Blarney Castle and Gardens Review
“Do you remember your first kiss?” read the bright white letters on my friend’s souvenir postcard. The silly phrase perfectly fit the mood of the kitschy tourist gifts cluttering the exit during our group’s visit to one of Ireland’s many castles. Blarney Castle and Gardens is the estate and grounds home to the legendary Blarney Stone, Ireland’s most iconic rock, and a hotspot for thousands of tourists annually. But potential visitors need not fear the inherent “touristy” aspect of Ireland’s iconic stone and the inevitable smooching trap that comes with it. Instead of falling prey to the overhyped qualities of other tourist destinations, Blarney Castle and Gardens exceeds expectations and shows its true colors to reveal why it is one of the Emerald Isle’s most iconic locations and legends.
Originally dating from before 1200 AD, the Blarney castle used to be a medieval stronghold for the surrounding areas of Cork. Unfortunately, that version of the castle was destroyed in 1446 and later rebuilt by Cormac MacCarthy, the King of Munster. He gave us the version of the ruined castle that tourists explore today. But as any visitor to Ireland soon learns, visiting Blarney is not about the castle. The true tourist magnet of Blarney Castle is the mystical “Blarney Stone.”
Per tradition, tourists worldwide have flocked to kiss the limestone rock at the top of the castle’s battlements for hundreds of years. Twinklings of superstition and legendary stories surround the stone, most prevalent being the legend that kissing the stone can bring eloquence and the “gift of the gab” to anyone lucky enough to smack lips with the limestone. Other myths include Old Testament stories claiming that the stone was Jacob’s pillow in the Old Testament, or the “Stone of Ezel” David used to hide from King Saul miraculously made its way to southern Ireland. Regardless of what a visitor believes, a strong sense of tradition and wonder surrounds the magical stone, and visitors feel the excitement for its enchanting abilities upon entering the grounds.
For your logistical planning, the castle is easy to get to with many nearby accommodations. To get to the castle for your long-awaited kiss, visitors can take a bus from Cork to the castle, where the drive is only a 15-minute ride from the city center. Another option is hiring a cab for around 20–30 euros and planning a pickup time for your ride back. Entrance to the castle grounds and gardens is not free, but the admission prices are reasonable for the encompassing experience of the Blarney grounds. Admission includes exploring the castle, kissing the stone, and venturing out into over 60 acres of sprawling gardens and pathways. The park also holds several cafes selling light refreshments, pastries, and coffees. Visitors will find ticket prices listed on the Blarney Castle and Gardens website, where prices vary from 8–18 euros depending upon the visitor’s age. The website also includes great information about the grounds themselves, including different sightseeing plans based on whether visitors have a couple of hours, half a day, or a full day at the grounds.
But for all the beauty of the lush gardens and treats at the sweet cafes, visitors should not miss the actual Blarney Stone itself. Upon our visit, our group made sure to conquer the Stone first. We arrived earlier in the day, wanting to miss the swarms of adoring Blarney fans and we seemed to miss the crowds. As we visited on a rainy Sunday afternoon, waiting in line for the Stone took less than an hour. According to other travel sites, however, the recommended time for the whole grounds and Blarney Stone experience is 3 hours or an entire half-day to ensure that you or your group do not feel rushed. Luckily for us, the rain kept the grounds relatively uncrowded, and we saw everything we wanted to within just 3 hours. Deciding about your time at the castle is up to each traveler or group based on their own preferences and research.
For our group, kissing the stone and receiving “the gift of the gab” made the rainy walking day worth our trip. At Blarney, the magic lies in your participation to mystify and wonder with the legends. I felt like an adventurer out of one of the Stone’s stories just by playing into the fun of a tradition hundreds of years old. The somewhat tricky journey up to the top of the castle made me felt like I had conquered a mountain and deserved the legendary prize belonging to those brave enough to stand in a tight stone stairway for an hour.
That said, within the castle, the line up to the stone is very tight and uncomfortable. Accessibility standards are great within the grounds and walkways, but for seeing the Blarney Stone itself, the only way to it is by standing in line in a tight stone staircase. The staircase, originally built for smaller medieval-era sized persons, has only one way up and one way down. Once you’re in, there’s no turning around, and you must wait within the cold damp walls until you reach the top. Coming from someone who suffers from anxiety in tight spaces, I’d recommend getting in line with friends or traveling companions so that you have a chatting buddy in case the queue is extra-long or the tight passage becomes too uncomfortable.
Once you reach the top and fresh air, however, the claustrophobic wait is worth it. When the stairway opens onto the roof, a gorgeous view of the sprawling gardens spans out before you with full sight of the poison gardens, the dozens of walkways, and the rest of the castle. Even if you don’t want to kiss the stone, the staircase wait is worth it just for the view of such beautiful and well-kept gardens. If you do want a smooch though, depending on how fast the guides are moving, it is then only another five-minute to ten-minute wait till your long-awaited kiss.
On the roof, the Blarney Stone sits low on the back battlement wall, with a hole in the wall and floor of the castle acting as the perfect spot to flip down and kiss it. But if shimmying down backward on a potentially slippery roof sounds a little daunting, have no fear. Helpful guides are stationed on either side of the stone to hold you as you bend backward, back flat on the ground, to kiss the stone. The guides then graciously help you back on your feet, and you are set on your way to explore the rest of the castle or pick up your picture as a souvenir of the kiss. And with that simple moment, you officially induct yourself into the club of adoring Blarney fans forever blessed with the “gift of the gab.”
At the end of the day, Blarney is worth the hype because of its tradition, uniqueness, silliness. As someone who usually likes to travel “off the map” or away from popular hot spots, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the amount of fun I had with my time at Blarney. I smelled the flowers, enjoyed the high-level views, and walked away with a picture of my legendary kiss. For all its popularity, how could you not adore Blarney when everything you need for a true tourist day is right within the castle grounds: a hot cup of coffee, picture perfect gardens, cheesy tourist gifts, and a stone affectionately kissed by hundreds of strangers before you (if you make sure to wipe your mouth after).