When visiting Ireland to Kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland, it’s a rite of passage. It took us four visits to Ireland to finally make it to Blarney Castle, located just outside of Ireland’s second-largest city, Cork. But we made it and were thrilled to be kissing the Blarney Stone finally!
We had wanted to kiss the Blarney Stone forever, but itineraries and schedules never let us make a detour to try our luck at the gift of the gab. But during this past trip to the Emerald Isle, we made sure not to miss it.
Table of Contents
Kissing the Blarney Stone
When we arrived at Blarney Castle, we expected to walk up to the stone, kiss it, and move on, but there is so much more to Blarney Castle than just kissing the Blarney Stone; make sure to give yourself a few hours to explore the grounds as well. You may also like: The Best Things to do in Northern Ireland
Blarney Castle History
Blarney Castle is one of those magical castles that take your breath away when you first enter. We’ve seen a lot of castles in our travels, but something about Blarney is special. You can feel the magic in the air when you witness the view. It’s in excellent condition standing proudly over picturesque parklands spanning 60 acres.
Built six centuries ago, the Blarney Castle is family-owned and operated. Built in 1446, the third of three castles standing on this site was built by Dermot McCarthy, King of Munster, and has been standing ever since and kept running by his descendants who still live on the grounds today.
How the Blarney Stone Came to Be
The Blarney Stone came to be when Robert the Bruce of Scotland (we all remember him from Braveheart) won a famous victory over England’s Edward II at Bannockburn. The MacCarthys provided 5,000 infantry to help him in this triumph and as a reward for their help, Bruce gave them a piece of the Stone of Destiny, the stone on which the Kings of Scotland were crowned.
The Irish are excellent storytellers and there are many legends of how the Blarney Stone came to be. But the story of Robert the Bruce is my favorite, and our guide told us that the other half is on display somewhere in London, protected under glass. Traveling to Scotland too?
What it Is like to Kiss the Blarney Stone?
But how did the Blarney Stone become a stone to kiss? The legend of Kissing the Blarney Stone came to be from a man who sidestepped the queen on a regular basis to avoid giving her his land.
It is said that The Lord of Blarney – Cormac Teige McCarthy, received many requests from the Queen of England for him to sign his land over to her. Lord McCarthy had the gift of the gab and regularly sent letters flittering around the issue but adorning the Queen with flattery saying he would gladly pledge his loyalty to the queen.
Eventually, the Queen saw through his messages and flung his letter aside shouting “He’s just giving me more of his blarney!” And so the magical power of the Blarney Stone began.
Dave and Deb Kissing the Blarney Stone
If you make a pilgrimage to Kiss the Blarney Stone, you will be granted the gift of eloquence (Gift of the Gab) and will be able to talk your way out of everything, just like The Lord of Blarney, Cormac Teige McCarthy.
Dave and I both kissed the stone, so something tells me, we’re going to have a hard time concluding who wins our following argument!
Do People Pee On The Blarney Stone?
Contrary to popular belief, locals do not pee on the Blarney Stone. When we said we were going to Kiss the Blarney Stone, everyone told us they’d never do it because locals pee on it. We wanted to get to the bottom of this controversy so we had to see for ourselves.
First of all, when you visit the Blarney Stone, you have to pay a fee, the castle is owned and operated by a private family, and you have to walk up 114 steps to get to the Blarney Stone.
During opening hours, two men are working at the Blarney Stone at all times. One holds on to the person leaning back to kiss the stone and the other takes photos of people. When the Blarney Castle is closed, nobody can go inside.
Myth of Peeing on the Blarney Stone
When we asked our guide about the Blarney Stone peeing myth, he said that locals used to try to get a rise out of tourists at the pub when they said they kissed the stone. Locals would reply, “Oh yeah, well, you know what I did on the stone last night?”
And that is how it all began, and so on to more important things.
The Blarney Castle And Gardens
When you visit Blarney Castle, be sure to spend at least an afternoon touring the castle gardens. There is a poison garden fit for a royal family looking to eliminate their rivals. Filled with plants like Mandrake, Ricin, Wolfsbane, and Opium, the gardens go back to a time when plants were used to treat ailments and relieve illnesses.
I tend to watch a lot of movies and TV, so I imagine a darker time when kings and queens were poisoned by their loyal servants looking to succeed the throne. Or maybe I’ve just been watching too much Game of Thrones.
The Witch of Blarney Castle
The McCarthys had a witch living on their land who advised them and told them of the powers of the Blarney Stone. Visitors can leave a coin and ask the witch to grant their wish. But don’t worry, it is said she only comes out at night when the castle grounds are closed. But you can tour her kitchen where a famous chef once cooked a pot of porridge or you can witness the sacrificial stone set at the top of the path.
Cork is a great stop on your way to the Wild Atlantic Way, see all there is to see and do!
Wishing Steps
If you are brave enough to walk down the wishing steps backward with your eyes closed, thinking of nothing but your wish, that wish will come true in a year! When walking through the Fairy Glade, there are signs telling you to keep an eye out. You don’t want to step on any mischievous fairies today.
I had just finished saying to Dave that we could spend all day on the castle grounds when I heard a group of young American guys saying the same thing. Blarney Castle is an attraction for all ages. Millions may flock to Kiss the Blarney Stone, but it’s the Blarney Castle gardens and grounds that make it special.
When to Visit Blarney Castle without the Crowds
We visited Blarney Castles in February and barely saw another soul. If you visit in the summer, we hear the lines are agonizingly long. We walked up the narrow steps of Blarney Castle straight to the top and didn’t have to wait a moment to kiss the stone.
If you go during the off-season, you will have the stone all to yourselves and a clear and quiet scene to walk the paths and soak in the magic and mystery of Cork’s Blarney Castle.
Blarney Castle Fast Facts
- It’s 128 narrow steps to walk up to Kiss the Blarney Stone. But there are many stops along the way where you can view rooms and read little facts about Blarney Castle.
- Even Winston Churchill Kissed the Blarney Stone!
- Admission to the castle grounds €13. This gets you into the gardens and inside the Blarney Castle where you can kiss the stone.
- Blarney Castle is open all year round.
- It is located 8 km from Cork and is a 3-4 hour drive from Dublin.
- Make sure to bring a Euro or two for the guide helping you kiss the Blarney Stone.
- He makes sure you are safe and sound.
- You have to lean back to kiss the Blarney Stone and you are very high. Be prepared if you are afraid of heights.
- For more information on tickets and opening times visit the Blarney Castle Website.
Our trip to Ireland is in Partnership with the Lonely Planet and Tourism Ireland. Stay tuned for our upcoming Video on the Lonely Planet YouTube page.
They might not pee on it now, but they sure did when we were kids
Great post! you two had an amazing time
Great post! Looks like you two had an amazing time. I’m incredibly jealous!!!
Thanks Craig, it was so much fun being at the Blarney Stone. It was something we have wanted to do for a very long time and it’s always so sweet when a bucket list item comes true.
Does wishing step really fulfil our wish? That question is roaming around me ? Anyways as usual informative post
Man, this makes me sad I missed the Blarney Castle. I was there over the summer and the lines were long, so instead of going inside the grounds we had a picnic outside. Wish we had at least paid to get inside to see the castle!
I can understand why you didn’t go in. Long lines really can turn me off as well. But it’s true, there is a lot to do inside besides just kissing the Blarney Stone. Our guide told us that not a lot of people take the time to walk around the grounds and they are really missing out. Even on busy days you can feel like you are completely alone in certain parts of the gardens because most people just kiss the stone and leave.