Twenty minutes later we arrive at Blarney Estate, which sits on about sixty acres of beautifully maintained parkland. There is a real sense of serenity here; a silence, broken but for the sound of a trickling stream.
Ten minutes later we arrive at Blarney Castle. It’s not your classic castle that you think of from your fairytales. This one is more of a vertical large tower, or stronghold I think they call it. There are about one hundred twisting steps to the top where the famous Blarney Stone sits; promising whoever kisses it will be given the gift of eloquence, the ability to ‘Blarney’ in fact. The ritual involves a person first lying on their back, and then putting their head back to kiss the Blarney Stone (pictured below – where the gap is where the stone is situated). Louise's lips smacked the stone.Blarney House (pictured below) is a striking mansion on the grounds, still used as a family home by the lucky owner's. Sections are open to the public part of the year.
You could easily spend a whole day here. Some families brought picnic lunches, and let the kids go wild.
We drive onto Middleton - about half an hour from Blarney. Then, onto Shanagarry. A feature of driving in almost any town in the UK or Ireland is the heavy traffic. You can be in the most miniscule out of the way village, and be reduced to a crawl, whilst you snake your through the narrow roads.
Our destination is the beautiful seaside village of Ballycotton (pictured above)
The lighthouse squats about 2km from the shore. In the old days the Lighthouse Keeper's kids would have to row to school.FACTS SHEET:
Blarney Castle
Blarney, Ireland
Telephone: 00 353 21 4385252
Fax: 00 353 21 4381518Email: info@blarneycastle.ie
