Blarney Castle

On the way to Blarney we stopped in Macroom, a market town in County Cork.  Macroom Castle stands in the centre of the town, guarding the historic ford across the River Sullane.  The castle was probably erected in the 12th century by the O’Flynn family, as its old Irish name of Caislean Ui Fhloinn suggests.

Macroom Town Hall was built for £1,000 in 1900

The Macroom Church of Ireland building was constructed in 1823.  The building is now derelict although the graveyard is still in use.

 River Sullane

Blarney is a village in southwestern Ireland with the centre of the village dominated by The Square, a grass field where Blarney locals and townspeople congregate.

Blarney’s 15-century castle (built in 1446) is home to the legendary Blarney Stone, said to give the “gift of the gab” to those who kiss it.  Extensive parkland surrounding the castle feature a network of trails, themed gardens and the large, turreted Blarney House.

The Blarney Stone is perched at the top of a steep climb up claustrophobic, spiral staircases.  At the top you bend over backwards over a long, long drop (with safety grill and attendants to prevent tragedy) to kiss the stone...as your shirt rides up and things fall out of your pockets.  So rather than join a line that was “ONLY” an hour and a half long when I was there, to kiss a saliva drenched stone,  a decided to use my time exploring the castle and absolutely gorgeous grounds!

 Blarney House, within the estate grounds, is a Scottish baronial-style mansion built in 1874

The garden was purple heaven!