witch Stone."
DRUID'S CAVE
"Said to once be the home of a religious hermit who was fed and cared for by the Jefferyes family...it may well have been sheltered many others through the centuries."
DOLMEN
"The secrets of this megalithic tomb portal are lost in the mists before history began. Was the great rock rolled or was it lifted? Why does it still sometimes rock?
What magic and mysteries has it guarded over the millennia?
We cross the portal with care - and we wonder."
Going through this green passageway
It led to some bridges that led to this pond area. It's just around the corner from the wishing steps. If you look in the first photo, you can see the railing to the wishing steps outlook on the bottom. There were also a lot of metallic animals in this area too.
THE THREE WISE MEN
"The Three Yew Trees before you are known as 'The Three Wise Men' which probably alludes to their longevity and that they are the oldest trees on the estate. All three Taxus baccata (Common Yew Tree) are in the region of 500-600 years old - with dendrology studies having proffered this estimate. The Yew tree is one of the longest living trees with some surviving more than 2,000 years and they are in existence throughout Europe and as far east as Iran.
If one is struggling to locate the Yew tree then a visit to most Christian graveyards in Europe should present the visitor with many, where they are planted due to their lasting stature.
One note of caution is that the leaves are highly toxic, especially when crushed or burned - this should be avoided. Indeed the leaves are so toxic to animals that the Yew trees are hardly ever to be found on farmland."
THE SEVEN SISTERS
"The Blarney Stone is not the only stone with legends attached to it. Just northeast of the Castle can be found a circle of nine standing stones, two of which have fallen. It is said that in medieval times a chieftain who had two young sons and seven daughters took his sons on their first battle against a troublesome neighbour who was constantly raiding his cattle. The chieftain was victorious in the battle but at great cost: both his sons were killed. Returning to his cattle with his troops and the bodies of his sons, he stopped at this familiar spot and to mark the death of his sons the grieving chieftain ordered his men to knock over two of the stones."
Source: https://blarneycastle.ie/gexplore/the-seven-sisters/
A little house in the stones
A small park
Here's the SACRAFICIAL ALTAR -
DRUID STONES
"Rock Close is rich in Druid heritage and here you can see stones that formed an ancient Druid Circle and even a sacrificial altar. It is claimed that when standing inside a circle, evil spirits cannot harm you.
Snakes played a central role in many of these mystical rites.
It is said that this is why St Patrick was keen to so famously banish them."
I'm not quite sure what this is, but it's neat.
At this point, I needed to take a seat with all of the walking and exploring we had done (well, maybe this was my several break I'd had). These birds said hello when we did sit though.
Do you see the mushroom face?
This little house was a bit hidden, and the first shot was when we were down below. Eventually after all of the exploring, we bumped right into it and were able to sit in it.
FAIRY GLADE
"The faerie folk of Ireland are famed the world over for their mischief and charm. They have of course been here longer than any of us and it is our duty to keep them safe in this special glade.
They do, however, have a native cunning. So if you spot one, don't let it be fooling you."
OUT OF THE LORE...
This was the last shot I got as we left the area of magic and lore. Honestly, I probably enjoyed seeing all of these sites more than the castle itself. I don't have Irish ancestry, but I do have various other European ancestry. I couldn't be more proud, or feel so lucky, to be come from some of the most amazing and great lands of the world. And to me, while I don't hold Irish blood, Ireland is a central heartbeat to European history, magic, strength, and legend. This area represented all of that - and I truly hope all of it is true.
So here is to one last look at the castle! This blog was one of my hardest blogs, competing with Saratoga National Historical Park in research, and far surpasses I think all of my other blogs in length. I knew it would be a big one, but I NEED to highlight this trip, including this day, because Ireland meant the world for me to go to.
Everyone I've talked to who has gone to Ireland, kissed the stone of Blarney Castle. Make sure you do that if you go, but don't forget to see the rest of the grounds. It was such an amazing place to see.
