16 Questions answered about Blarney Castle
Blarney Castle and Gardens is a popular tourist attraction in Blarney County Cork Ireland. More than 400,00 tourists visit Blarney castle every year and here are the top questions they ask.
What is special about Blarney Castle?
The gift of the gab or the gift of eloquence and persuasiveness. This is what you will get when you kiss the Blarney stone in Ireland. This tradition has been going on for several centuries. The Blarney stone was set in a wall of Blarney castle where it was constructed in 1446 by Dermot McCarthy the king of Munster. It was built on a site of a demolished castle.
How did Blarney Castle get its name?
The lord of Blarney, Cormac Teige McCarthy cleverly used his words and wit to satisfy Queen Elizabeth the I to keep the castle. He achieved this without having to officially sign over the rights to the land. The Queen wanted Irish chiefs to occupy their own land under title from her.
What is inside Blarney Castle?
The castle itself is now is now a partial ruin, but inside you can find some accessible rooms, like the dining room, princess room and battlements like the murder hole. When you make your way to the top of the castle you will find the Stone of Eloquence, also known as the Blarney Stone. Tourists visiting the castle have the opportunity to hang upside-down over a sheer drop to kiss the stone. Kissing the blarney stone is said to give the gift of eloquence or the gift of the gab.
How did Blarney Castle change over time?
Blarney castle dates back to before AD1200. The original structure built on the site was made out of wood. It was replaced with a stone building around 1210AD but got destroyed in 1446. Cormac Laidir McCarthy the lord of Muscry rebuilt the castle.
Do they clean the Blarney Stone?
To ensure that the castle remained sanitary, different processes were put in place when it reopened last year. Staff on-site clean the stone with a cleanser approved by the World Health Organization, which kills 99.9% of germs and viruses and is entirely safe to use close to people.
How tall is the Blarney Stone?
The blarney stone is situated 85 feet up, on the east wall of the battlement. From the top of the Blarney castle wall, you have to bend backwards while holding a railing.
How much does Blarney Castle cost?
Is Blarney worth visiting?
There are over 30,000 castles in Ireland. Blarney Castle and Gardnes has some of the most impressive grounds of the many castles in Ireland. Blarney is well worth a visit.
How many steps does Blarney Castle have?
To get to the Blarney stone located 85 feet high on the east wall of the blattlement you will have to climb 128 narrow steps to get to the top.
Does anyone live in the Blarney Castle?
The Colthurst family lives in Blarney House which is located on the grounds of Blarney Castle. Blarney House was built in 1874. The Colthurst family live on their farm During tourist season.
Do local people or teenagers pee on the Blarney stone?
Unfortunately this for the “pee on the Blarney stone” conspiracy theorists, this urban legend is nothing but a myth. Upon further investigation we found the following facts: Firstly you have to climb 128 steps to get to the stone and furthermore the castle is securely closed in the evening.
What type of rock is the Blarney Stone?
Analysis by the University of Glasgow indicates the Blarney Stone is a limestone. It is made of the mineral calcite, and containing recrystallized and slightly deformed fragments of fossil brachiopod shells and bryozoans.
How long does it take to go through Blarney Castle?
It is recommended to take at least 3 hours to visit the Gardens and the castle.
How many people visit the Blarney Stone?
More than 400,000 tourists visit The Blarney Stone. It is part of the beautiful Blarney Castle and Gardens in County Cork. A quick kiss is all that is needed to get the gift of the gab.
How old do you have to be to kiss the Blarney Stone?
Usually the age is 8 years old. If the Castle staff staff feel a child under 8 is confident enough to do it they will allow it.
Can you still kiss the Blarney Stone in 2022?
The stone is on the site of Blarney Castle near Cork. “We went to great lengths over the last number of months to put a series of health and safety measures in place,” they said, adding that the stone can again “be kissed by any of our visitors if they choose to do so.”
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Originally published at https://lovetovisitireland.com on August 22, 2022.
