Blarney Castle

It's hard to imagine that anyone would contemplate going Ireland and not give at least a passing thought to visiting Blarney Castle.

The keep, built in 1446 by Dermot McCarthy, is all that remains of the original structure. The Stone itself is said to have been a gift from Scotland's Robert the Bruce in gratitude for Cormac McCarthy's support in the Battle of Bannockburn. The Stone is believed to be half of the Stone of Scone, with special powers. Scottish Kings were crowned over the Stone, so their rule would incorporate those powers.

There are a number of stories surrounding the legend of the Blarney Stone itself. One of the most popular is that Queen Elizabeth I wanted the Irish Chiefs to agree that they occupied their lands under title from her. Cormac McCarthy, Lord of Blarney, responded to every request very politely, but he never actually agreed to the Queen's request. After several frustrating go-rounds, the Queens is said to have proclaimed that McCarthy was just "a lot of Blarney." Thus, the legend.

Another, more fanciful explanation, is that an old woman, probably a witch, was saved from drowning by a King. She was so grateful that she bestowed a spell upon him: if he would kiss the stone at the top of the castle, he would gain such glibness of tongue that all would find him fascinating and endearing. The only problem was that the only way to reach the Blarney Stone and kiss it, was to approach it upside-down and backwards. Naturally, a horrible accident followed; the King's friends couldn't hold him tightly enough, and he slipped, fell, and died.

Notwithstanding that last bit, thousands of tourists scale the 127 steps to the top of the keep at Blarney to, yes, approach the Stone upside down and backwards and kiss it. There are fortifications of iron rails, and good strong men to hold on to the supplicants. I have not done this; no one ever said I lacked from a touch of the Blarney. My cousin, a rather taciturn man at times, did kiss the stone. So far, there’s been no change in his communications.

The Castle grounds include wonderful walkways through a grove of ancient yew trees. There is a Rock Close, an arrangement of boulders laid out on a pre-historic Druid site, a dolmen (which is a tomb with a large flat stone laid on uprights), a sacrificial altar, and witches kitchen. Blarney Village is just a short walk from there, a lovely town with pubs and shops. Also close by is Blarney Woolen Mills, as big as a supermarket, that sells garments and souvenirs. If you go, plan to spend some money, as you're sure to find that perfect little something for everyone on your list. We needed to buy an extra bag to get everything home, and there wasn't buyer's remorse about a single thing.

Even if you're simply not into castles and don't care about visiting another one in Ireland, this is one that you truly need to visit if your trip takes you anywhere near the area. It’s simply a part of going to Ireland.