Story
The story of Blarney Castle
At the top of this castle, visitors hang upside-down over a sheer drop to kiss a stone that is said to give the gift of eloquence. This is the Blarney Stone, also called the Stone of Eloquence, set among the castle's machicolations. There are many versions of its origin; one claims it was the Lia Fáil, the stone on which Irish kings were crowned.
The keep you see dates from 1446, rebuilt by Cormac Láidir MacCarthy, Lord of Muscry, on a spot fortified since before 1200. In 1646, during the Irish Confederate Wars, Parliamentarian forces under Lord Broghill seized it. In the early 18th century it was bought by Sir James Jeffreys, governor of Cork City. His family later joined by marriage with the Colthursts, who still live on the estate.
As you wander the gardens, look for rock formations called Druid's Circle, Witch's Cave and the Wishing Steps, and a poison garden with wolfsbane, mandrake and opium poppies.
This story is compiled from Wikipedia and other open sources; dates and numbers are checked against the source. The text is shared under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Source ↗
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