Walls that remember history, in a necklace of greenery - Blarney Castle in Ireland. Everything here is saturated with a historical spirit. Mystical places, castle walls, a stone of eloquence, shrouded in legends. And there is a lot of greenery around, among which you will calmly rest after all the impressions and you can even have a small picnic.
History
Ireland's province of Munster comprises the counties of Kerry, Clare, Cork, Limerick, Tippery and Waterford.
The chronology of places of interest began in the 10th century. The Castle that we see today was built in County Cork. This is Blarney Castle. In a state of ruins, it still attracts tourists.
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Majestic and now, at the time of its prosperity, Blarney Castle was a powerful building with solid walls, five stories high. Under the castle to this day there is a whole network of underground caves and passages, along which it was possible to retreat in case of retreat.
In the 17th century, Lord Brogill, as a result of the siege, nevertheless won a victory, it turned out that all this was in vain. The inhabitants went out through the Badger Caves along with valuable things.
The history of the castle remembers that Elizabeth I was eager to acquire this castle for herself. For this, her confidant visited the castle several times. The owner of the castle was in no hurry to part with his home, arranged with great love. But he also had no desire to spoil relations with the dominant person.
In order to get out of the situation, Dermot McCarthy, the owner of the castle, each time arranged a magnificent reception in honor of the distinguished guest. Or he invited him to hunt, before which he was a great fan. In general, he was dragging out the case. When the queen demanded an account from her envoy, she received a long letter about nothing with a bunch of flattering statements in her honor. It was then that the verb to blarney appeared in English - to flatter. In the modern language of youth, this is called - blah, blah, blah.
Main attraction
The fact that will finally convince you to come here is the Blarney stone, which, according to legend, bestows the art of eloquence. Despite the skeptical statements about this artifact, for many years now there has been a line of people wishing to merge with the Blarney Stone in a kiss, and after that gain the gift of eloquence.
There are many legends surrounding this stone. According to one of them, this is a stone presented to the owner of the castle by a witch or sorceress in order for him to acquire the gift of eloquence and to defend his home in court.
According to another, he went to the ancestor of Demort McCarthy as a token of gratitude for his help in the battle. It is part of the Skunk Stone on which the kings of England and Scotland are crowned.
The daughter of Pharaoh Ramses II wandered for a hundred years in search of a paradise land. She found it in Northern Ireland. But all this time she did not part with a piece of sandstone. He served as a pillow for the biblical Jacob when he had a dream about angels who climbed the stairs leading to heaven. Since then, this famous stone has been kept in Scotland at Skuna Abbey, hence its name.
The Stone of Eloquence got its name after the 16th century, when one of McCarthy's descendants became famous for his beautiful speeches.
For someone who dares to kiss, it will not be very easy. First, you need to climb to the top of the castle, which is no less than five floors. Then, you need to bend and hold on to the handrails to kiss the stone. Previously, it was much more difficult and dangerous to do this.
We continue our walk
But even if you are not delighted with the thought of acrobatic sketches, it is still worth going up to the castle. From here, a stunning view of the entire territory of the park opens. Wherever the eye sees, everywhere is well-groomed greenery of different shades.
In the garden of Blarney Castle, natural and man-made places are intertwined. It seems that this particular corner was created according to the project. And then an unexpectedly pleasant surprise in the form of a stream intervenes, which, in general, should not be. But it is so mesmerizing that you can wander here indefinitely. It is not forbidden to have breaks and small picnics.
There are many more mysterious stories hovering over this place. In the garden that surrounds the castle, there is a magical place called Rock Close, where a pagan altar, the Circle of Druids and the Kitchen of Witches still exist. Everything is saturated with mysticism and unearthly otherworldly forces.
The rock, overgrown with greenery, is split by a passage with slippery steps. This place is called the "staircase of witches". Tradition says that a wish made will come true. To do this, you need to walk up the steps with your eyes closed. After all, only here, in the greenery, little elves are circling above you, who are not visible, but the imagination draws their merry faces.
Opposite the old castle there is a beautiful Scottish baronial-style mansion Blarney House, which looks more like a scenery for a fairy tale than a residential building. It can only be visited in April-May on Friday and Saturday.
Best time to visit
The weather in County Cork, where Blarney Castle is located, as well as throughout Ireland, is unstable even in summer. Of course, the best time to visit is from June to August. It rarely rains at this time and the temperature is quite comfortable, although the evenings are cool anyway.
The entrance to the park is free. A visit to the castle is possible from May to September from 9-00 to 17.30, and in winter from 9-00 to sunset, except on December 24 and 25. The castle is closed for visits on these days.
This pleasure costs 10 euros for adults, 3.5 euros for children from 8 to 14 years old.
How to get there on your own
The castle with its attractions is located in the village of Blarney, literally 8 km from the city of Cork.
Bus number 215 departs from the bus station of this city Merchants Quay. You need to get off at the Blarney Village stop.
Cork can be reached by air and water. This city has an airport and a port. You can get from St. Petersburg by ferry. For those who are afraid to fly, this is a great option, and also quite economical. A minute walk from the port there is a small railway station, from which a train leaves every half an hour to the city. Travel time is 25 minutes among solid greenery, ancient castles and sheep grazing everywhere.
Blarney Castle on the map
Where to stay
We offer interesting options for hotels where you can stay:
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Come back with impressions!
Recommended reading Macross Abbey, Ireland.
